Ketchel and greb i discount due to lack of film etc... Robinson i say no because of his style,struggles against pressure at 160 and his lack of size. Hopkins,no,because of his defensive mindset , lack of gambling mentality in losing situations (such as being outworked by taylor,jones and joe) and his poor record in big fights v equally sized men. Now come on,admit that its mister jones who puts on the clinic?!
Monzon applies different kind of pressure than the one Robinson was vulnerable to, although this fight would be close and hard to score. Hopkins will nullify Monzon's jab, he's a better counter-puncher and he's a better in-fighter than Monzon, and is as physically strong as Monzon, and he doesn't wilt toward later rounds, he's working steadily the whole distance.
Maybe Carlos already had an answer. His jab is very very long with the right hand ever cocked behind it and as for the left hook, best not be short with it - the right hand is cocked. I think you might be looking a bit too much at face value here. Monzon seldom looked the dazzler yet here he was dominating all those opponents even past prime.
It depends how you gonna use the right cross and a left hook. If you do it right, his right hand counter is of no danger. Side-step to the right of his jab and throw your right cross - he can't counter you from that position. Side-step to the left of his jab, and throw a high left hook, and your shoulder and elbow will block his right hand counter.
I don't see it on film. He's just outwearing the opponent methodically, with little variation or adjustment to his style or tactics.
^ Aye, but his method of wearing the opponent down was a measured and considerate assault. Long jabs, double jabs, jab finders, a long right hand, the right hand lead, a neat little left uppercut and slugs to the body - Monzon worked angles all the time and while he looked less sharp than the prototype, his boxing brain was so in tune with the tide of battle that he would begin to unscrew your cogs as the rounds went by. Monzon was more of a 'boxer/batterer' than a boxer/puncher - he played all the smart shots, tied you up and then subjected you to sustained, awkward brick wall of long distance booming, mid-range mixing and up close rough-housing - he was extremely hard to best in every area despite the blunt exterior because he was so measured. Ray Robinson would have a helluva crack at King Carlos, but when you see him bully the likes of powerful and skilled men like Valdez you know you're dealing with something a bit special. Hagler could get stylistically bamboozled, Monzon always seemed in charge - this is Ted Spoons educated theory. It's hard to imagine anyone taking over while sharing a ring with him even though a handful would give it a good go.
Ted Spoon, how about Greb?...:think Addendum:...and while we are at it...Mickey Walker! I could see Monzon winning from a distance against Walker. But Walker went face to face with heavyweights like Sharkey and Schmeling among others. He would not be discouraged with Monzon (I feel) and 'what if' Walker is able to close the gap, and force Monzon to fight on the inside with him? It never happened in Carlos' career...and there could be a very good reason for that...Monzon was very adept at dictating his terms in all his fights...But if Walker is able to push him, and he would be far more capable than anyone Monzon ever fought (IMO). I feel Walker would have fought much smarter than Valdez in coming into Monzon, recently viewed the first Monzon/Valdez fight, and Valdez totally gave up trying to initiate a jab with his head movement (and later in the fight he did not even maintain the head movement) in an attempt to close the distance. Basically he was a sitting duck for Monzon, later in the fight due to a lack of adherence to a plan, or lack of fundamentals attacking a taller opponent. I like Valdez, but he is not a great fighter...(but he is very powerful) Greats like Robinson, Walker, Hagler, and I'd imagine Greb (when considering his record) they KNOW how to fight and maintain strategic fundamentals, while adapting to what happens in the ring. Especially Robinson, Walker and Greb, their careers demonstrate this, and bare this out. The only time Monzon was really tactically challenged was the second Griffith fight. It could be done (beating Monzon)...but it would take a another great to do it.
To be fair to Valdez, his brother had just been murdered before the fight and Valdez wanted to pull out of the fight.