9th Fight lost on points to a 16-0 fighter 14th Fight lost on points to a 38-9-4 fighter (Monzon down 3 times) 20th Fight lost on points to a ONE & Zero Fighter Then he must have started smoking cigarettes and chasing more women, cause he never lost again even though he beat and/or drew with a bunch of people with really weird records. http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=9036&cat=boxer&pageID=1
Do not take boxrec as gospel. They will tell you (rightly) they are missing tons of info. Monzon obviously had learning fights early on, but I suspect he was good enough early on only to lose to genuine contenders to being the best 160lber in South America; rough veterans or more developed prospects. I would put down a fair wager on it that Massi was not 1-0 when he stepped into the ring against Monzon in 64.
Boxrec is not a complete catalogue of all professional boxing matches that have ever taken place. In fact, by their own estimates, they don't even have half just yet. Most of those guys probably had plenty more fights than what is listed on the site. Monzon was learning his trade in his first 20 fights.
yeah according to boxrec, pascual perez, another argentianian great basically fought guys with shitty records. I would assume those records are incomplete.
You would understand if you had knowledge of what the boxing scene was like in south America back then. Judges, fairplay never really came into it.
I've been curious about this as well. Supposedly South American judges opted too often call a fight a draw if it wasn't extremely clear cut one way or the other.
That's right. Basically if there wasn't at least a 4 point disparity they called the fight a draw. A 115-113 fight for example would be called a draw.
The great Nicolino Locche had 14 draws, just goes to show you what judging is like down in South America.
also, there wasn't much of an amateur program, so you learned on the job. it wasn't like the developed US programs with careful matchmaking and grooming. they threw you to the wolves and you learned while getting your ass kicked.
I don't believe that Monzon had a single amateur fight. He learned the basics of boxing as a professional. Thus, it is not surprising that Monzon lost a few of his first 20 fights. As I understand it, Monzon decisively avenged all of his losses later.
the pro games completely different to amateurs so i think your best off doin it the way monzon did, tho you probably wouldnt be able to now
Not in todays market.... A 17-3 record non American record, would not stand a chance of making it, the '0' is that important. If Monzon were fighting today, people would suggest he would have no chance with Pavlik, hell no chance with Felix Strum, because he lost to some 50 fight vet with 9 defeats to his name, 7 years previous....