This is a horrible matchup Hearns would beat Monzon up and then brutually land the righthand not to mention the viscious left hooks to the body,Monzon would be lucky if he got his lights turned out like Shuler.What is with you people? I've seen many tapes on Monzon he is probably the most overrated fighter on eastside boxing along with RJJ Monzon is no Hagler no where near that good,Hearns would slaughter this guy,find a better fantasy matchup,this would be ugly,real ugly.
Monzon would systematically and with cool detachment and style (as always for King Carlos) wear Hearns out in about 8-10 rounds. Monzon by kayo
You haven't seen as many tapes as I have. And please, go watch the tapes of the guys he dispatched. When you talk of Benvenuti, Napoles, Valdez, Griffith and even guys with stellar records like Licata, Mundine and Bouttier... go watch their films against other ranked guys... they are excellent to great fighters, yet Monzon makes them conform to his rules of engagement in which the predestined outcome is a total beatdown. Monzon is one of the very most impressive champions I have ever witnessed. Monzon KO10 Hearns.
Monzon was never stopped and he was floored only once in 101 fights (his last). His chin was granite. Hearns as (all-time) great as he was, would be in with a guy just as big, stronger (natural middle) and much more durable. Monzon TKO 9
I think the second half of the fight, especially the last 5 rounds would be very telling. I think it would be more in Monzon's territory, and I feel it could be a crucial change to the fight. I don't think Hearns is going to KO or stop Monzon, not that he can't. I'm just going with probabilities. I worry a bit for Hearns toward the championship rounds. Monzon's not very flashy, but he's effective. I think he does subtle things we don't often notice or see. I think he can find a way a lot of the times, and not only in times where he's commanding his opponent. I think Hearns can out-box him though. He's got power, and he's got the reach and range. I don't see Monzon bossing him, but maybe finding a weakness or sudden lapse in Hearns in some crucial time. Late rounds will be key. Hearns chin might get overstated. I'm worried about his durability when he's tired because that's something Monzon is clearly capable of taking advantage of. It might be a 50-50 prospect, but for some reason I want to lean towards Monzon. Others could be right in saying that Hearns thoroughly out-boxes him. It's conceivable.
Ridiculous. By that reasoning anyone who was only down once and never got stopped has a granite chin. To be thought to have such a thing, you have to consistently take big shots in the ring and shrug them off unhurt. Monzon never did that. He was very rarely hit, and when he was he did get in trouble.
It's good to see Hearns getting some credit here... Hearns does have the physical tools to make things difficult for Carlos, little bit longer reach, good height, superior handspeed. If you don't think Tommy can give Monzon trouble with his boxing ability take a look at the Virgil Hill fight. I believe that over the first ten rounds, it would be a tactical fight. Tommy's size, speed, and mainly his jab would be able to force Monzon out of his normal comfort zone of being able to lay back then capitalize on physically smaller opponents who were forced to come forward...but with that said, I'd pick Monzon over the fifteen round distance...Monzon did show in some of his fights the ability to be the aggressor, and over the later parts of this fight he would have to be more aggressive to win against Hearns. But that is not what he was usually the most comfortable with, he much prefered to have the opponent come to him...That was how he set his traps. Over twelve rounds Hearns might take it because Monzon was never known to set a hard pace. Hearns did not have trouble with guys who laid back...never ever. Over fifteen Monzon has more time to operate and that was his era and he was the perfect fifteen round fighter, he paced himself brilliantly...Over fifteen round distance, it is definitely Monzon. Problably late TKO.
Watch the films. Off the top of my head. In the tenth round in his second fight with Briscoe he came on strong to take the play away from Briscoe (who had hurt him badly in the previous round) In the first fight with Bouttier, Monzon was forced into a more aggressive role. First and second fights with Benvenuti... Licata's movement also gave Monzon trouble, but he adjusted. I think Monzon was much more comfortable laying back...but he could assume the aggressor's role and he did. Monzon's record is indicative of his ability to adjust and to pick his spots.... No?
Between the 'teens' Dempsey and the 'twenties' one there is that little difference and as is the case with Carlos, he was noticeably that little bit more when he first stopped onto the mantle, hunting Benvenuti down to his doom in 70', and then quickly busting him up in the rematch. The same, slightly looser, more youthful assassin can be seen shutting down Griffith and clobbering Bouttier. A couple of years later and Monzon began to creak. Still the great fighter, but certainly it was the A2 version from there on out. If you took the younger, pre-gold Monzon he may stop the Hit-man earlier than you think. The arguments for Hearn's to keep the boat floating in the deep waters through speed and range are well argued but don't get the overall picture fuzzy; the very best Monzon has always been a little underrated in terms of ferocity. Tommy's disposition to indulge in a shootout would be obliged in a flash.
Monzon was never in a shootout. Do you really think throwing about 15-20 punches around in a clinch-fest vs. Benvenuti, or refusing to come forward and open up against a career Welterweight was the job of an "assassin"? Some of these fights were worse than Mayweather/Baldomir.
He was still fighting off the back foot then, though. He did a bit of cutting off the ring, but was still not really "aggressive". He was never closing the distance or looking for big exchanges. See my post to Ted Spoon.