Carlos Monzon ever near to fighting in UK or against a Brit?

[Cholo_cws]

Just curious to know if anyone remembers that far back and if it was ever talked about? He did after all have a number of fights in Europe - France, Italy, Denmark and Monaco. I guess Kevin Finnegan or maybe Bunny Sterling would have been the mooted opponents.

[Michael bennt]

Just curious to know if anyone remembers that far back and if it was ever talked about? He did after all have a number of fights in Europe - France, Italy, Denmark and Monaco. I guess Kevin Finnegan or maybe Bunny Sterling would have been the mooted opponents.

Monzon vs john conteh was very close to happening it even made the front of the boxing news with a picture of both men saying it could be close to happening

[bennie]

Kevin Finnegan was close. He held the European middleweight title but suffered a drop in form after he broke his jaw in a routine 10-rounder in London (fighting on and winning) and then lost his title to French wildman Gratien Tonna - a man Finnegan later easily outboxed - and it was Tonna who got the shot with Monzon a few months later. Monzon tamed Tonna in five rounds.
Finnegan would have lost to the incredible Monzon, who made 14 defences before retiring as undefeated champ. Marvin Hagler made 12.

[Pugilist-specialist]

Monzon vs john conteh was very close to happening it even made the front of the boxing news with a picture of both men saying it could be close to happening

At what weight?

[bennie]

It would have been at light-heavyweight. Conteh had already moved down from heavyweight (on Muhammad Ali's advice) but could not have made middleweight. Monzon would have targetted fellow countryman Victor Galindez anyway rather than Conteh, so it was a 'no news' front page.

[misterpunch]

benny knows his stuff

would have been interesting that conteh monzon one - conteh wins a real cracker

[bennie]

Conteh was prodigiously talented and a nasty piece of work in a boxing ring but Monzon was more talented and even nastier. Over the old 15-round marathon, Monzon would have worked Conteh out and taken a decision.

[Cholo_cws]

Thanks. I appreciate the info on this. I didn't stop to think that Conteh might have been the most likely bet to face Monzon. A battle of the 'playboys.' I like it.
We sure are far removed from hosting the likes of Bob Foster, Jose Napoles and being able to not unrealistically dream of Monzon fighting over here. I wonder if there has even been a boxer considered 'P4P top ten' over here since Kostya Tszyu?

[misterpunch]

Conteh was prodigiously talented and a nasty piece of work in a boxing ring but Monzon was more talented and even nastier. Over the old 15-round marathon, Monzon would have worked Conteh out and taken a decision.

what???? I take it back! benny knows nothing! conteh the bigger man wears monzon down and edges a close one.