Which Five Heavyweight Champions Had The Best Chins?

Proven?

 

He couldn't be too far away.

 

Marciano stands out more than Baer, who was stopped by Nova twice. The first was on cuts, but in the second Baer was pretty much beaten into floundering helplessness.

I notice that Marciano isn't on anyone's list although he was never KO'd, only knocked down twice, and I think was never down for even a five count, and never seems that seriously hurt on film.

 

I certainly don't think Tyson belongs in a top 5, likely not even top 10, but he's somewhere past that.

 

McCall
Mercer
Vitali
Foreman
Holyfield
Defo these five but if we are talking any heavies you would add in Randall text Cobb of course

 

V. Klitschko
R. Mercer
J. Jeffries
O. McCall

The 5th spot is hard. You could pick Tua, Cobb, or Holmes. Tua and Cobb really weren't tested enough though.

 

Isn't it some form of heavyweight champs ?

Cobb was tested big time .. Shavers clocked him a dozen times, Norton clocked him a few dozen, Larry Holmes pounded him, Bernardo Mercado .. the man took bombs till he collapsed as a fighter .. Tua was hit hard by Lewis, Ike and Rachman .. thats pretty serious to me .. I know Jeff was a legend but his opponents while great at the time were so much smaller .. Rocky is an all time top P4P heavyweight champ but again he fought a lower level of puncher than the best of the best proven chins ..

 

I watched Shaver's vs. Cobb. My early thoughts before I pressed the play button were the irresistible force meets the immovable object. But the fight was a disappointment. Shavers didn't land any bombs. Kenny Norton added some rather lousy color so to speak.

Cobb was later taken out very early. His chin is based on Larry Holmes hitting him. Larry could hit, but he wasn't close to a big-time puncher.

You have to keep in mind, back in the early 1900's those gloves were much lighter. 6oz. And they had no mouthpieces to absorb the blow, nor did they even use ice or water. Having a good chin back then was a must. Fitzsimmons was a KO guy, a life taker, and he landed everything but the kitchen sink on Jeffries during the 2nd fight, possibly using what would be illegal tape or by doctoring his gloves.

Too wasn't hit that hard by Lewis, Rhaman floored him. He was hit a lot by Ike.

 

I see Shavers hitting him enough. Norton hit him time and again. Norton could hit. Mercado hit him many times. Mercado could hit. Buster Douglas hit him a lot too .. Holmes hit hit 500 times. Michael Does hit him a hundred. He walked thru all of it .. at the end of his career he lost to Dee Collier in a fight without a film that anyone I know can find .. he was also dropped right before that by Eddie Greg .. to me he and Mercer had the chins of the 80's ..

I have no doubt Jeff was a beast .. he dominated his era, period .. I just get back to tested by huge big guy punches .. for all I know Jeff was like Chuvalo .. could very well be ..

 

Fair observation.

My list had four places, and he was a candidate for number five.

I think that Moore buzzed him a bit though!

 

"Moore buzzed him a bit"

So. What proves Baer had the better chin? He was more than buzzed by Nova. He was helpless at the end.

Who was the next best man Nova KO'd? I would say Gunnar Barlund. I think Moore was a more proven puncher at heavyweight than Nova on accomplishment outside of the Baer fights. But rating Nova above Moore on the basis of Baer is entirely a circular argument when rating Baer's chin.

 

Tyson had a very good chin, Marciano had a very good chin, Ali had a very good chin, Louis had a very good chin,Foreman had a very good chin, Vitali had a very good chin, McCall strong man very good chin, Chuvalo ( got hit with everything Very good chin) Baer strong chin, Bowe had a good chin (hit often) Holyfield very good