Hearns vs Monzon @ 160

I think it's as pointless and trivial a thing to split hairs about as quibbling on whether Ali, Foreman or Marciano had a "better chin"...the difference is so close that it's really not important...like what'll kill you faster, the venom pf a black mamba, a king cobra or an inland Taipan..if Hagler's chin is slightly better than Monzon's so what? Monzon went 100 fights without a ko loss, and was virtually unmarked at the end of his career..he either had a helluva chin himself, or he needs credit for being great defensively, at least for being one resiliant, clever SOB, like Ali...the Briscoe and Valdez fights point to that...anybody else who had that many fights and no ko losses you'd be praising to the skies.

 

Yes, unequivocally. Don't you?

Also: The discussion was a specific punch, rather than punching in general.

I agree. It's definitely to his credit that he rarely got hit, like it is to Hopkins' credit that he's hardly ever been hit really hard. But, you see, I'm consistent: People go around claiming Hopkins has an iron chin; I don't think there's enough evidence to say he has. Same with Monzon (let alone comparing him with Hagler, which is just outrageous IMO) - although I don't think an iron-chinned fighter would have reacted like that vs. Briscoe and Valdez.

Why??

He wasn't recovering from all that much. Great recuperative power is Bowe/Holyfield Round 10.

 

Not really. I've just stated that I don't rate Hopkins' chin as highly as most, despite being a massive Hopkins fan, since it hasn't been tested enough. I said a similar thing a few days ago on a thread about Liston.

My position is simple. Monzon did not shake off big shots anywhere as near as Hagler did. He was hit by lesser punches, and was hurt by them. These are two chins in different leagues.

 

Why did Monzon have a great chin? Because he fought around a 100 fights and was never knocked and very rarely hurt. Guys get hurt, guys get stopped. He never did.
I can draw a similar analogy. Why was Mugabi such a huge puncher? I'll grant he was a big puncher, but he didn't spark any elite fighters as I recall. The Parker KO was fairly impressive but that's a mini Foreman-Frazier IMO. Earl Hargrove? Not bad. Fletcher? good stoppage but a little worn by then. He didn't KO anyone of Briscoe's level.

 

Does Floyd Mayweather have a great chin? Never knocked and very rarely hurt.

No, because not every fighter who avoids those things necessarily has a great chin. Mayweather gets by on not getting hit and being a cut above most of his opponents. Same with Monzon. To have a claim at having an ATG chin, you have to have taken some really testing shots and handled them really well.

 

Let Mayweather make it to 100 fights with no ko losses. You can't deny an accomplishment like that unless you have an agenda of some kind....a vendetta against a certain fighter.

 

Not even taking into account the Valdez fights at Monzon's age and being at the very end of his career...the Briscoe bomb that landed on Monzon was testamony to a great chin, and a clever as hell boxing brain under duress.

 

What about the fact that I just pointed to, which is that surviving so many fights unscathed is evidence of a safety-first fighter, or a fighter a cut above their opposition, as much as it is evidence of an iron-chinned fighter?

 

It wasn't that much of a bomb, pretty standard right hand really.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPYRkhPX7hQ&feature=PlayList&p=4EAC4A5E784C3057&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=2[/ame]

 

This guy is made for Hearns,Not to have your chin tested and your fighting Hearns is about the worst thing that can occur in the boxing ring.From what i saw in the tapes it doesent really look like Monzon can crack like Hagler could,remember Hearns was in a war against Hagler he took a lot of bodyshots and lowblows,Hagler had to endure a lot,i dont see Monzon doing that,he wasnt very busy and he fought off his back foot.The fact would be the assult Hearns would bring Monzon would have never seen anything like that before,and a hope to outbox Hearns would make his chances even less,but it would'nt even get to that point,the bottom line is Monzon would be going to the hospital he's nowhere near the caliber fighter or Ray Leonard or Hagler,and they were even lucky to escape.

 

I don't really even think there's a massive gulf in class here. It's just a nasty, nasty match-up for Monzon more than anything and I have no idea why people refuse to see it.

 

Well, actually, it's pretty obvious why...