ATG Middleweight Chin Tier list-The Top Forty

On numbers alone DT is almost top tier, Iron/Titanium based on your scaling. If you go 80 fights and only get stopped once then your chin is unquestionable.

edit - It’s also got to be said that Tiger was in an awful lot of wars and got through to the final bell. Plus a KO at 175 cannot be held against him. On reflection his chin was titanium.

 

Tiger is definitely up there for sure but I would say Hagler, Lamotta, Toney and GGG all are in the titanium category as well.

 

At middleweight?

Titanium.

Only KD that he suffered at the weight was when he was put on a knee for a second by a quick counter by Griffith. With the exception of the early injury stoppage wasn't close to be stopped during that run. Was able to walk through flame throwers like Florentino Fernandez and Rubin Carter. Pretty much defines the word "indomitable".

In a division with some legendary chins, he's definitely worthy of top tier status.

 

@McGrain

To answer the question definitely titanium at Middleweight only legitimately stopped two weightclasses above his best weightclass by an ATG puncher at Light Heavyweight in Bob Foster.

 

i know it wasn't exactly the assignment but i kind of got carried away thinking of where i would rank who and this happened.....

as for tiger, he was clearly able to take quite a punch (taking the best fernandez, carter and torres had to give while never being shaken), however he was knocked out clean once as well as knocked down by griffith and was reportedly shaken by joey archer so i couldn't quite put him at titanium, so i settled on iron

 

Titanium or Iron for me; no argument against either choice. If pressed, I'd put him right on par with Hagler, LaMotta, Toney, etc in Titanium.

 

you're right it wasn't fair of me to disregard your instructions like that, i apologize and have deleted the previous post

 

Titanium Tiger.
Took an all time great puncher in Foster to stop him. Remember also Dick, would probably have been suffering some early stage of the cancer, that struck him.
As a matter of interest, which fight did he lose, through a broken thumb? thanks.

 

Sorry, I misread the OP. At Middleweight, I would say titanium for Tiger but then again, his era was not exactly made up of the biggest of hitters at 160 although it was full of great fighters. He fought Joey Giardello four times which was an incredible series of fights but Joey G. Was not much of a puncher. Emile, Joey Archer and Benvenuti all were not know for being murderous punchers but they all were great fighters. With that said, Tiger certainly was tough as nails and gave no indication that he couldn't handle the heaviest of punchers at 160.

 

My impression of Tiger tells me it was top shelf (Titanium) - Ruben landed and it was Ruben who ended up spinning leather trying to stay away.

The Henry Hank fight was really good, in there shoot outs HH always ended up on wobbly legs and DT was still there clapping his hands together - HH fight was also a showcase for DT’s versatility with the left hand. Gene Fullmer was no slouch either, good fights I don’t even remember Tiger being hurt in any of the above mentioned bouts.

Being popped by Emile Griffith isn’t anything to be ashamed of at all, good power on a counter from the best of the 60s (IMO) I don’t think Griffith lost anyone’s respect in a boxing ring, I’d add those fights to his “points” attributing to an argument for “titanium” I’m not saying much that hasn’t been said by Paul Pender in less words.

“Tigers one of those fighters who just keeps coming. They are the kind you don't fight unless you have to” EDIT: I even forgot he fought Torres, fancy that, what a record.