"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" ---- 06-04-05

RING Magazine founder Nat Fleischer once called him one of the most durable fighters he'd ever seen. The great Muhammad Ali referred to him as "the toughest man I ever fought." No, he never reached his goal of becoming the heavyweight champion of the world, but few athletes have ever personified the term "champion" like one George Chuvalo.

George Chuvalo dominated the Canadian heavyweight boxing scene from 1958 until his retirement in 1979. He was the consummate "brawler"--relying on sheer toughness, body punching, and the ability to take a punch; he feared no one. His success north of the border eventually earned him a date in the ring with WBA champ Ernie Terrell in November of 1965; Chuvalo lost a very close decision--reminiscent of his loss to former champion Floyd Patterson just nine months before. He'd fight Muhammad Ali for the title in 1966 in his hometown of Toronto with the quicker Ali winning a decision (it's been said that the fight was the inspiration for the "Rocky" movies). Chuvalo fought bravely against Ali and actually sent "The Greatest" to the hospital after the fight; Chuvalo would always casually (but proudly) say that he went dancing with his wife after the 15-round loss and still considered himself a "winner." He'd face boxing's best over the next few years--scoring impressive wins over fighters such as Jerry Quarry and Cleveland Williams while losing to fighters like Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Jimmy Ellis along the way. In his last big fight, Chuvalo would lose yet another decision to Muhammad Ali in 1972--fighting respectably but being outclassed once again. He would continue to dominate Canadian boxing into the late 1970s--still priding himself on never having been knocked off his feet in a boxing ring. Yes, that's right, folks--George Chuvalo NEVER went down while facing boxing's toughest fighters during the ‘60s and ‘70s; little did anyone know that his toughest battles would come outside the ring.

Upon retiring, it appeared that George Chuvalo would live a charmed life; hell, he was a national hero in Canada, took various parts in a number of movies (including "The Untouchables"), and would ultimately become a loving father to five children. That was until the scourge of heroin infiltrated the Chuvalo household; his youngest son Jesse got hooked after having been addicted to painkillers--originally prescribed to treat a leg injury obtained in a motorcycle accident. By the early to mid-‘80s, Jesse and his brothers George Lee and Steven had become addicts; crime fueled their habits before Jesse finally put a .22 caliber rifle in his mouth and ended his life in 1985. George Lee would be released from jail in 1993 and be dead of an overdose within a few days. But the tragedy would not end there for the Chuvalo family; the elder Chuvalo and his wife Lynn's marriage began to crumble when she had trouble dealing with her sons' deaths. Tragically, Lynn would be dead from a pill overdose just days after George Lee was buried. Finally, Steven--seemingly willing and eager to join his father on an anti-drug crusade in 1997--was later found dead by his sister Vanessa and police with a syringe dangling from his arm. Yes, George Chuvalo had lost three sons and a wife from 1985-1997--all due in part to drug addiction; somehow, those jabs from Muhammad Ali didn't seem as bothersome anymore to a man named Chuvalo.

George Chuvalo is 67 now, and often thinks of the days when he could barely get out of bed due to the tragic sequence of events during his life; very few people have been dealt a hand like the man who still manages to bask in the joy of his two remaining children--Vanessa and Mitch. But for all the heartache and life-altering happenings the former boxer experienced, we must remember one thing: Chuvalo was a man who NEVER went down. He decided in the ‘90s to SAVE lives instead of dwelling on the ones that were taken from him. He has proceeded to make his George Chuvalo Fights Drugs campaign a needed therapy in his life; he often talks to students/young people about having respect for themselves, the importance of family, and the dangers of experimenting with "gateway" items--such as cigarettes. He'll cry during his well-delivered speeches--as do his listeners. But he can also be extremely graphic and blunt when talking about the ugliness of addiction and its true, ubiquitous presence in our society. His expressive presentations almost always receive positive feedback; even the most hardened individuals can't help but be moved by the lessons Chuvalo tries to convey and the horrific events that have led to his current crusade. Yes, his fight against drugs has truly "delivered a punch"; his worst foe, drug addiction, may have claimed many of Chuvalo's family but has not been able to conquer his spirit or his willingness to help others.

George Chuvalo was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1990; he was also made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1998 due to his charitable work. He remains living proof of the immense strength of the human spirit--amid the worst of circumstances. To this day, this great individual still remains slightly bruised and battered after repeatedly rebounding from incomparable obstacles in his life. His handling of personal hardships over the years has mirrored his boxing career and should send a clear message to ALL of us: If you're still standing--no matter what the result--you can never truly experience defeat.

Bob Lazzari

Reprinted by permission of the Valley Times.