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Chuvalo: A Fighter's Life: The Story of Boxing's Last Gladiator
The inspirational memoir of the Canadian boxer who fought some of the greatest heavyweights in history, including Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, but lost everything outside the ring.
From a tough Toronto childhood as the only son of immigrant parents, through a twenty-three-year career that earned him induction into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, to the public tragedies that decimated his family long after the cheering stopped, George Chuvalo tells his life story as only he can.
Chuvalo was the longest-reigning champion in Canadian boxing history. After teaching himself the basics, he turned pro as an eighteen-year-old in 1956 and over the next twenty-three years fought some of the sport's greatest Joe Frazier, George Foreman and, most famously, Muhammad Ali (twice). Since retiring from the ring in 1979, Chuvalo has had to come to terms with a series of crushing body blows. His youngest son, a heroin addict, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Two other sons died from heroin overdoses. His first wife, overcome with grief, took her own life. Yet Chuvalo has stoically fought back. He formed his Fight Against Drugs foundation in 1996 and has spent the past seventeen years travelling across Canada and to parts of the United States, talking to tens of thousands of students and young adults about what happened to his family.
An inspirational story of a Canadian icon, Chuvalo is both a top-flight boxing memoir and a poignant, hard-hitting story of coping with unimaginable loss.
From a tough Toronto childhood as the only son of immigrant parents, through a twenty-three-year career that earned him induction into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, to the public tragedies that decimated his family long after the cheering stopped, George Chuvalo tells his life story as only he can.
Chuvalo was the longest-reigning champion in Canadian boxing history. After teaching himself the basics, he turned pro as an eighteen-year-old in 1956 and over the next twenty-three years fought some of the sport's greatest Joe Frazier, George Foreman and, most famously, Muhammad Ali (twice). Since retiring from the ring in 1979, Chuvalo has had to come to terms with a series of crushing body blows. His youngest son, a heroin addict, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Two other sons died from heroin overdoses. His first wife, overcome with grief, took her own life. Yet Chuvalo has stoically fought back. He formed his Fight Against Drugs foundation in 1996 and has spent the past seventeen years travelling across Canada and to parts of the United States, talking to tens of thousands of students and young adults about what happened to his family.
An inspirational story of a Canadian icon, Chuvalo is both a top-flight boxing memoir and a poignant, hard-hitting story of coping with unimaginable loss.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 10, 2018
I have always been a fan of George Chuvalo and was thrilled to have met him last year. He has seen great times and devastating times during his life, which are all told in Chuvalo: A Fighters Life.
Chuvalo held the Canadian Boxing Championship longer than any other boxer. Although he had fought the worlds greatest contenders and champions of his era, he was never offered a shot at the British Commonwealth Championship even though he fought the worlds greats contenders and champions of his time, and had legendary fight in 1966 at Maple Leaf Gardens with World Champion Mohammed Ali in Toronto after being notified of the fight just 17 days before.
He retired from fighting in 1978 as the Canadian Heavyweight Champion at the age of 41 with a record of 72-19-2 with 63 knockouts. Chuvalo is famous for never once being knocked down in a fight.
Chuvalo should have better financial paydays and an even more prestigious fight career but made the mistake of signing a long term contract with Irv Ungerman, who knew nothing of the fight game, and was in it only for the financial rewards he could funnel away from Chuvalo.
In this book he is very open and honest about his life after boxing. Many of his immediate family, wife and sons, suffered from drug addiction which ultimately led to drug overdoses or suicide.
I really enjoyed this look back on his life and highly recommend this book.
Chuvalo held the Canadian Boxing Championship longer than any other boxer. Although he had fought the worlds greatest contenders and champions of his era, he was never offered a shot at the British Commonwealth Championship even though he fought the worlds greats contenders and champions of his time, and had legendary fight in 1966 at Maple Leaf Gardens with World Champion Mohammed Ali in Toronto after being notified of the fight just 17 days before.
He retired from fighting in 1978 as the Canadian Heavyweight Champion at the age of 41 with a record of 72-19-2 with 63 knockouts. Chuvalo is famous for never once being knocked down in a fight.
Chuvalo should have better financial paydays and an even more prestigious fight career but made the mistake of signing a long term contract with Irv Ungerman, who knew nothing of the fight game, and was in it only for the financial rewards he could funnel away from Chuvalo.
In this book he is very open and honest about his life after boxing. Many of his immediate family, wife and sons, suffered from drug addiction which ultimately led to drug overdoses or suicide.
I really enjoyed this look back on his life and highly recommend this book.
January 9, 2014
I am not a boxing fan, and yes I watched the Rocky movies. Sure, I have heard of some famous boxers, such as: Ali, Fraser, Foreman, Tyson, to name a few. I just don't like the sport. I hope my son never picks it up. I personally believe there are other and better ways to demonstrate ones strength and endurance. However, after reading George Chuvalo's book I have come to understand the mentality of a boxer a bit better. The following quote from Chuvalo: a Fighter's Life: The Story of Boxing's Last Gladiator helps to do just that.
" To me, boxing has always represented the purest for of athletic competition. It's much more natural to fight than it is to play football or hockey. A caveman or an alien from another planet would understand boxing, but he sure as hell wouldn't understand golf or tennis. It's all about respect for power - and no other sport more clearly demonstrates one man's superiority over another. When a guy goes down for the 10 count and can't get back on his feet, everybody knows who won." (pg 8-9)
I enjoyed reading this book. While reading, I felt as if George was telling me his story himself. There is a real personable quality to this book that drags you and wraps you into the story. George takes you through his life, all the highs and lows, with an honesty that is refreshing. To be very truthful, I had never heard of George Chuvalo before I saw him on Canada Am one morning promoting his book. My husband of course knew who he was. But, during that interview, George Chuvalo came across as a very open individual and he is the reason that pushed me to read this book. I was not disappointed with this book. Mr Chuvalo is a true fighter in and out of the ring. He has taken everything that has happened in his life and tried to make something good come out of it. In George Chuvalo's own words:
"..... The kid said that after hearing me speak he felt compelled to call the police-which is a pretty tough thing to do to your own flesh and blood........It had a happy ending: the kid got help and got off drugs. It's that kind of feedback that keeps me fighting at 75-and I'm going to keep doing it until I run out of steam. If I didn't keep fighting, it would be like my sons and my wife died in vain. And I don't ever want to feel that way."
Well, Mr Chuvalo I think it is pretty safe to say that you are making a difference and your sons' and wife's lives will never be lost in vain. One life has been saved because of your message. Now, the young man that was helped because of your presentation can make a difference in the lives around him, and because of that the world is already becoming a better place. We don't have to change the world all at once, just one person at a time.
" To me, boxing has always represented the purest for of athletic competition. It's much more natural to fight than it is to play football or hockey. A caveman or an alien from another planet would understand boxing, but he sure as hell wouldn't understand golf or tennis. It's all about respect for power - and no other sport more clearly demonstrates one man's superiority over another. When a guy goes down for the 10 count and can't get back on his feet, everybody knows who won." (pg 8-9)
I enjoyed reading this book. While reading, I felt as if George was telling me his story himself. There is a real personable quality to this book that drags you and wraps you into the story. George takes you through his life, all the highs and lows, with an honesty that is refreshing. To be very truthful, I had never heard of George Chuvalo before I saw him on Canada Am one morning promoting his book. My husband of course knew who he was. But, during that interview, George Chuvalo came across as a very open individual and he is the reason that pushed me to read this book. I was not disappointed with this book. Mr Chuvalo is a true fighter in and out of the ring. He has taken everything that has happened in his life and tried to make something good come out of it. In George Chuvalo's own words:
"..... The kid said that after hearing me speak he felt compelled to call the police-which is a pretty tough thing to do to your own flesh and blood........It had a happy ending: the kid got help and got off drugs. It's that kind of feedback that keeps me fighting at 75-and I'm going to keep doing it until I run out of steam. If I didn't keep fighting, it would be like my sons and my wife died in vain. And I don't ever want to feel that way."
Well, Mr Chuvalo I think it is pretty safe to say that you are making a difference and your sons' and wife's lives will never be lost in vain. One life has been saved because of your message. Now, the young man that was helped because of your presentation can make a difference in the lives around him, and because of that the world is already becoming a better place. We don't have to change the world all at once, just one person at a time.
July 12, 2014
George Chuvalo is a retired professional heavyweight boxer who fought during the 1960s and 1970s. He was born in Toronto (not far from my 'hood) to Croatian parents and always called Toronto "home". George tells us about his childhood and how he became a boxer (he started boxing at about age ten). He gives information on all his fights, what was going on at the time and, in most cases, what eventually became of the boxers.
He was never knocked down or knocked out in his entire career, not even by big-hitters such as Joe Frazier and George Foreman. Although he never won a world title, he did challenge twice for a world title against Muhammad Ali and went the distance. After their first fight in 1966, Ali said Chuvalo was "the toughest guy I ever fought".
Chuvalo married Lynn when they were young ... he was 19 and she was 16. Together they had five children (four boys and a girl). Three sons eventually became addicted to heroin ... Jesse committed suicide because of it and Georgie Lee and Steve died of overdoses. Lynn committed suicide four days after Georgie Lee's death. Because of the tragedies in his life, he created the George Chuvalo Fight Against Drugs and he and his second wife, Joanne, traveled around talking to youth in schools about the effects of drugs and the effects on families.
It was an interesting book and I liked it. I liked the writing style, which seemed honest and real. Anyone interested in boxing will enjoy it as they are able relive some the great fights of the past.
There are lots of pictures in the back of the book, some of which Chuvalo refers to as he is telling his story. Rather than having the pictures in the back, it would have been nice to have them close to their stories. I read this book on an ereader and it would have been to have easier access to the pictures.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/07...
He was never knocked down or knocked out in his entire career, not even by big-hitters such as Joe Frazier and George Foreman. Although he never won a world title, he did challenge twice for a world title against Muhammad Ali and went the distance. After their first fight in 1966, Ali said Chuvalo was "the toughest guy I ever fought".
Chuvalo married Lynn when they were young ... he was 19 and she was 16. Together they had five children (four boys and a girl). Three sons eventually became addicted to heroin ... Jesse committed suicide because of it and Georgie Lee and Steve died of overdoses. Lynn committed suicide four days after Georgie Lee's death. Because of the tragedies in his life, he created the George Chuvalo Fight Against Drugs and he and his second wife, Joanne, traveled around talking to youth in schools about the effects of drugs and the effects on families.
It was an interesting book and I liked it. I liked the writing style, which seemed honest and real. Anyone interested in boxing will enjoy it as they are able relive some the great fights of the past.
There are lots of pictures in the back of the book, some of which Chuvalo refers to as he is telling his story. Rather than having the pictures in the back, it would have been nice to have them close to their stories. I read this book on an ereader and it would have been to have easier access to the pictures.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/07...
August 9, 2015
A very good read. The boxing career is very, very detailed and takes up about 300 pages of the book. I personally feel that this could have been told in less detail with the same message being delivered. The part that I was more interested in reading about was the human element of a man who lost 3 sons and his wife due to suicide and drug overdoses. I don't have a morbid fascination with this topic, but I do have a personal connection as a member of my immediate family had a very close connection to this man and his family. My natural curiosity inspired me to read this book. I wasn't disappointed, just a little overwhelmed with the exhaustive details behind almost every fight he had. If you are a boxing fan, and especially a fan of boxing history, this is almost a must read. If you want to know how a man struggles to come to grips with the destruction of his family, skip ahead to page 300 and learn the brutal truth of what drugs can do to not only the abuser, but also to their family. Overall a good read that I can honestly say I learned a bit from.
May 25, 2015
George Chuvalo, a Canadian boxer who retired as the only fighter who was never knocked down. Ali once said, "He hit me harder than I've ever been hit." This story is more about the hits he took from life. He lost 3 sons, two to herion overdoses and one to suicide. His wife, Lynne, committed suicide because she just couldn't live with the pain of losing her sons. He dedicates his life to telling his story in the hopes that it will help other addicts and friends, parents or relatives of addicts. While writing this book, his 19-year old granddaughter died of cancer. This is quite possibly the toughest book I've ever read.
December 8, 2013
The co-writer? Murray Grieg did a fine job with the life story of one of the greatest heavyweight boxers ever. I used to be a boxing fan until the WBA turned into the WBC and then the IBF and then all the other organizations screwed the business up that led to the rise of MMA Ultimate fighting. The voice of Chuvalo is so relaxed and honest it's as if he's sitting across from you having a coffee. Well written and some great behind the scenes stuff. Much better than Neil Young's as Neil had so much missing and seemed such a shallow story. Go George Go. A good read.
March 5, 2016
Picked this up after I heard him speak about the loss of his sons to drug addiction and his wife to suicide - this bio doesn't touch on those subjects very much but delves into his earlier life - a good read
January 15, 2017
enjoyable
Felt like Mr. Chuvalo was speaking from the page, ghostwriter aside. If you have a kid who is curious or experimenting with drugs, as I do, they NEED to read Part Four of this book, if nothing else.
Felt like Mr. Chuvalo was speaking from the page, ghostwriter aside. If you have a kid who is curious or experimenting with drugs, as I do, they NEED to read Part Four of this book, if nothing else.
November 16, 2018
tragic life of a good Canadian ...love to shake his hand
April 5, 2023
Chuvalo fought in an era where fighters didn’t get paid much and had to fight often in smoke filled tiny arenas. Chavalo had close to a hundred fights all over the world he wasn’t a household name more like a blip on the boxing radar. But he fight the best Ali Frazier and foreman and was no pushover and won their respect. Outside the ring he was full of life had five children and loved his wife. There’s so many good anecdotes in this he told a boxer he beat you have a great right hand and the boxer replied you have a great left hook to the balls. He won a war of words with Ali and left him speechless Ali dubbed him the washerwoman and Chavalo came to the presser in drag with a mop bucket all in good fun
But at the end of his career three of his boys ODed and his grieving wife committed suicide. Only a man of his strength could pull himself off the canvas and he went to schools to talk about addiction. Chavalo is a living metaphor to roll with the punches and keep fighting
But at the end of his career three of his boys ODed and his grieving wife committed suicide. Only a man of his strength could pull himself off the canvas and he went to schools to talk about addiction. Chavalo is a living metaphor to roll with the punches and keep fighting
January 15, 2020
Great look into a legendary fighters life. I had no idea about his familial issues and it was definitely insightful. As someone who isn't a big boxing fan, I think it would be more enjoyable for someone who knows a bit more about fighting history. Still enjoyable though at points I wish it were more personal and less about his opponents, though it felt like that was purposeful to show where fighters end up (many with early deaths).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2022
A very detailed look at George Chuvalo’s long and illustrious career. The amount of detail of each of his 93 bouts is amazing. He literally describes every fight blow by blow. This is despite having the brain of a boxer which could not help sustaining damage over all of those years. He describes the drug-assisted deaths of three of his sons and the suicide of his first wife. He is still alive and living after all of this hardship. Amazing. A great Canadian.
June 15, 2020
An interesting read about a Canadian sports legend. An in depth look at his boxing career, the family turmoil he has endured, and his attempts to honour them. The loss of one child is tragic, but to lose three and a wife all at their own hands, is a tragedy beyond comprehension. Kudos to him for carrying on.
March 3, 2021
Absolutely loved reading about this extraordinary man and his life.
July 22, 2021
What a life, what a strong man both physically and emotionally. Great Canadian!
September 29, 2022
Chuvalo was a warrior inside and outside the ring! A true Canadian champ!
September 14, 2021
Chuvalo
Enjoyed watching some of his televised fights in the 60’s. In this book he covers everything, his key fights, economic struggles, loss of family members in a very honest and straightforward manner. This is one boxing biography that shows the multiple dimension of the sport and the boxer. Not just straight boxing information. Enjoyed this book immensely.
Enjoyed watching some of his televised fights in the 60’s. In this book he covers everything, his key fights, economic struggles, loss of family members in a very honest and straightforward manner. This is one boxing biography that shows the multiple dimension of the sport and the boxer. Not just straight boxing information. Enjoyed this book immensely.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews