Not all great boxers become world champions. The fact that they did not get to claim the ultimate world championship belt neither takes away any of the merit due to them nor is it a reflection of their true boxing capabilities.

One such boxer from the past is George Chuvalo a man reputed to have one of the hardest and greatest chins ever to grace a boxing ring. Chuvalo was never knocked down in ninety-three professional fights between 1956 and 1979.

George Chuvalo’s boxing career was during an era when boxing produced some of its all time greats and some of the hardest punchers ever such as Joe Frazier and George Foreman and at a time when there were only two recognized sanctioning organizations the WBA & WBC.

George Chuvalo was the reigning Canadian Heavyweight Boxing Champion for 21 years, from 1958 until 1979. Ranked in the top 10 of the World Boxing for much of his career. 

George Louis Chuvalo, was born on September 12, 1937. While a student at Humberside Collegiate Institute, he became one of the best-known amateur boxers in Toronto, fighting out of the Earlscourt Athletic Club. Chuvalo became Canadian amateur heavyweight champion in May 1955, defeating Winnipeg's Peter Piper with a first-round KO in a tournament final in Regina, Saskatchewan. Chuvalo finished his amateur career with a 16-0-0, all by KO within four rounds. Nicknamed "Boom Boom", Chuvalo turned professional in 1956, knocking out four opponents in one night to win a heavyweight tournament held by former world's champion Jack Dempsey at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on April 26, 1956.

Chuvalo is best known for his two fights against Muhammad Ali. He went the distance both times in each case losing the decision by a wide margin on the scorecards. The first fight, on March 29, 1966 would have been for Ali's world title but boxing politics caused it to be staged as "a heavyweight showdown" instead, although it was scheduled for and went the fifteen round championship distance. "He's the toughest guy I ever fought", said Ali of Chuvalo after the fight.

Future world champions Joe Frazier and George Foreman, despite being big punchers, were unable to knock Chuvalo down, but they were the only fighters to stop him, scoring technical knockout (TKO) victories. Foreman, regarded as one of the hardest hitters in boxing history, mauled Chuvalo bombing him with punch after punch. Yet, in his typical display of toughness, when the referee stopped the fight in the third round, Chuvalo said to him, "What are you, nuts?".

Chuvalo's biggest victories were a seventh-round knockout of contender Jerry Quarry on December 12, 1969, and an eleventh-round knockout of contender Doug Jones on October 2, 1964. Chuvalo also defeated notable fighters such as Howard King, Bob Cleroux, Yvon Durelle, Willi Besmanoff, Mike DeJohn, Cleveland Williams, and Manuel Ramos. Chuvalo was the number one contender for the British Empire heavyweight title for many years but champion Henry Cooper did not fight him.

In addition to his losses to Ali, Frazier, and Foreman, Chuvalo also lost to former champion Floyd Patterson in a bout that The Ring named fight of the year for 1965. He lost to WBA heavyweight champion Ernie Terrell in 1965 and to former WBA champion Jimmy Ellis in 1971, with both of those fights taking place at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Personal Life & Tragedy

Chuvalo lost three sons, Jesse Chuvalo in 1985 to suicide, Georgie Lee Chuvalo in 1993 to a drug overdose and Steven Louis Chuvalo in 1996 to drug overdose. He lost his wife to suicide after the second son died. His remaining son, Mitch, became a teacher at University of Toronto Schools and married his wife from El Salvador, Ivania, with whom he is raising two boys, Aaron and Elijah. His daughter Vanessa has two girls, Adelayde and Michaella.

George is happily married to his second wife, Joanne Chuvalo, and is stepfather to her two children, Jesse and Ruby. George and his wife tour high schools speaking about the devastation of drug use to teens. They have a summer home in Midland, Ontario.

Tributes

Chuvalo was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997. He was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1998 and was awarded a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in 2005.

Fight Against Drugs

73 year old George Chuvalo is very active in the fight against drug abuse and has a web site dedicated to this purpose http://fightagainstdrugs.ca/

From the “Fight Against Drugs” web site

Today, George speaks to students, parents and other groups about drugs and how they have impacted his life. He lost 3 sons and a wife as a result of substance abuse. His graphic recollection of events and his expressive nature enable him to convey his powerful message. The feedback he receives has been positive, appreciative and encouraging. Being a father to drug addicted sons provides him with the insight and wisdom required to capture any listener. His presentations are in demand from coast to coast. He de-glamorizes drug use by giving examples of what he has witnessed first hand. One fact is true – addicts always begin with experimentation. He also stresses the fact that in the criminal system, the majority of crimes are committed as a result of substance abuse. In most cases, addicts turn into criminal, not criminals into addicts.