Real name Jure Cuvalo Nationality Canadian Siblings Zora Cuvalo Reach 71 in (180 cm) Role Professional Boxer | Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) Name George Chuvalo Rated at Heavyweight | |
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Spouse Joanne Chuvalo (m. 1995), Lynn Chuvalo (m. ?–1993) Children Georgie Lee Chuvalo, Jesse Chuvalo, Mitch Chuvalo, Vanessa Chuvalo, Steven Louis Chuvalo Parents Katica Cuvalo, Stipan Cuvalo Grandchildren Michaella Chuvalo, Aaron Chuvalo, Adelayde Chuvalo, Elijah Chuvalo Similar People Ernie Terrell, Howard King, David Cronenberg, Bob Saget | ||
George chuvalo monument ljubuski
George Louis Chuvalo, CM (born September 12, 1937) is a retired Canadian professional boxer who was a five-time Canadian heavyweight champion, and two-time world heavyweight title challenger. Chuvalo, who is considered by many to have one of the best chins in boxing history, was never knocked down in his amateur career or his 93-fight professional career and was ranked #4 on ESPN's greatest chin in boxing history list. Chuvalo lost to Hall of Fame heavyweights such as Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and George Foreman, but was credited for his spirited performances. He did defeat top contenders such as Yvon Durelle, Doug Jones, Jerry Quarry and Cleveland Williams. He fought for the world title twice, losing a controversial decision to Ernie Terrell and another decision in his first fight with Ali.
Contents
- George chuvalo monument ljubuski
- George Chuvalo VS Muhammad Ali 50 Year Anniversary
- Early life and career
- Versus Patterson
- Two Ali fights
- Other career highlights
- Personal life
- Tributes and other appearances
- References
George Chuvalo was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
George Chuvalo VS Muhammad Ali - 50 Year Anniversary
Early life and career
Chuvalo was born in Toronto, to Croat parents from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Stipan and Katica (née Kordić) Čuvalo, both from villages near Ljubuški. His father was from Proboj and mother from Grljevići. Chuvalo grew up in The Junction district of west Toronto. He attended St. Michael's College School and Humberside Collegiate Institute, becoming 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 record, 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. Rocky Marciano was one of his trainers in his early career.
Versus Patterson
Chuvalo lost a close decision to former champion and sentimental favourite Floyd Patterson in a bout at New York's famed Madison Square Garden that The Ring named fight of the year for 1965.
Two Ali fights
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, was for Ali's world title. "He's the toughest guy I ever fought", said Ali of Chuvalo after the fight. The second Ali fight was in 1972. Ali, then between his first and second world championship reigns, won an easy decision. It was the last major fight of Chuvalo's career.
Other career highlights
Future world champions Joe Frazier and George Foreman, despite being big punchers, were unable to knock Chuvalo down, but they were the only two fighters to ever stop him, scoring technical knockout (TKO) victories. Ring Mag reported Frazier nearly closed both Chuvalo's eyes and also cracked one of the man's cheek bones.
Foreman, regarded as one of the hardest hitters in boxing history, mauled Chuvalo with a wicked jab and some truly thunderous big punches breaking Chuvalo's nose.
One of Chuvalo's biggest victories was a seventh-round knockout of contender Jerry Quarry on December 12, 1969.
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.
He got an eleventh-round knockout against contender Doug Jones on October 2, 1964 notably using the boxing technique 'kill the body and the head dies' . Chuvalo also defeated notable fighters such as Howard King, Canadian champion Bob Cleroux, Yvon Durelle, Willi Besmanoff, big hitting Mike DeJohn, Cleveland Williams, and Manuel Ramos.
Personal life
Chuvalo had five children in total; he lost three of his sons, Jesse Chuvalo in 1985 to suicide, Georgie Lee Chuvalo in 1993 and Steven Louis Chuvalo in 1996 both to drug overdoses, he also has a son Mitchell Aaron Dion and a daughter Vanessa Lynn from his marriage. He lost his wife to suicide shortly after the second son had died. Thereafter, he married his current wife, Joanne Chuvalo, to whom he has been married for over two decades. Chuvalo also has two stepchildren, Jesse and Ruby, from his second marriage. His son Mitch Chuvalo is currently a physical education teacher at the prestigious University of Toronto Schools, an independent high school. His stepson, Jesse O'Hara, is a prominent entertainment lawyer in Miami, Florida.
Tributes and other appearances
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.
Chuvalo also appeared in film roles. These included playing an ex-boxer turned hitman (who claims to have fought Muhammad Ali!) in the murder thriller I Miss You, Hugs and Kisses (1978) and an ill-fated arm-wrestler in the remake of The Fly (1986), together with roles in Stone Cold Dead (1979), Last Man Standing (1987), the horror comedy Prom Night III: The Last Kiss (1990), as well as a brief cameo as a boxing referee in the 1998 comedy "Dirty Work".
On August 14, 2008, Chuvalo's kitchen was the featured renovation project on the Canadian TV series Holmes on Homes in an episode titled "Kitchen Knockout."
Chuvalo was featured as part of the 2009 documentary film Facing Ali, in which notable former opponents of Ali (Chuvalo fought Ali twice) speak about how fighting Ali changed their lives.
During April 2010, George was a special guest at the BC Golden Gloves tournament held at the Eagle Ridge Community Centre in Langford, BC. The event was co-hosted by Boxing BC and the Capital City Boxing Club
On December 17, 2011, he came to Sarajevo to attend the unveiling of a statue in his honor in Ljubuški on Sunday, December 18, 2011.
Chuvalo appears on the cover for Canadian rock band Our Lady Peace's 2012 album Curve. Chuvalo's vocal excerpts are featured in "Mettle", the final song in the album.