MONTREAL -- George Chuvalo wants the world to know he was more than just a big lug who could stand in a boxing ring and take punches all night. The Toronto native was a top 10-ranked fighter in the golden age of heavyweights, taking on the best of his era, including Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and Floyd Patterson. He inflicted more damage than he absorbed in his 22-year career, but the perception lives on of the plodding boxer with the iron chin that was formed during dramatic bouts in 1966 and 1972 with Ali, perhaps the greatest heavyweight of all time. There was also the misery he endured after his retirement in 1978, losing three sons and his wife to drugs and suicide, perhaps the most painful blows of all. He addresses those issues in "Chuvalo: A Fighters Life", an autobiography released on Tuesday that was written with veteran boxing writer Murray Greig. It is a chronological recounting of his fight career, but Chuvalos voice, his love of storytelling and his frankly expressed opinions on the good and terrible things in his life are all over it. That is what makes it a better read than your average as-told-to book by an ex-athlete. It also describes a boxers early life, before the headline bouts at Madison Square Garden, of being broke most of the time and leaving a wife and young children at home to drive a shaky jalopy to fight for too-little money in a small-town arena. And it recalls the glory days of heavyweight prize fighting, when major bouts were front-page news and the stars were not like todays six-foot-eight giants who jab and do little else in the ring. That Chuvalo emerged from it all without a slurred tongue and with his memory and sense of humour intact may be his biggest victory. "I wanted to leave something for my grandchildren to read about their grandfather and know about me," the 76-year-old Chuvalo said of the book in a recent interview. But he also would like them to know that he was more than just one of the many victims of Alis flair and skill. "When people think of me, they think of me fighting Muhammad," he said. "Its hard for them to think of anything else. "But I had close to 100 fights. The perception of me is as a tough guy who could take a shot. I was supposed to have the best chin in boxing. It clouds my other abilities." From his first fight in 1956, a second-round knockout of Gordon Baldwin, to his third-round KO of George Jerome in 1978, Chuvalo compiled a record of 73 wins (64 by knockout), 18 losses and two draws. Although he was stopped short of the distance by Foreman and Joe Frazier, he was never knocked down in the ring. It is one of the first issues he deals with in the book. "Today, most people think I was a tough guy who took a good rap, which is fine," he writes. "But I was a much better defensive fighter than I ever got credit for. I didnt get hit with half the punches people think I did. If that were true, Id be walking around on my heels today. Nobodys that tough." Chuvalo never won a world title, losing to Ernie Terrell in his only attempt in 1965, a fight he feels was fixed by mobsters. But he was Canadian champion for most of 17 years, back when that title still mattered. And one of his favourite funny stories was about how he became champion of Haiti in 1972. He was voted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997. There was also a statue of him erected in his ancestral hometown in Bosnia. But his defining moment was in Toronto on March 29, 1966, when he stood up to Alis brilliance for 15 rounds and became a national hero simply for not going down. He did the same over 12 rounds in a rematch in Vancouver six years later. Perhaps ironically, Chuvalo feels Ali had the best chin of any opponent he faced, along with being the best boxer of all time. He names Foreman and Mike DeJohn as the hardest punchers he encountered. He left the painful stories of his family for last. No blood in the ring was quite as gruesome as finding a son dead in a hotel room with a needle in his arm, or of his first wife Lynne succombing to dispair and taking her own life. He spares no details. Chuvalo has since remarried, and he visits schools across Canada to deliver an anti-drug message. Somehow, he maintains a positive approach to life, concentrating on his two remaining children and his grandkids. Even then, he dedicates the book to his granddaughter Rachel Chuvalo, who died of cancer last year. The fighters life has been a tough one indeed, in and out of the ring. Cheap Adidas Ultra Boost China . "Win basketball games," Collins said. He will get at least a few more chances. Collins played the final minutes of a winning home debut with the Brooklyn Nets, who cooled off the Chicago Bulls with a 96-80 victory Monday night. Wholesale Name Brand Shoes . Carey Price made 27 saves for Montreal (30-21-6) for his fourth shutout of the year and second in four games. David Desharnais added an empty netter for the Canadiens. Reto Berra stopped 25 shots for Calgary (21-28-7). http://www.brandshoescheaponline.com/. -- Canadian mens rugby coach Kieran Crowley has made four changes to his starting roster for Saturdays Pacific Nations Cup clash against the United States. Cheap Air Jordan 1 China .S. President Barack Obama saluted the Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks at the White House on Monday -- a rare moment for a president hungry to see more victorious teams from his hometown. Adidas Ultra Boost Clearance Sale . The team announced the moves before Sundays game against Houston. Shaw was 1-4 with a 4.26 ERA in 43 games for the Diamondbacks. Bergesen was claimed off waivers from Baltimore on Friday.BALTIMORE -- Orioles third baseman Manny Machado was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a sprained right knee ligament, an injury far less serious than originally feared. Machado took an awkward swing in Mondays game against the New York Yankees and crumpled in the batters box, clutching his knee. He had to be helped off the field and was provided a pair of crutches after the game. An MRI on Tuesday revealed that the 2013 Gold Glove recipient has a sprained ligament. If all goes well, he could be back for the final month of the season. "Obviously, its a great relief," Machado said. "When it happens, things cross your mind and you assume already the worse. But you cant assume anything until you actually see the results and its in front of your face. Im just glad its not as bad as we thought." Manager Buck Showalter expects to have Machado back sometime around Aug. 27, the day hes eligible to return. "Hopefully hell be back then or close to it," Showalter said. "Its not if now, but when." Machado didnt put a timetable on his return. "Whenever I feel good. Whenever Im able to go out there and be Manny Machado," he said. "I dont know when that is going to be. It could be tomorrow, it could be in a month, it could be in three weeks." Machado missed the first month of the season while recovering from surgery on his left knee. This is the other knee, but the 22-year-old insisted hee doesnt worry about chronic knee issues.dddddddddddd. "Obviously, you dont want to be in the position I am in right now. But it is all part of the game," he said. "Those are the things you cant control. Those are things only God can control. So, get it stronger, get back and keep running forward." Machado is batting .278 with 12 homers and 32 RBIs. He has also contributed defensively for the AL East leaders, who entered play Wednesday with a 6 1/2-game lead over second-place Toronto. Chris Davis started at third base for the Orioles on Wednesday. He replaced Machado on Monday and has 74 games of major league experience at the position. Baltimore has purchased the contract of infielder Cord Phelps from Triple-A Norfolk. The team cleared room for Phelps on the 40-man roster by moving catcher Matt Wieters to the 60-day disabled list. Phelps hit .258 with 23 extra-base hits and 49 RBIs in 97 games for the Tides. "Right now hes the best option," Showalter said. The left side of the infield has also been without shortstop J.J. Hardy, who sprained his left thumb Saturday. Showalter said Hardy could be pressed into action on Wednesday if needed, but the Orioles have a day off Thursday and its likely Hardy wont return until Baltimore faces the Indians in a three-game set that begins Friday. "My goal is to be on the field in the Cleveland series," Hardy said. "Not sure which day." ' ' '