Great Chins

[marbleheadmaui]

Demonstrating a great chin is kind of like being a KO puncher. The numbers themselves don't tell one as much as the level of competition does. In other words who DIDN'T knock you out matters a great deal. And let's face it, sooner or later EVERYONE fighting top guys gets hit. EVERYONE gets their chin tested.

Many of the following men are not thought of as having great chins, or at least aren't thought of that way first. These are in no order.

Henry Armstrong-In 180+ fights Armstrong was Ko'd in his first fight and then only once more. That is despite fighting HOFers 19 times and ranked guys over 30 times.

Sugar Ray Robinson-Fought HOFers over 30 times and ranked guys over 40 times yet was only KO'd by the 105 degree heat and the 15 pound weight disadvantage against Joey Maxim. As one fighter put it "you were in big trouble if Robinson was on one knee looking up at you."

Muhammad Ali-Fought the toughest heavyweight schedule in history. Only KO'd long after his prime by Larry Holmes.

Tony Canzoneri-A three division champion, faced HOFers over 20 times and ranked guys over thirty times. KO'd only in his last fight of 175+.

Harry Greb-In over 200 fights he was KO'd only twice. Once by a broken arm and once in his seventh fight. Along the way Greb faced HOFers over thirty times. He fought 70 times with perfect vision in only one eye.

Jack Britton-In 350 fights he was stopped only in his third fight. Along the way the three time undisputed welter king faced HOFers over 30 times. Britton was slcik and didn't punch much. In his career he fought over 3100 rounds. By comparison BHOP has fought 14% of that at 444.

Carlos Monzon-Almost 100 fights, faced HOFers five times and ranked guys 20 times and was only knocked down once, in his last fight. I will note Bennie Briscoe came THIS close to dropping him in Argentina.

Jimmy McLarnin-Faced HOFers twenty four times in sixty eight fights. Think about that for a second. Faced ranked guys over 35 times in sixty eight fights. Knocked out only once.

Kid Gavilan-The Cuban Hawk faced HOFers ten times and ranked men over twenty five times. Never stopped in 150 fights.

Ismael Laguna-Faced HOFers seven times and ranked men over twenty times in seventy fights. Never stopped.

Just sayin'