bill1234

George Chuvalo would be a handful for any fighter. He was never dropped in his life, street fight, sparring, amateur, or pro. He had some power in his hands, and he was strong as an ox.

He gave Ali a tough fight and sent him to the hospital in 1966, yet he went out dancing the very same night. Chuvalo fought huge punchers like Frazier, Foreman, and Bonavena, but his knee's never buckled, even taking several of Foreman's hardest shots smack in the face and on the jaw in a row. Frazier couldn't budge him either. At one point Frazier tried pushing Chuvalo back, and ended up pushing himself back.

At the age of 70 (now) Chuvalo has been reported benching around 500lbs (I think 470 to be exact).

He has had a very tough life with 3 of his sons commiting suicide due to substance abuse, and a wife doing away with herself because of grief. George's struggles outside of the ring were far greater than they ever were in it. He was the Canadian heavyweight champion for 21 years straight, from 1958-1979 when he retired. He was inducted into the Canadian HOF in 1990, and he continues to give lectures and speaches against drugs to this day.

Few men were as tough as George Chuvalo, Tex Cobb resembled a more mediocre Chuvalo, including the iron jaw.

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MEMBER OF BOXINGFORUM.COM HALL OF FAME-JANUARY, 2008

Brutus

Wow how terrible it must be to have his wive and 3 sons comit suicide :S Thats just terrible.

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PYP : Julio Cesar Chavez jr.

Fav fighters : Mikkel Kessler & Juan Diaz
Not so fav fighters : James Toney and Edison Miranda

BoxingForum Hall of Fame - April. 2008

Rayman

Interesting. How in the world could someone live with that? Just tragic.

bill1234

He remarried in the 80's, and I know he has grandchildren.

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Johboywalton

He could live with it because he's one tough sonuffabitch. I mean not just physically. Chuvalo was tough mentally. I wrote this article about him, although I am surprised to learn he is still so fit and strong today. A septegenarian benching 400+ pounds? YIKES!

One thing I learned after writing this article was that in the Frazier fight, Chuvalo's eye socket was crushed. That was what hurt him. Chuvalo said that he thought his eye was just going to fall out of his socket. Yet there he was, refusing to quit. The toughest man Canada has ever produced, bar none.

bill1234

He would die before quiting...

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Badger

Excellent bit of info Bill, i had never really given him the time of day, he was always the "other" fighter when i watched fights. But will certainly pay more attention to him from now on a remarkable man indeed

Badger in Asia

bill1234

I'd suggest you watch his fights with Patterson, Ali, Frazier (to show his toughness and strenth), Foreman (again, toughness and strength), and his fight with Bonavena was a war.

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Badger

Got Ali, Foreman, Frazer fights (i think ? must check) but don't have the other 2) but i will watch the ones i have again hopefully over the weekend.

Its always good to know more about fighters it makes them more personal, we all have our favourites and we sometimes overlook the other fighters who forced our favourites to be GREAT.

Thank's for education

Badger in Asia

bill1234

That is a very good point. Many times the fighters that the greats beat to become great are overlooked. It's very sad in my mind.

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