Chuvalo's Chin - Can A Case Be Made...

foreman destroyed frazier and any other fighter with the punches Chuvalo took. Ali was smart. If Ali took those punches that Chuvalo took he would be out. Chuvalo was taking constant big punches from one of the hardest punchers of all time and was still standing. the ref and corner stopped the fight not Chuvalo. Boy could he take it. Until you take full blown punches from a peak Foreman then you can talk **** all you like but Chuvalo proved he had some mighty chin. I still can't believe how the guy was still standing.

 

Whether or not you believe Robinson is the greatest fighter or simply one of the very greatest fighters doesn't detract from how impressive it was that LaMotta stood up to him in their final fight.

As I said earlier, your comparison between LaMotta and Maxim blatantly contradicts another point you keeping making in this thread about skill/craft affecting a fighter's ability to negate punishment.

In all three fights with Moore, Maxim being tall and rangy was able to grab hold or tie up Moore after almost every time Moore caught him flush. And that was something Maxim was able to do throughout his career - provided he even needed to, if he still had his footwork to move away. There was no point in any of Maxim's 45 rounds with Moore that he simply stood defenseless and took punch after punch after punch on his chin, like LaMotta did in the last three rounds of his last fight with Robinson. And incidentally, I'd say that fight (not Satterfield) was LaMotta's greatest display of chin, and very arguably the greatest display of chin by any fighter ever. Robinson landed dozens of the kind of punches in succession, that had KO'd guys like Fullmer, Olson, and Graziano with only one or two punches, and LaMotta being short and stumpy plus totally exhausted, stood there defenselessly and took punch after punch flush on the chin, without rolling or slipping with them at all. And yet Robinson couldn't knock him off his feet.

It's not accurate to say LaMotta's chin "folded" in the first fight with Murphy. He quit on his stool. More accurately, his will or desire is what folded. His chin stood up under all the punishment that was given in that fight, which was considerable.

I would say it's more accurate to say Maxim's chin folded in his losses to Bobo Olson, when he was dropped by a blown up fighter who was never considered a big puncher even at his normal weight.

Maxim had more fights than LaMotta, but that doesn't automatically mean his chin was tested/proven more. Nor does the fact that he was stopped less. Maxim was more skilled and physically gifted, and did far better job at avoiding/negating punishment throughout his career than LaMotta did. LaMotta's chin was tested far more consistently and thoroughly throughout his career than Maxim's was.

Yes, it was very early in Maxim's career that he was KO'd. But then, LaMotta wasn't KO'd quick like that at any stage in his career (early or late) and was also fighting men above his weight class since early in his career as well. And yes, Maxim did go the distance with him around the same time that he was KO'd by him. Just like LaMotta came back and beat Murphy in a rematch as well.

 

Some credit should, in my opinion go to Carlos Monzon when great chins are being discussed. Monzon fought more times and at a higher level than anyone mentioned yet, and was NEVER stopped. I believe he took no more than 4 knockdowns in his entire career. The last one was a shot in the 2nd round of his rematch with Valdez, short right hand that would have been too much for most fighters, but Carlos bounced up without a count and went on to win the fight. Other contenders for great chin honors should include Kid Gavilan (never stopped) and Billy Graham (never floored OR stopped).

 

Monzon prolly hasn't been mentioned because the thread highlights a heavyweight. By the same token Harry Greb would probably be mentioned even before Monzon.

 

it's pretty clear to me chuvalo's chin was 1 of the best if not the best of all time.some ppl on here are trying to make cases for other fighters i think,but i watched chuvalo fight man that guy was strong and durable.his chest measured over 49"expanded when he was in shape

 

Hmm, maybe my2 and Russell will end up finding which of the two has a better chin. Groove, good post. Chuvalo after the stoppage with Foreman said he was just waiting for George to tire and ya know, I think he meant it. He indicated he wasn't hurt and wanted it to continue. How big is that, Fred Askew who was ko'd by a young Foreman made this comparison. As a teenager on a Tennesee farm he was kicked in the head by an enraged horse and didn't wake up for two days. Freddie said George hit harder.