I could see this fight going the distance, 15 rounds. Carlos Monzon had good stamina, strong chin, and was a good counterpuncher with a long left jab, and a dead on target big right hand. Steve Collins could take punches, it has been proven, he could make a fight of it with a man that has recorded 61 KO's in his 89 victories, with just 3 losses, 9 draws, and undefeated in his last 82 fights dating back to Oct 1964. The three losses were on points. The fight probably takes place in Monte Carlo, Monaco, a favorite venue for the champ Monzon. There would be some fierce action at times. But again Carlos emerges victorious.
No. it doesn't matter how good of a chin you have you just can't be as available as Collins was with a guy with the power monzon had. And then theres monzons defence, Collins would only catch his shoulders and arms all night. I can only see a prolonged beating for Collins with the ref taking mercy on him at around 12th or 13th.
Collins is not terribly dissimilar to Jean Claude Bouttier, who went 15 with Monzon in their second fight after being stopped (did not answer the bell for the 13th round) in their first fight. So he went 27 rounds with Monzon. And although he went down a total of four times during those rounds, he was very game and often the aggressor … this wasn’t a hit-and-run kind of strategy or a guy looking to just survive. A scrappy guy like Collins would get in some licks but take a prolonged beating from Carlos, I think, but I like his durability to get him to the final bell.
Jaysus Steve Collins is the wrong guy to send against Monzon. He's going to be walking into stuff all night long. He might go 12 with Carlos but I don't see 15.
