Mental aspect of the CHIN

I always kind of hypnotise myself into thinking I can't be hurt. It works really well. I think chin is way more mental than people give it credit for.

 

A good chin, strong neck, and hard head are paramount, but the right attitude about taking a shot, and a bit of cajones certainly helps.

 

I think Pryor might have had some liquid assistance ,Tony Zale once said "it isnt so much a glass jaw ,as a glass heart".And watching him virtually dead on his feet against Cerdan ,I think if anyone was entitled to say that it was him.

 

Aspects of the concrete chin:

reflexes. This is paramount. The mind's eye ability to see the shot coming and respond ever so slightly to prepare the head for the blow.

jawbone structure
relative thickness of the neck -which operates as a shock absorber.

Will. Think Descartes: "I believe from the bottom of my boxing shoes that I can take a monster shot, therefore I can."

Conditioning/experience. the body learns to respond to shots by dealing with it often enough --but not too often of course.

Mystery. I don't know the % of the equation that is unknown but none of the above totally explains the phenomena of the Hagler chin (which is THE standard.).

*It isn't all mental.

 

Mind over matter would be a simple way of putting it.

Julio Cesar Chavez had CAT scan and it was revealed his skull was thicker than the average humans; hence part of the reason he took shots well? Maybe, maybe not.

And one part I'd like to add which Stonehands89 missed. Well he could have covered even more had he wished. Neck muscles. A strong neck acts as a shock absorber.

 

I covered it, bub. Even used the word "shock absorber".

 

Thanks. Silly me missed that part and never read thoroughly.

 

I think it's a little bit of both.

 

I think this statement pretty much nails it.

For example, I'm a huge fan of mental conditioning, but a guy/gal with a glass jaw will always have that glass jaw regardless of how much he/she tries to convince themselves otherwise. Some just can't take a punch.

On the other hand, a person that has a good chin to begin with can make it even more durable through proper attitude.

Like you said, it is certainly a bit of both.

 

Chuvalo's said more than once that he perceived himself as "invulnerable", and he chalks that up to almost all of his success durability wise.

 

well it's been regarded that benn had a weak chin but a very very very tough attitude.
benn was maybe the purest example of iron will yet could get tapped by glazing blows and be on streir squeet yet have enough of himself to survive and fight back.

same with morrison and terry norris even jab judah of late.

 

Morrison didn't go down and come back to win, though.