Carlos Monzon vs Bernard Hopkins

This would be a physical fight but in a way Hopkins don´t want it to be. He would try to play his tricks on Monzon but the Argentinean won´t fall for it. Over 12 Hopkins might edge it, very closely, something like 6-5-1. Monzon was the perfect 15 round fighter with a perfect adjusted strategy for this distance. Over 15 Monzon wins close but clear, something like 9-6.

 

Monzon wouldn't be the gullible foil for Hopkin's tricks and would have proven to be the better puncher and the superior ring general over the 15 route which he was so accustomed to. Monzon W15 Hopkins

 

I think this is a tougher fight for Monzon than Hagler would be. On a same day weigh in i'm not sure Hopkins would make the weight.

 

I'm sure he would. He wasn't the type to put on a lot of weight in between fights.

 

Anything Hops can do, Monzon does better.

Hopkins is a ring general in my eyes. He looks to controll the distance and pace of a fight, when he does he looks brilliant; when he can't he struggles. He has a fine jab, superb right and a solid left hook. Everything he does is very technical and methodical. Hopkins losses came when he could not controll the fight like when he fought Jones or the pace Calzaghe forced (not a good example but he did struggle)

Monzon to me is one of the ultimate ring generals, he just knew instinctvly how to controll a fighter.

 

Interesting matchup here. I think if Monzon can establish his jab, he'd win a decision...BUT if he allows Hopkins to stifle the jab and counter, which he does well, Hop could pull it off. OK I'm going out on a limb and say Hop by decision. I think he has a little more versatility than the great Monzon.

 

Exactly..well said GP:thumbsup

 

Bernard.

 

Hopkins counters him into oblivion for an utterly lopsided thrashing.

Monzon is very possibly the single most over-rated fighter on this forum. Reading some of the posts on here, you'd think he possessed this awesome arsenal of mystical intangibles, master ring generalship, flawless technique, unparalleled in-fighting ability, superhuman strength and much more besides. You'll hear people claim that he had one of the best jabs of all time, one of the best chins of all time, one of the best ring intellects of all time. Utter ****. Here's what he did well: Use his size advantages over smaller, weaker opponents to maximum advantage and pull it out on power punching when that wasn't enough. That's pretty much it.

Monzon makes an abundance of technical mistakes for starters; he's far from the unrivalled technician he's made out to be. Pulling away from punches is a good example, and probably the worst tactic you can pull against Bernard Hopkins, who is always on balance to follow up on the inside if the opponent presents the opportunity. Pawing with the jab is another gaping error Monzon repeatedly got away with against lesser opposition; you can be sure that Hopkins would smuggle in that uppercut under his arm or just counter him with the straight right while it's floating out there.

To be honest, I'd be surprised if Monzon even made contact on Hopkins. We all know what B-Hop's defence is like, and he eats orthodox fighters for breakfast. Monzon may have looked good throwing the jab-right against somebody who blocks punches with his face (Briscoe) but he'd not penetrating one of the most advanced defences ever with distinctly average hand-speed and far inferior footwork. To beat Hopkins you need speed and combinations, because you aren't succeeding without them. The guy is too crafty and too cute.

Now, when Hopkins does decide to take the lead, there will be a veritable cornucopia of opportunities. Monzon's defence is wide open. He bobs his hands up and down and he relies on his opponent being either too small to reach him or too weak to do any damage. Hopkins would feint him all over the place, have him walking onto every shot with his much more advanced craft and punch variety. Again, we'll hear stories about how Monzon will be too powerful and too physical. This despite the fact that Hopkins has a comparable KO record to Monzon, despite fighting up in weight and rubbing up against much better quality opponents. Hopkins is the bigger, stronger man in this one. Monzon's chin and heart will also be overstated, and the legendary moment when he - wait for it - got up off the canvas against Valdez will no doubt crop up as evidence for his GOAT resilience. Hopkins has a pretty serious chin himself, and has never been reeling around the ring like Monzon was against Briscoe.

Of course, we've already heard how Monzon is supposedly the smarter, more physical fighter on the inside. Oh yes. His extraordinary talents ranged from being able to hit an opponent on the break (1:05 below) and wind up with amateurish swings and slap his man with them (1:18 below). Let me assure you, he wouldn't get within a mile of Bernard Hopkins with that kind of crude tactic. Hopkins would dictate all the action on the inside, tying up Monzon before he could blink when he doesn't want to fight and giving him a working over when he does with his better punch placement, defence and positioning.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXivXNvb780[/ame]


Monzon has next to no chance in this one. He's quite simply outclassed by the fighter who holds all the cards in just about every department: faster, stronger, sharper, bigger, heavier, smarter, better balanced, more skilled, more technical, better offensively, better defensively - you name it, Hopkins has it. Monzon might do enough to make the fight ugly, but never to win, and if he tries too hard he might even be stopped.

 

As in the other 39 threads of the same name, I'd go with Hopkins

 

Actually it was Hopkins controlling the pace in both fights. Jones did very little leading against Hopkins, and was mostly countering when Hopkins did throw something. (Hopkins was also pushing him to the ropes and attacking inside there.) Don't forget that Hopkins was basically a pressure fighter at that stage, and he fought cautiously and regretted not pushing the action later on in his career.

Calzaghe couldn't control the pace of the fight, either. He was getting beaten to the punch consistently and it was Hopkins initiating all the exchanges. The reason Calzaghe won was because he was able to flurry on the inside as Hopkins was coming in and as he was moving out. It's basically what DLH did before getting sent packing. (Although I actually scored the Calzaghe fight for Hopkins.)

Anyway, I don't see how Monzon is any better equipped to do that better than those two even if they had been able to do it. He's not really a pressure fighter himself - if anything, his style is based around neutralising pressure. He has a tactical style and this would be a tactical fight.

 

To be fair I haven't seen this one come up in a while.

 

Monzon by knockout between rounds 5-7, which is usually right where he liked it. Hopkins won't be able to deal with the constant, accurate 1-2 barrages that would come once Monzon's mystical intangibles and awareness had allowed him to gauge Hopkins's movements.

 

I largely agree with this analysis and its the argument I've always made. Monzon is very effective at what he does though, his workrate, punch selection, timing, efficiency, relaxation, stamina. At times I've underrated his technical skill because I saw the likes of Hopkins being the far better boxer, Hopkins is more skilled and smarter but Monzon isnt going to get simply schooled I think it would be a good fight where Hopkins footwork/defense/technique gaining him a very clear decision