Saturday Night - February 9, 1974 Hauts-de-Siene, France World Middleweight Championship Tale of the Tape Carlos Monzon (World Middleweight Champion) Age.........31 years, 6 months Height......6' 0" Reach......76" Weight.....159 3/4 lbs. Record.....81-3-9 (55 KO's) Jose Napoles (World Welterweight Champion) Age.........33 years, 10 months Height......5' 7 1/2" Reach......71" Weight.....153 lbs. Record......77-5-0 (52 KO's) Carlos Monzon (Argentina) is making the '9th Defense' of his Middleweight Championship. In his last '2 Defenses' the powerful Monzon has been forced to go '15-Rounds' with Emile Griffith (June 1973) and Jean-Claude Bouttier (September 1973). Some are saying that Carlos was pre-occupied in both of those bouts, and seemed disinterested in fighting. Others are saying he has nothing left, and he is now slow with his cumbersome clubbing punches. Jose Napoles (Cuban-born and residing in Mexico) has had visions of fighting for the Middleweight Championship since 1970. At almost 34 years of age, he may have waited to long for his chance. Jose, in his last '2-Defenses' has also been forced to go 15-Rounds in each bout, with Roger Menetrey (June 1973) and Clyde Gray (September 1973). The Skinny Carlos will have a 5" reach advantage, plus 4" in height, to go along with natural strength, size and youth. His fight plan is simple, with nothing fancy. Just press Jose, and hit him with hard left jabs and straight right hands to the head. Pin him to the ropes, and just club away. Carlos has also never taken a beating, while Jose has been battered in several bouts, before coming back to win. In this bout, there is no possible chance that Jose will be able to withstand an early battering, and then use his strength to come back. As, Carlos is too big and too strong. Jose must hope to shake Carlos early, or at least slice his eye's and hope for a TKO stoppage. No one believes that the nearly 34 year-old - Jose can outbox Carlos over 15-Rounds, let alone take punishment over that distance. Slipping and sliding, and using his left jab may help Jose hold off the Middleweight Champion, but defeating him will be a tall task.
I'd nominate Hagler-Duran for this, but unfortunately the fat lightweight went the distance pretty easily against 'Peak Hagler' and there was no domination.
Carlos Monzon did what he had to do. He was hitting Jose, like an Eskimo 'clubbing a seal'. But, even after nailing Jose flush wth punches, Jose was still there in front of him, on his feet. 'Unimpressive Domination'