Who are some of the greatest fighters with bad chins?

Who are some of the greatest fighters with bad chins?
Nice thread and one to cause a lot of contraversy.
Depends how you frame an answer really. If you say that this guy was an ATG fantastic fighter and managed that despite not having an A1 top notch chin then Louis and Hearns will certainly get thrown in the mix.

I'm bound to get some criticism for a few of these, but I'd say these guys are good/great world class boxers with questionable chins:

Lennox Lewis
Tommy Hearns
Floyd Patterson
Nigel Benn
David Haye
Wladimir Klitschko
Jersey Joe Watcott
Felix Trinidad
Joe Louis (so sorry)
Amir Khan
(Recently!!) Roy Jones
Frank Bruno
Ken Norton
Joe Frazier
Julian Jackson
Herol Graham
Ernie Shavers

I'll think of a few more later.

I'm bound to get some criticism for a few of these, but I'd say these guys are good/great world class boxers with questionable chins:

Herol Graham


I'll think of a few more later.

Put yourself up there to be shot at lol.
Got to say apart from the Jackson KO I can't remember Graham ever being off his feet in another fight?
I always kind of discount the Jackson punch as that would have dropped a charging Buffalo!

Joe Louis perhaps had the worst chin pound for pound I've ever seen. You could tap him on the chin and he'd do his signature chicken dance. I think the lad used to knock himself out brushing his teeth.

youriokis gamboa has been dropped but he shows great heart along with his talent to get back up

Hi GJC, ha ha yea good old Bomber Graham, couldn't hit him with a bowl of rice! All though past prime I seem to remember him looking a bit glass chinned against Charles Brewer and the light punching at Super middle Vinny Pazienza.

I'm bound to get some criticism for a few of these, but I'd say these guys are good/great world class boxers with questionable chins:

Lennox Lewis
Tommy Hearns
Floyd Patterson
Nigel Benn
David Haye
Wladimir Klitschko
Jersey Joe Watcott
Felix Trinidad
Joe Louis (so sorry)
Amir Khan
(Recently!!) Roy Jones
Frank Bruno
Ken Norton
Joe Frazier
Julian Jackson
Herol Graham
Ernie Shavers

I'll think of a few more later.

All those fighters had at worst, average chins.

Oh and a few more:

Jack Sharkey
Brian London
Terry Norris
Herbie Hide
Iran Barkley
Carl Thompson
Paul 'Scrap Iron' Ryan (hardly world class but glass whiskers!)
Bob Foster (bit harsh I know!)
Andrew Golota
Michael Grant
Bruce Seldon!!!

One thing that shouldn't be confused with a poor chin is heart!

People like Nigel Benn and Joe Frazier had it in spades. Nigel was down, staggered and shaky many times but would always do his best to get up. Frazier is certainly arguable, I guess Foreman and Bonavena did hit him with some great punches to put him down. But he didn't half look shaky against the much lighter punching Ali in round two of their second fight and Bugner certainly troubled him too whilst not being noted with having incredible power! All the heart in the world though bless him.

Joe Frazier


Expect alot of flak for this one.Not from me though.


Some people honestly believe that Frazier had a great chin and this is despite him being down 11 times during his career and down eight times against the only puncher that he ever stepped in the ring with.

Oh and a few more:

Jack Sharkey
Brian London
Terry Norris
Herbie Hide
Iran Barkley
Carl Thompson
Paul 'Scrap Iron' Ryan (hardly world class but glass whiskers!)
Bob Foster (bit harsh I know!)
Andrew Golota
Michael Grant
Bruce Seldon!!!

Haha, isnt it weird though how Carl took a huge beating off Haye and survived somehow!

Jersey Joe Watcott



Not sure about Walcott being particularily chinny, Marciano, Louis and Simon (?) could dig.

I don't really agree with frazier having a bad chin, it was solid I think. Getting knocked out by George Foreman is no indicator of a bad chin.

Joe Louis? how did he get in this thread?

I suppose many world class boxers have simply got to where they have because they do have at worst an average ability to absorb punches compared to many in the lower ranks.......some of which look like they'd fall over in a force five gale. I suppose there are few 'truely glass chins' in world class.

Oh and hi GJC, Louis, Marciano and Simon could punch no doubt, the Louis rematch and Maricano rematch prompted Walcott's inclusion. Hell.........respect to all these guys, they're my idols! I wouldn't want to take those punches.

I suppose a listing of boxing's greatest chins would help separate the wheat from the chaff. I doubt we'd see any of the guys I listed in a greatest chin listing. You couldn't compare Lewis's, Frazier's or Walcott's chin with the likes of Ali, Holmes, Marciano, McCullough, Eubank, La Motta, Tex Cobb, Collins, Robinson or Hagler!

I suppose many world class boxers have simply got to where they have because they do have at worst an average ability to absorb punches compared to many in the lower ranks.......some of which look like they'd fall over in a force five gale. I suppose there are few 'truely glass chins' in world class.

Oh and hi GJC, Louis, Marciano and Simon could punch no doubt, the Louis rematch and Maricano rematch prompted Walcott's inclusion. Hell.........respect to all these guys, they're my idols! I wouldn't want to take those punches.

I suppose a listing of boxing's greatest chins would help separate the wheat from the chaff. I doubt we'd see any of the guys I listed in a greatest chin listing. You couldn't compare Lewis's, Frazier's or Walcott's chin with the likes of Ali, Holmes, Marciano, McCullough, Eubank, La Motta, Tex Cobb, Collins, Robinson or Hagler!
Yes probably bad chins is not the best phrase to use for some of these guys.
Its more a matter that they couldn't add fantastic chin to the list of their strengths.

how was lennox lewis' chin suspect? On any given night, a featherfisted puncher can ko a granite chin. get caught with something crazy or something you don't see and ANYONE can get ko'd.

Both Errol Christie and Noel Quarless would have gone places had it not been for their lantern chins..

Joe Louis? how did he get in this thread?

Crazy isn't it? Not hearing someone worshipping the man? It goes against everything you were ever spoonfed about boxing innit?

Crazy isn't it? Not hearing someone worshipping the man? It goes against everything you were ever spoonfed about boxing innit?

Why is it that most of your posts discredit Louis?

Why is it that most of your posts discredit Louis?

The same reason 99,9% of this section is ruled by Louis nuthuggers.

Louis' great ability to take punches, even against great fighters such as Galento:

http://www.thesweetscience.com/images/9672/tony_galento_book_cover_240x230_20061210.jpg

http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/3313871.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D0CF5DD44A6B04806FBD0142F63DE3B22 87347052288BB462

http://www.corbisimages.com/images/U353037ACME.jpg?size=67&uid=8313A9F6-D6B6-46BC-893E-1A12AD7E4B59

The same reason 99,9% of this section is ruled by Louis nuthuggers.

What's the reason, though?

What were we talking about again, mate?

What were we talking about again, mate?

Why nearly all of your posts bash Louis. Do you have an answer or are you just gonna come up with more nonsense to duck my question?

Why nearly all of your posts bash Louis. Do you have an answer or are you just gonna come up with more nonsense to duck my question?

I bring balance. If it wasn't for me, there would not be a single negative word about Louis in this site, which would be idiotic considering the amount of flaws the man had in and out of the ring.

As far as ducking your question, I know what I would have ducked, and that is this punch:
http://blogs.phillyburbs.com/news/bct/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/00marciano.jpg

I bring balance. If it wasn't for me, there would not be a single negative word about Louis in this site, which would be idiotic considering the amount of flaws the man had in and out of the ring.

As far as ducking your question, I know what I would have ducked, and that is this punch:
http://blogs.phillyburbs.com/news/bct/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/00marciano.jpg

Keyboard warrior alert. :ugh:

GJC said:

'Yes probably bad chins is not the best phrase to use for some of these guys. Its more a matter that they couldn't add fantastic chin to the list of their strengths.'


Thats poetry. Great paragraph.

just 2 let use no theres a big difference between some1 wit a good chin and good legs. 4 example prince naseem can get knock down buy any1 however hes never been ko'ed when he gets hit the shock buckels his legs but the tissue in the brain holds and his brain stays fairly still. but some1 wit a great chin and strong neck it won't effect them, the shock won't go 2 there leg coz it haz been absorbed, da only way they will b ko'ed is if there unfit.

Both Errol Christie and Noel Quarless would have gone places had it not been for their lantern chins..
Certainly give you Christie, fantastic talent but could get ko'd by someone shaping to ring his doorbell.
Think he would really illustrate the point, had he have had say Hearns chin more than the two of us would have heard of him lol

Certainly give you Christie, fantastic talent but could get ko'd by someone shaping to ring his doorbell.
Think he would really illustrate the point, had he have had say Hearns chin more than the two of us would have heard of him lol
Yeh, real shame.. I remember watching him thourghly outclassing Sean Manion, who was a top 10 MW at the time.. Then he just fell apart and ended up losing to southern area champ, Ian Strudwick who's claim to fame was lasting 4 rounds against Steve Collins..
The last time i heard, Christie was working as a standup comedian in Coventry nightclubs..
Anyone who followed his amateur career, and watched his first 10 pro fights, would have predicted massive success for him.. He moved like Leonard and hit like Hearns, but with a candy floss chin.. His brother Lloyd wasn't half as good, but picked up a few domestic belts, and was the only blemish on the undefeated record of fomer IBF LWW champ, Terry Marsh, the fight being judged a draw..