No one in this thread said anything about Monzon getting up from that right hand besides you and calling it "comparatively insubstantial" is a vast understatement. That right was a bomb. And it wasn't really just the fact that Monzon got up from it, its that he only went down for a two count and went immediately back to work right when he got up. You cant blame Monzon for not overcoming adversity when he was dominating his fights, I could make that same argument against the guy in your avatar.
The bombs Monzon took from Briscoe (II) and Valdez (II) were major examples of recovering from dire adversity and going on to triumph...but to each his own. Monzon can only be criticized for the most inconsequential **** I've noticed...like the second Griffith fight...a subpar WINNING performance. As for the knockdown suffered from Valdez in the rematch, Monzon should be given the same credit for bouncing up and overcoming it as Ali gets credit for the 15th round Frazier knockdown in the FOTC. That same Valdez right would have either ko'ed of set up for the finish, nearly any other fighter besides Monzon that night.
I've seen people on here having discussions about how astonishing, unparalleled an achievement it was, and how it marked out Monzon's greatness. El Buija already referred to his in this thread, so I was replying to that as well as the more extreme claims that have been made. This isn't a criticism of Monzon; I'm not saying he didn't have the chin, or heart, or whatever. I'm just trying to point out that claiming that he had one of the best chins of all time, or greatest wills of all time etc. is asking history to support something there just isn't the evidence for. Nobody makes those claims about Pernell Whitaker, so they don't need attention.
He had a tough time with Emile Griffith x2 and Rodrigo Valdez x2 as well. Anyway, Monzon was a natural fighter. He fought his way for every fight and didn't change his approach for anybody.
Monzon is generally recognized by peers, experts and fans as one of the greatest middleweights ever. Not sure how he could be overrated! Fellow great middleweights like Bernard Hopkins and Hagler rate Monzon as the very best. The fact that Benard Hopkins admitted that Monzon could very likely have beaten him speaks volumes, especially since Hopkins believes he would have beaten Hagler. Those that do not appreciate Monzon's supreme talent do not see the subtleties in his understated style and technique. Not flashy but devastatingly effective.
Doesn´t change that he also said Monzon would beat him. He said "I could very well lose the fight". For someone with Hopkins ego this is a big thing. The top mws are ll very close and each of them could beat the other. But imo when you put them all in a tourney Monzon would come out on top.
FFS guys, this is ridiculous. That's just about the worst reason for picking Monzon. The article may well have been bull**** anyway.
Its usually considered good manners to praise old timers and admit you'd lose to them. If you have the audacity to say your the best ever, everyone hates you. Ali - said he was the greatest and would whoops Dempsey/Marciano/Louis, everyone hated him Mayweather - says hes the greatest and better than Robinson/Ali, everyone hates him
Yes but Hopkins does not have good manners or praise old timers. He has never admitted any other middle could have beaten him, except for Monzon. True respect from someone who does not readily respect anyone. Hopkins knows how truly great Carlos was.
So you're basing your pick on some flimsy piece of journalism that had Hopkins tenuously saying that he "could see" himself losing, despite the fact that flies in the face of what Hopkins has said elsewhere and is likely to say, given his attitude?
That is just one small element of the tremendous body of evidence available that points to Monzon being the greatest 160 pounder ever. There are loads of threads available on this site covering those topics.