The huge Simon versus Oscar and George, [individually before some one makes with the smart cracks,]. All prime how do the fights go?
I admittedly have to watch more Simon footage but I would favor Oscar and I think Chuvalo is 50/50 fight. Simon could defeat him.
I have it the other way around. I think the size gap between Oscar and Simon is much wider than it is between Simon and Chuvalo. While both Oscar and George had world class durability, Chuvalo probably rules in that department and has a pretty good punch too. He fought well against fighters of all types, big men, hard punchers, good boxers, etc.. Abe's size might help him to linger around and win a decision over Bonavena, but I don't think it would be enough against Chuvalo who went toe to toe with Terrell over 15 rounds, gave Ali trouble, and beat Quarry, Dejohn, Jones, and Cleroux.
Id pick Bonavena over Chuvalo to have success with Simon. Chuvalo would likely go into his usual pattern of holding his guard high and not doing much only to brag after losing about how he was never dropped and whine that he should have won. Chuvalo is pathetically overrated. Bonavena actually took chances and tried to win even when he was overmatched and as a result he is a tougher H2H matchup. I dont think losing nearly every round to Ali is giving him trouble. I dont think getting a questionable stoppage over Quarry after losing every round and getting your face absolutely mangled is a badge of honor. I dont think DeJohn was anything special to laud. I dont think Jones, a natural LHW, is any comparison to the giant Simon. and I dont think losing two out of three to Cleroux, never a world beater, is particularly special either. Then there are easy losses to guys like Pat McMurtry, Pete Rademacher, Joe Erskine, Eduardo Corletti, and others that give one pause. Not to mention he actually lost to Bonavena as well. I dont think Chuvalo is stopping Simon and that, to my mind, would be the only way for Chuvalo to beat him.
I like Simon over Chuvalo also, but Bonavena over Simon. I see Bonavena as quite a bit better than Chuvalo.
tough fights for both men because of Style, I dont see Chuvalo stopping Simon but Simon could out-maul him for a UD. Bonavena had an awkward style and should offer more of a difficult fight but could go either way. I like Chuvalo a tough guy and still able to talk well despite some of the poundings he took in the ring and in life. How do you figure ?
Bonavena is/was underrated...he had more imagination than Chuvalo and was a bit like a heavyweight Gene Fullmer, in that he had a plan "B"...when sjugging it out didn't work.
How much film is there of Simon to make a real judgement? Nobody looks good against a Prime Joe Louis. He was obviously decent and fought often enough against other decent calibre fighters to be a good fighter. Lou Nova, Ken Franklin, Willie Redish, Buddy Baer, Gunnar Barlund, Jersey Joe Walcott and Roscoe Toles are good company.
LOL. Yeah. Chuvalo has an excuse for every fight he ever lost... Except all of those fights to journeymen. I mean, how the **** do you get dominated by Pete Rademacher?? In the second Chuvalo fight nobody gave George more than two rounds and George even said Ali was in better shape than he had been for their first meeting (which Ali also dominated). Thats one of the reasons why I cant stand Chuvalo. The guy never gives his opponents any credit and always wants to make an excuse for his loss rather than just admit those guys were better than him and beat him fair and square.
