Hearns and Monzon are in different level at least at middleweight division. Hearns cannot avoid being knocked out. Monzon has a really solid chin. He rose up again very quickly after being knocked down by horrible puncher Valdez. Monzon has no difficulty in dealing with so simplistic style boxing of Hearns' It is possible Monzon has a difficulty in early rounds because Hearns is very fast, but it is only until before 7 or 8 rounds. Monzon was best at making the game at his will. At least at middleweight, Hearns will surely be knocked out by Monzon in the late rounds. At jab and cross-(especially timing and making chances), Monzon is better than Hearns.
I agree. I just watched a couple rounds of Monzon against Napoles, then against Benvenuti, and Monzon seemed noticeably faster and sharper in the latter outing(and by the way, Howard Cosell was stunningly biased towards Benvenuti). I think a lot of people have in their minds the picture of the older Monzon(who I think would actually probably do all right anyway) when they discuss him in these kinds of match-ups. He's not so ponderous at all in his early title days.
Tough one to call in my opinion. Hearns would certainly be the biggest and most powerful opponennt Monzon ever faced that's for sure. Carlos usually had the luxury of facing men who were smaller than him which allowed Monzon to land his bombs from a distance. He would'nt have that luxury against Hearns. Carlos would also have to deal with Tommy's speed which was impressive for a someone as big as Hearns and probably better than any of Monzon's opponents. Hearns also had a great jab which I'm sure he would employ with annoying frequency against Carlos in an effort to set up a booming right hand. Monzon had a good chin but if a small man like Valdez could drop him then a big fast powerful man like Hearns could drop him as well. I think the deciding factor in this fight would be the whiskers or chin and Carlos has the edge here, If he can survive an early onslaught by Tommy and bring him into the later rounds then I think he takes Hearns out late in the fight but it's no cakewalk. Carlos will have to step up the pace some and back Tommy up. He won't be able to dictate the pace as easily as he is used to doing against smaller opposition and he will have to deal with Hearn's considerable reach, boxing skills and power. Still I think Monzon would probably take it via late stoppage but I would'nt put any money on this one. Strictly a gentleman's bet.
I love Hearns but Monzon would systematically break him up. Monzon is an elite MW. Tommy, as much as I love him, was just a very good one.
I'm going with the consensus on this one...15 rounds is a long time for Tommy to coexist with Monzon...I believe Hearns would create problems for Carlos with his speed and power...Hearns would come at Monzon harder than any of his title defenses...It's true that Valdez was devastating, but he was often nonchalant with his approach...Hearns could come at him alot faster and with very comparable power...Monzon may take some punishment in this one...But you always have to question Hearns' durability, you never can question Monzon's durability...Hearns did win a couple of light heavy baubles, one against a good champion in Virgil Hill who had an excellent left jab...Hearns used his own jab to spear Hill allnight...So that must be considered... But I feel that Monzon reels him in late in the fight. Monzon TKO 14 One thing I've noticed with Monzon that I want to bring up...It's true he did punish his opponents with accumulative damage, but he did not appear to have devastating power....He caught the smaller Napoles with flush right hands and could not put the stationary welterweight down!
True, he didn't have 1-punch KO power. Then again, it isn't necessary with his stamina, durability, and strength. I think his good but not great power worked out qute well for him.
For thirty years, Monzon has been considered one of the greatest middleweights champions of all time. Hearns has never been. Manassa has broken it down very well. At middleweight, Hearns brings to mind fragility; Monzon, steely strength. Hearns could outbox Monzon for 3 minutes, but not for 15, or even 12 rounds. Monzon would wear him down and probably stop him.
This is a hard fight to pick the winner. I'd have to go with Monzon by a very close decision. In fact, it probably could go either way because Hearns displayed great boxing skills the first time against Sugar Ray Leonard, winning the majority of the rounds, only to get knocked out late in the fight. Monzon's fought more 15 round fights than Hearns which makes conditioning the main factor in the outcome. Monzon was dropped by an early right hand from Rodrigo Valdes and Hearns' right hand is arguably better. One skill that Monzon was great at was tying up his opponents arms and throwing body punches in the clinches. If he's able to do this and stay away from Hearns' power, he wins the fight. If Tommy's able to box and counter and get to Monzon early in the fight, he's quite capable of scoring a decision win.
This is spot on. In my view, what makes Monzon the greatest middleweight of all time was his amazing mental strength in the ring and his coolness under fire. Hearns could not handle the great one.
Monzon would have roughed up Hearns, like he did Benvenuti, taken all his punches like Hagler did, and would have stopped him in 8 or 9 rounds, EASILY.