Heavyweight prodigy Moses Itauma believes that one man, in particular, should be hailed for his tremendous durability in the land of the giants.
Many will point to Muhammad Ali as being not only one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, but also possessing a degree of toughness that contributed to such success.
Prior to defeating Sonny Liston for the WBC world title, Cassius Clay – as he was then known – had survived knockdowns against Sonny Banks and Henry Cooper before winning both fights by stoppage.
Then, when he squared off with Joe Frazier for the first time in 1971, Ali displayed a remarkable chin to hear the final bell after suffering a heavy 15th-round knockdown.
One of the most striking exhibitions of his toughness, however, arrived in 1974, when he scored an eighth-round stoppage victory over George Foreman after absorbing much of his hard-hitting opponent’s artillery.
But Foreman, too, was only ever stopped once in his illustrious career, with his power and durability making him one of the most dangerous heavyweights of all time.
Even towards the end of his career, when he was far less mobile, ‘Big George’ would often stand and trade with some of his division’s most established operators.
For this reason, it seems, Itauma has credited Foreman for having the best chin of any heavyweight in an interview with Daily Mail Boxing.
“George Foreman.”
Itauma, meanwhile, is yet to have his chin properly tested, but that could change when he collides with durable customer Jermaine Franklin on March 28.
