Top 10 Best Chins In MW History?

Err, emm, wasn't there a MW around in the 20s, Barry Lreb , or some such name that had a fairly good chin ? keep well.

 

I've been waiting for Gorilla Jones 150 odd fights and dropped but once by an ATG.

 

#10. Dick Tiger
#09. Charley Burley
#08. Mickey Walker
#07. Chris Eubank
#06. Gennady Golovkin
#05. Mike McCallum
#04. Harry Greb
#03. James Toney
#02. Jake LaMotta
#01. Marvin Hagler

HM: Canelo

 

No love for Monzon? I'd have him above McCallum personally.

 

No, not to the standard of these guys. Valdez was an excellent puncher; but not on a Jones or Jackson level IMO.

 

Toney shrugged off Rahman and Peters punches LaMotta was stopped and Hagler may have never been hurt but we can't assume either would be able to withstand the punishment James did. I don't know that's just me.

 

Toney had McCallum in some trouble at 160, Curry twice at 154. I can't see those guys worrying Monzon near as much with similar punches.

 

I don't remember Curry hurting McCallum at all, but I can certainly see Toney hurting Monzon. The left hook which knocked out Nunn would absolutely hurt Monzon, as would the right which polaxed Williams. Plus, he did stop Evander Holyfield. Regardless, I think McCallum took more punishment, and subsequently showed a better chin. Taking flush shots from Jones and Jackson is more impressive than taking them from Valdez and Briscoe, plus McCallum took them better anyway.

I'm not saying Monzon had a bad chin, by any means, I just don't think he's up there in the top ten.

 

The top 2 of Hagler and LaMotta (in either order) are a lock in any discussion. But some of the other names mentioned had tremendous whiskers. Monzon, Robinson, Fullmer - all fantastic chins and neither Monzon or Robinson were stopped at 160, only dropped. Fullmer had a fantastic chin but got tagged by one of the great punches ever from SRR. Incredibly durable though in his own right. Dick Tiger is also worth a mention - sure, he got flattened by Bob Foster but that's not part of the discussion at this weight. There are plenty of others too. Burley, Briscoe, Toney...

 

Hagler took Hearns power flush Toney never took those shots, heavyweights didn`t land as clean on Toney.

 

McCallum certainly did.

McCallum admitted being hurt by Curry, including once by a left-right combination that buckled the champion's knees momentarily with about 30 seconds left in the second round.

"It was the closest to the canvas I ever came," said McCallum, who has never been knocked down.

In the second round Curry buckled McCallum's knees with a right to the head. McCallum slumped and then steadied himself. "It was a great hook," the champion said. "It was the closest I've ever come to being knocked down."

I'm not so sure Toney would hurt Monzon. We can cherry pick career best punches but the pertinent question is would the actual hook that put McCallum in trouble affect Monzon as much. I don't see Toney as a really notable puncher at 160 plenty lasted with him.

He stopped an over the hill Evander Holyfield more than a decade after he left Middleweight and was over 50 pounds heavier.

The Jones tussle was two division up from 160 and I've always suspected he just cruised against one of his favorite fighters. I don't remember Jones landing many bombs.

The likes of Briscoe and Valdez were tough opponents with their consistent pressure and willingness to pound the body as well. Briscoe hurt him 3 1/2 years before he was a title holder but in 45 rounds with the pair as champ the worst he copped was a flash KD from Valdez that he was up from as soon as his gloves hit the canvas without a worry in the world. The punch was an absolute PEACH that could not have caught him better. I'd like to see how Mike would ship that same punch. Valdez is a huge puncher and the punch was somewhat reminiscent of how Holmes was caught against Shavers and Lewis vs McCall. Monzon was moving into Rodrigo launching his own right hand and got caught completely flush.

We will have to disagree on this one. Monzon's durability for me is right up there. McCallum is notable, absolutely but i can't rank him above Monzon.

The other thing about Monzon that seldom gets talked about today is that leather skin of his. The guy was just never going to get stopped on cuts. Not in line with the thread topic but notable in overall durability when some other great chins did not sport the same resistence to cuts.

 

I just rewatched it and I don't think his legs twitching then going back to being fine no more than half a second later is a big deal. It was a good punch high up on the head, but if anything, another example of his great chin.

I think if James teed off on Monzon like that, landing those same shots, he'd have Monzon in similar trouble. The difference being Monzon was so much better than McCallum that it's never actually happen. Regardless of whether that particular shot would do the same damage, the ones Jones and Jackson landed certainly would.

Still the only man around the time to stop Holyfield. Lewis didn't...

Given the relative lack of size difference between Jones and McCallum, I think it's fine to include it. Are we not giving Toney credit for his exploits at heavyweight? Or Walker for his? Or Burley? I seem to remember Jones nailing him with the odd good-un when McCallum got overeager. Been a while since I watched that one though.

I don't care how good or tough Valdez and Briscoe were, neither hit as hard as Jones or Jackson. Both landed their best on McCallum, and had far less impact than Briscoe and Valdez did.

I don't actually see ANY reason to have Monzon higher. This is a case of overrating Monzon in an area he's known for, despite having much better aspects to his game. It's like Mike Tyson. Very good chin, not top ten.

 

Once Valdez blossomed into a fully fledged middleweight he was mighty impressive as well. His array of names is too limited to rate right up there but with that many rounds against Monzon and Briscoe and so little trouble you have a fair idea he can take it.