I cut my teeth on the sport of boxing in the mid-1960. At that time the sport was just coming out of a somewhat dreary period of champions although talented, lacked charisma.
It was Cassius Clay, later to be Muhammad Ali that energized the sport and opened the door for a group of boxers who into the late 1970’s established themselves and that time as a truly ” Golden Era ” in boxing.
The boxers that molded my mentality of what boxing were all about. It was a who’s who of talent and solid mass of future Hall Of Famers.Jose Torres, Dick Tiger, Bob Foster, Emile Griffith, Jose Napoles, Carlos Ortiz, Ismael Laguna, Vincente Saldivar, Eder Jofre, Fighting Harada and Ruben Olivares. There were more, many more.
The one boxer that stands out for me in that era was in my humble opinion the BEST middleweight over the last forty years. I do not make this comment lightly. That takes into consideration the talents of Joey Giardello, Dick Tiger and more recent champions like Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Michael Nunn, James Toney and the champion of today, Bernard Hopkins.
I have the utmost respect for all the boxers I’ve mentioned but in retrospect, I must rate Carlos above them. Here is why…
In 102 professional fights Carlos Monzon was NEVER knocked out. We’re talking about the times when title fights were fifteen rounds. In talking to one knowledgeable fellow scribe about Monzon, he described him as a beast. I thought what a perfect adjective to describe Monzon. Whenever, who ever he fought he always seemed so much stronger. There were some that were cleverer. They were faster or even considered harder punchers like the feared Bennie Briscoe but the strength and will of Carlos Monzon overcame all challenges.
Carlos had fourteen successful defenses before relinquishing his crown. Let me tell you his title defense record were NOT padded. Back in the day when champions engaged in over the weight, non-title excursions… Well Carlos had his share. Some of the men he faced and beat in those encounters were of the same caliber as the challengers that have faced Bernard Hopkins in sanctioned title matches. When Carlos laid the title on the line it was usually against a legit and formidable opponent.
Monzon was a very unknown commodity when he was signed to meet middleweight king Nino Benvenuti. Carlos was a decided underdog. Carlos brawled and he mauled as Nino whined and complained to the referee. Little by little the strength and power of Monzon began to overcome the vast skills of the talented Benvenuti. In the twelfth round a weakened but still proud and game Benvenuti was felled for the couunt by a crushing overhand right. The reign of Carlos Monzon had begun.
True to his soul Carlos met the best available competition. He stopped Nino easily in a rematch. Then followed his defenses against the great Emile Griffith. He stopped Emile in the first fight. How manny people could say thet knocked out Emile Griffith at that time other then the devestating Rubin ” Hurricane ” Carter. Yes Emile went the fifteen round distance in a return bout with Carlos but he fought a very defensive fight and failed to do enough to regain the title.
There would be defenses against former junior middleweight title claimant and long time contender Denny Moyer. He would twice turn back the challenge of Jean Claude Bouttier of France. This is a guy who if fighting today with all the fragmented titles would surely have won some kind of recognition.
Carlos would meet and beat Bennie Briscoe in a rematch and then as if to fufill his legacy he would meet and twice defeat his #1 adversary, the very underrated Rodrigo Valdes. Let me state this, which in his prime Valdes would have been a handful for Hagler, etc.
He was to the middleweight division of that era as was Esteban DeJesus was to the lightweight class during the Roberto Duran reign. He was a great fighter that was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
After twice defeating Valdes and cementing his claim as the # 1 middleweight in the world, Carlos wisely thinking retired. In his mid 30’s and enjoying a very nice life style Carlos was smart enough to walk away.
Retirement was not the yellow brick road that Carlos envisioned. That is an article for another day. The bottom line is while champion Carlos turned back the challenges of some very formidable foes.
I give Bernard his due. Marvin too. I’m sorry though; Carlos would have beaten the two of you.