1970-1977 Middleweight Division The Monzon Era

[scorpio83]

Could please help me analyze how good were they while Carlos Monzon reigned as Middleweight Champion? These were the fighters that fought Monzon and were not in order, excluding Jose Napoles because he was a great welterweight champion.

World Middleweight Champion: Carlos Monzon
Rodrigo Valdez: WBC Middleweight Champion
Nino Benvenuti: His prime years was in the 1960s
Emile Griffith: His prime years was in the second half of the 1960s
Bennie Briscoe: One of the great fighters who never won the middleweight title even though he got 3 middleweight title shots
Tony Mundine
Jean-Claude Bouttier
Tony Licata
Tom Bogs
Denny Moyer: Former Junior Middleweight Champion who fought opponents mostly from welterweight to middleweight
Gratien Tonna

What was their style for each of them?

For example: Classic boxer/puncher: Carlos Monzon

How good was their jab?

How good was their punching skills and power?

How good was their boxing skill?

[Crease]

Could please help me analyze how good were they while Carlos Monzon reigned as Middleweight Champion?

Monzon's Middleweight reign was dominant and unrelenting. And it is only enhanced even further when you consider that he fought a very good standard of opposition during his time as the Champ - a fact that other long-standing cannot claim - people like the Klitchsko brothers.

Statistically looking at it, He was the Champ for seven years (70-77) and he had 14 successful title defences during that time... So mathematically he was avergaing two defences a year.

In short, Monzon has to be ranked within the top three Middleweights of all time - alongside Sugar Ray Robinson & Marvin Hagler.

But this division as a "dark horse" the way that every division does - and in this case it's Harry Greb. Because he did not have many title defences and he was the Champ for a relatively short time (chronologically).

[Seamus]

Benvenuti was past his best when Monzon caught him. At his very best I think Nino would definitely have a shot at pulling out a decision victory. Afterall, if you eliminate the Ki-Soo Kim travesty, than Nino starts his career with 72 straight wins.

[scorpio83]

Crease, I strongly agreed with you. Monzon was one of the top middleweights of all-time along with Sugar Ray Robinson and Marvelous Marvin Hagler. For Harry Greb, I saw his photos in action, but no possible films of his fight exist other than his training. Yes, he was middleweight champion for 3 years, not much title defenses and I cannot put him on the top 3. However, to be fair for old school fight fans, Greb was the top 5 middleweights of all-time along with Robinson, Hagler, Monzon and B-Hop. That was just my opinion.

Anyways, how good was Emile Griffith? I know that his style was the boxer-brawler with a quick jab. He had good boxing skills and not much punching power, but decent. Also, he had a style attack with speed, aggression and determination like Benvenuti.

[Ambling Alp II]

Overall, the opposition Monzon fought in title fights was pretty decent. Not great, there were some mediocre guys in there, but respectable. Obviously nowhere near as good as Robinson's, but it was better than Hagler's and much better than the mostly awful opposition that Hopkins fought.

[Ezzard]

Monzon had one of the greatest if not the greatest Middleweight championship reign…or collection of title fights…

Benvenuti was a great middleweight himself. He was a little past his peak for sure but just 12 months prior to the first defeat to Monzon he soundly beat all-time great Rodriguez. Nino didn’t give up the title without a hell of a fight but Monzon just ripped it from him.

It’s also fair to say that by the second fight Monzon had improved and won the return in devastating fashion.

Griffith would make most people’s top 30 p4p list. He wasn’t quite as good at 160 as he was at 147, where he’d be a top 10 welter… But at 160 his stand out wins over Tiger make him an all-timer at 160.

The second fights was close. But most of Griffith’s fights were close. That was the sort of fighter he was. But in both bouts Monzon was the clear winner.

Valdes was another top quality operator who stopped the steel-jawed Briscoe. Monzon was past his best at this point and Valdes was peaking. But Carlos put in controlled performances to win both fights.

Nino, Emile and Rodrigo were all fantastic middleweights. And nobody in the division has beaten such a high calibre of challengers since.

Sergio Martinez is a great fighter but I’d back all of them to beat him. Valdes’s more offensive style would make for great fights with Hagler and/or Hopkins but he’s probably made to order for them. Benvenuti and Griffith would cause Bernard and Marvin all kinds of problems though. And it’s not much of a stretch to imagine either one of them beating the great duo.

[dempseyfire]

Could please help me analyze how good were they while Carlos Monzon reigned as Middleweight Champion?

Monzon's Middleweight reign was dominant and unrelenting. And it is only enhanced even further when you consider that he fought a very good standard of opposition during his time as the Champ - a fact that other long-standing cannot claim - people like the Klitchsko brothers.

Statistically looking at it, He was the Champ for seven years (70-77) and he had 14 successful title defences during that time... So mathematically he was avergaing two defences a year.

In short, Monzon has to be ranked within the top three Middleweights of all time - alongside Sugar Ray Robinson & Marvin Hagler.

But this division as a "dark horse" the way that every division does - and in this case it's Harry Greb. Because he did not have many title defences and he was the Champ for a relatively short time (chronologically).

Not sure what is considered "long standing" or not but I'd actually rank Louis's title opposition overall superior to Monzon's (and if we're including non-title opp; the choice is clear-cut).

[scorpio83]

Was Denny Moyer's jab quick?

Tell me about Monzon's first fight with Jean-Claude Bouttier. How good was Bouttier? What his style, boxing skills, punching power and style of attack? Also, how good was his jab?

[scorpio83]

I strongly agreed Il Duce, the Monzon vs. Moyer fight should not have been stopped because Moyer wasn't hurt nor wobbled.

Anyways, on with Bouttier and the question I asked for the last time. Please take your time.

[scorpio83]

I did not know Monzon had problems getting down to the middleweight limit, but I meant was Bouttier a puncher? What was his style, boxing skills, left jabs, punching power and attack style?

[BoxBuzz]

And Monzon was very sad that his buddy could not come out and play for another round or two.

He liked going the full 15 rounds.

[scorpio83]

Tell me how good Tom Bogs was? His style, boxing skills, left jabs, punching power and style of attack?

[scorpio83]

Tell me when Monzon stopped Bogs in 5 rounds was a one-sided fight?

[scorpio83]

Go on and summarize from rounds two through five where Monzon destroyed Bogs.

[scorpio83]

Tell me how good was "Baad" Bennie Briscoe. I know his style was a swarmer-slugger puncher. His boxing skills that he can wear his opponents down with body punches and had a sturdy chin. He stopped George Benton, who ended up training him and taught him how to use his left jab, which was one of the hardest jabs to set up his big punches. He had a great punching power with his left hook and right hand. His style of attack was stalking his opponents until catching them with a knockout punch. What else you want to tell me about Briscoe that I don't know about?

[scorpio83]

I wonder why "Baad" Bennie weighed in at the junior middleweight limit when he lost to Luis Rodriguez, but I forgot that Briscoe used his bobbing and weaving style to walk punches like "Smokin" Joe Frazier would do. Anyways, summarize the rematch when Bennie Briscoe avenged his loss to Luis Vinales by knocking him out in 7 rounds on October 11, 1972, one month prior to the rematch with Monzon for his World Middleweight Title.

[scorpio83]

I know, but I want to you to summarize the fight from youtube. I watched their fight on YouTube, but I may forgot how Briscoe knocked Vinales out in the 7th round.

[scorpio83]

Thanks Il Duce for summarizing the Briscoe vs. Vinales II and I appreciate it. I know there is a YouTube video for Carlos Monzon vs. Bennie Briscoe II on November 11, 1972 and I already watched it. Tell me about that fight in your own eyes.

[scorpio83]

I never know that Monzon was not well liked in Buenos Aires and was it because they don't like him as a person outside the ring even though they respect his boxing skills?

[scorpio83]

People from Buenos Aires never liked Monzon because of his bad boy image does made sense for me to understand. It was very surprisingly that people from Monte Carlo and Paris liked Monzon.

[scorpio83]

Round 3

[scorpio83]

Round 6

[Tomasino]

Round 6

Why not watch the actual fight instead of letting Douch make it up for you?

[scorpio83]

I told Il Duce that I have already watched it on YouTube, but I want him to summarize the fight with his own eyes. Anyways, the best punch of the fight in round 9.

[scorpio83]

The last 57 seconds of round 9?