One of my favorite facets of boxing is learning. Hundreds of years of history to sort through, to dig into. Always something new to learn. I love it. So no LaMotta's, McCalls, or even LaPorte's and Villanasa's. No names most if not all of us already know. Lets share something new. Give me some truly obscure chins that are equally incredible. Obscure fighters you saw on TV 20 some odd years ago or nearly forgotten old timers. Lets hear names and your reasoning behind the choice. A few from the annals of my boxing brain. Randy Smith. Idolized Ali growing up and it showed. Slick fighter who would clown around in the ring. Never too much, but he had zero problem letting his opponents know that they weren't making a dent in him, due to a combination of his strange skill and great chin. Virtually unknown of as anything more then a name on more famous fighters records. He fought from middle to LHW. Bernard Hopkins to Mike McCallum. Micheal Nun to Chris Eubank. Iran Barkely to Frank Tate. In a incredible 33 losses he was never stopped, not even on cuts. Never so much as floored as far as I know. Impressive considering Bernard Hopkin's was known for breaking ultra hard chins back then, such as being the only man to ever stop Glen Johnson. A slightly more known fighter, but interesting and worth mentioning regardless. One poster called him "The Indestructable Journeyman" and I've been using that to describe him ever since. Marion Wilson. 41 losses. Only 12 wins with 5 knockouts. Absolutely no power, minimal skill. But god damn... What heart and what a chin. Ray Mercer. Shannon Briggs. Oliver McCall (Twice) Rahman. Maskaev. Izon. Derrick Jefferson. Greg Page. Ezra Sellers. Andrew Golota (Twice) Ibeabuchi. The list goes on and on and on. There's absolutely no filler on this guys record. He fought on until the age FIFTY. His chin never gave out, which is a god damned modern miracle considering even the ultra tough chin of Ray Mercer gave out around the age of 40. What else is worth noting on Wilson is how muscular he was. He literally looked like a borderline cruiserweight Ibeabuchi. Cannonball shoulders, massive chest... Yet he couldn't punch a god damned lick. Looked like Mike Weaver and then some in there though.
Andre Thysse That dude had a chin of absolute steal..The Kessler and Magee stoppages were basically mercy stoppages and the Kessler one was borderline bull****. He was never that hurt in either fight. His chin was something else. Also been a fan of Eric Lucas' durability....but he had a lot of heart usually except in the Green fight where he basically gave up. He was defo hurt against Echols, Sheika, Roy and even was slightly buckled but Beyer. But he always managed to shake it off.
Two great picks. I've never heard of either one of their chins. More fights to dig into! Thank you. No shame in being wobbled by Echols, anyway. Probably one of the most underrated bangers at MW in years.
That was before Nard essentially ruined him..When he was up & coming and an absolute animal. Thysse is super tough aswell. But he is a little awkward to..a bit like Mickey Ward doesnt allow himself to take sustained punishment.
............Ortega was a Mexican welterweight in the 50's and 60's who had something like 200 fights, and I think he was only stopped twice. Clever boxer, and durable as hell. I have the rematch of his second fight with the thunderous-punching Florentino Fernandez, and he stood tall the whole time (as apparently he had the first time). Fought a who's who in that talent-rich era.
Billy Graham. Reportedly he was never knocked down in his career (although I've heard a couple of reports say he was down in his 4th fight with Kid Gavilan, but if that's true, it was apparently the only times), which including 100-plus fights. Was in against Gavilan four times, Carmen Basilio three times, Joey Giardello four times, and Rocky Castellani.
Billy Graham IMO, had the greatest chin of all. 100+ fights against the guys of his era and NEVER being down.
Not obscure but under appreciated. Jack Dillon stopped twice in 252 fights one with a bad arm. Mike McCallum 55 fights never stopped Emille Griffith 112 fights stopped twice, caught cold by Hurricane carter and tkod by Monzon when 33. Joey Maxim stopped once ,caught cold by big hitting "Hatchet Man Sheppard",only time in 115 fights.
Never even heard of this guy until now, which is saying something because I hunt these guys down. Thanks! Yeah, look at his complete record and you'll cry insanity even louder. The mans something else.
Jack Dillion. 252 fights, only stopped twice! Jim Battling Johnson.- Many distance fights with ATGs at heavy Zelkko Mavrovic - Took several hard blows from Lewis. Only tested by one power puncher, but passed the test.