George Chuvalo: Where did he stand

[Zodiak_Killer]

Originally being from Toronto, I've heard lots and lots of praise for George Chuvalo.
I know he wasn't a world champion, and he had his ass handed to him a few times by the likes of Frazier and Foreman, but how do you guys rank him in terms of heavyweights at the time? Or even as a heavyweight overall?

I've learnt a lot about boxing and boxing greats by reading this forum. I really appreciate all the insights you guys have.

 

[Unknown Pleasures]

One legendary mega tough S.O.B..

Don't really consider him when thinking about overall greatness though.

 

[TKDhasBin]

Top Shelf......

Probably the best chin ever in the history of the heavyweight division.......never off his feet......inexhaustable gas tank....

Don't look at his record to look for his true worth.....George lost several decisions where he should have gotten the nod........his fights with Ernie Terrell and Floyd Patterson are the first two that come to mind.

If you have the time, look for the documentary 'The Last Round'.....worth the trouble to find it. Great footage on George and his fights......

 

[JamesBJJ.**]

I met Big George several times at Cabbagetown Boxing Centre. the man is larger then life. He is one of if not the toughest men to ever walk the planet hands down.

In the ring he had the best chin bar none.

Out of the ring he had more personal tragedy then any man should ever have to deal with in 100 life times.

Class act, no one can say any different.

Oh and I saw his hand eclipse a sugar dispenser (the round glass ones)

Indeed War Chuvalo.

 

[Kid McCoy]

George Chuvalo: Where did he stand ..........

It's not where George stood, it's that he stood.

And he stood always.

The best heavyweights of the best heavyweight era tried to make him fall, best they could.

But still he stood.....never down.



.......Thats where he stood.

 

[Tam-Tam]

Good fighter. Good heavyweight. Better than good chin. Worse than good life story.

 

[BootyDaddy]

It still amazes me how Chuvalo has not suffered any after effects from Boxing. For the shots and beatings he took he speaks completely coherently. Truly amazing.

His life overall however, he has had it very very hard.

 

[Sinister]

He had a lot of influence on that himself, though. He had it hard, yes. But he also made things difficult on himself and made bad decisions. But he's one of few who has taken a good path to redemption with what he does now.

Where did he stand? Put it like this, if he'd have come up in the 80's even when Tyson was young and frightening, George could have easily been the HW version of Chavez in that his chin, persistence, and strength would have made him fairly unstoppable.

 

[Zodiak_Killer]

He had a lot of influence on that himself, though. He had it hard, yes. But he also made things difficult on himself and made bad decisions. But he's one of few who has taken a good path to redemption with what he does now.

Where did he stand? Put it like this, if he'd have come up in the 80's even when Tyson was young and frightening, George could have easily been the HW version of Chavez in that his chin, persistence, and strength would have made him fairly unstoppable.

How do you think he would stack up against Tyson. He was stopped against Foreman and Frazier, and Tyson probably had punching power as good (aguably) or better then both of them. I'd figure it would look a lot the same as Chuvalo-Foreman. But mind you, Tyson did have weakness against people who are not afraid of him and willing to push him back. And while Chuvalo wasn't the most agile or anything, he was good at beating the shit out of you.

 

[Sinister]

Goerge was stopped against Foreman in his opinion a little prematurely. He always contended that he was just beginning to throw back when the fight was stopped, and if you look it's sort of true. But one must also consider his age at the time.

Chuvalo when he was young, was a monster, and was heavily avoided by the likes of the young version of Ali, Angelo Dundee admits that as well, as Chuvalo destroyed one of his other prospects, knocking him out twice in the same fight.

Let's just say this, Tyson would have hit Goerge, and it's very likely George would have kept coming, and would have gotten low and gone to the body.

 

[MMAmouse]

He had a lot of influence on that himself, though. He had it hard, yes. But he also made things difficult on himself and made bad decisions. But he's one of few who has taken a good path to redemption with what he does now.

Where did he stand? Put it like this, if he'd have come up in the 80's even when Tyson was young and frightening, George could have easily been the HW version of Chavez in that his chin, persistence, and strength would have made him fairly unstoppable.

I don't see it. I believe sometimes people think that the older fighters would have faired better against fighters of younger generations. If you're dropping decisions to Pat McMurtry, Pete Rademacher and Bob Cleroux you aren't going to be a world beater in any era.

 

[Hammer Time]

all time great chin and determination. killer instinct, beat some good fighters and lost to some of the greatest hws of all time. could of been a champ in another era

 

[Tam-Tam]

I think Tyson would have beat Chuvalo up, just quietly. George was tough as they come, game and threw back. But Tyson's combination of speed and power, addedto the fact that Chuvalo couldnt be missed? Thats a tough night at the office for George.

I also think Pinky and Spinky beat Chuvalo too.

 

[Seano]

Every generation has that guy that is known for his chin.

IMO, beng known for your chin means you get hit alot.

Chuvalo would never have been a top guy in any era. Even today.

 

[kimbosbeard]

great fighter. unfortunately, he had a really sad life story and was around when there were amazing hw fighters.

 

[Kid McCoy]

I don't see it. I believe sometimes people think that the older fighters would have faired better against fighters of younger generations. If you're dropping decisions to Pat McMurtry, Pete Rademacher and Bob Cleroux you aren't going to be a world beater in any era.

Well, there's some more perspective required there.

George took frequent fights and was better prepared for some than others.
McMurtry, Rademacher and Cleroux did not suck, and all 3 were at least as good as S.T. Gordon, who beat a guy with wins over 4 world champions in Tate, Thomas, Page and Ali, to carry the name game on further and sticking with the Canadian based theme.

Certainly Tyson was a better fighter than Chuvalo was, but I think that George would be a horrible match-up for Tyson, who for all his fearsome gifts was the type to unravel if he unloaded his arsenal and the guy kept coming.

Chuvalo was no Tyson, but then, Douglas was no Chuvalo either.

 

[Seano]

Certainly Tyson was a better fighter than Chuvalo was, but I think that George would be a horrible match-up for Tyson, who for all his fearsome gifts was the type to unravel if he unloaded his arsenal and the guy kept coming.

Chuvalo was no Tyson, but then, Douglas was no Chuvalo either.

Wow, I think you guys are crazy. Tyson would hurt Chuvalo badly.

 

[Zodiak_Killer]

Wow, I think you guys are crazy. Tyson would hurt Chuvalo badly.

Well I don't think anyone is saying that Chuvalo would beat Tyson. I agree, Chuvalo would probably be hurt really bad. With the Tyson punching power Chuvalo would most likely be down in a couple rounds.

However, I kind of agree that Chuvalo is the type of fighter to give Tyson fits. Tyson could be beat by people who were not afraid of him. Chuvalo's preassure fighting is a good match for Tyson. Mind you, Tytson would probably still win, but it might be a really exciting match and not one of the regular Tyson 30 sec. KO.

But as everyone said, Chuvalo had a tendancy to be hit a lot. And Tyson hit like a motherfucker.

 

[Seano]

I just hate that you can't have any discussion about Tyson without someone saying, "No hed lose because Buster Douglas beat him."

Sugar Ray Robinson lost to Jake LaMotta. Does that mean Miguel Cotto would beat him?

 

[Unknown Pleasures]

Actually, every mythical matchup is about probabilities, not absolutes.