Joe Calzaghe vs Carlos Monzon primes at 168lbs

I can see a case of either Monzon landing the better and heavier shots but Calzaghe winning a narrow SD on the scorecards because of his workrate, or Monzon by late TKO.

 

While I lean more towards Monzon SD,calslappy taking it by a pretty narrow decision is also quite acceptable, Monzon was more about how he gets the job done with the least effort while Calzaghe puts his everything.

 

Although I agree that Monzon's methodical approach could look kinda leisurely at times; that is not the whole story.

During a fight Monzon usually would run at a regular pace in order to sustain his trademark aggresiveness up to the very last round. But when it was required he was perfectly able to pick up speed and adjust his work rate.

I am confident Monzon would be able to match Calzaghe's intensity punch by punch.

Monzon UD and maybe even a late stoppage.

 

I´m one of the few guys around here that fail to see the greateness in Monzón. But he could make Calzaghe´s workrate go down pretty well with those well timed power jabs like he did with Nino... when Nino tried to come in with his combinations Monzón put 1 well timed jab to stop him in his tracks...
Calzaghe´s had little to offer in ring generalship and Monzón would make him harmless...

 

Another thing that I thought hindered Monzon's possible higher work rate is his right hand,dudes a savage man,fought with one hand hurt on painkillers every fight and still became ATG.

 

That is it in a nutshell.

Calzaghe would be the bigger man in the ring, but he won't be able to physically impose or intimidate Carlos.

 

Close fight but Joe matches Carlos in size and had faster hands and solid work rate. Monzon was consistent for 15 rds. at a steady pace. I think Joe was very strong for 12 so 15 should not be a problem. Monzon had a very good right hand and applied pressure, but Joe has power and speed and movement. Joe Calzaghe by close UD 115-113

 

I have no doubt at all. Monzon usually looked fresh as a daisy at the end of fights, certainly in the big scheme of things. In short, he had untapped reserves and nobody seemed to be able to make him tap into them. That's huge, and a story in itself.

 

Monzon on points

 

Too hard to tell. If we'd seen Monzon dip his toes in the water even against one or two respectable journeymen, peripheral contenders or one-time top ten types, it would've given us a better idea of how upwardly transferable his style and attributes were. A reasonable chunk of his approach was centred around him being taller and stronger than his opponents, equally able to lead or counter on the slow retreat and increasingly dial in with his variations of jab-right-left hook . I do tend to think that his ability to slip punches, change levels, use a cradled defence, twist and dip away from punches, counter underneath, move away at angles etc gets underrated by some, especially before he stiffened up as he aged.

But I ultimately don't know how fully he ever developed in that way and if he would have coped having to consistently fight in that manner as much as his preferred one. He looked fine against the other tall, quick fighters he faced at 160 like Benvenuti and Mundine tbf, but the way he was able to judge distance and lean or glide straight back with his feet always under his upper body and quickly counter over the top at a subtle angle would probably be riskier and less effective at 175 against a fighter with reach and above average speed.

As would his lithe strength in the clinch and up close where he could really rag, wrestle and manipulate (typical Brusa-trained fighter) world class middles who tried to invade his preferred space, but there's no evidence of him manhandling a 175er of any kind. Calzaghe was very strong at 168/175 and a very capable infighter, able throw about the likes of Hopkins and Bika. Obviously Monzon was the greater and better fighter p4p with a lot of the right attributes to shut Calzaghe down if they were the same size. It might be that Monzon could impose himself on Calzaghe even being the naturally smaller man (though the slapper was smart and adaptable in his own right), but his reluctance to test the water even against any mediocre light heavy (never mind his rather open preference to not face the likes of Conteh and Galindez) and the subsequent lack of proof doesn't incline me to give him the benefit of the doubt. Even though Calzaghe could be a sucker for swallowing right hands on the way in and was slowed down by Hopkins.

 

Hi Buddy.
This post, and what it contains, is without doubt one of the finest of its nature I have ever had the pleasure of reading in my nearly 6 years on the forum, you have excelled yourself, no augments please, as to who will or could win this tantalising match up, I could not envisage the prospect of Calzaghe triumphing over the brooding, malevolent, fighter that was Monzon, he would I believe have found a way to beat Calzaghe, he always found a way, atg fighters are by definition a breed apart, they have profound belief in their ability to overcome any fighter any obstacles that are put in their way none more so than Monzon, as good as Joe was he had emotions he had feelings, not so with Carlos, he was dethatched from such frailties, Brusa himself said that Monzon was a cold man, with ice in his veins, he could have been a hit man in another line of work, as brave as Joe is, and his particular style worked well for him, I feel Monzon would eventually grind him down, Joe might even be in front up to the halfway in a 15 rounder, but the closing rounds would find him hanging on, the long thudding punches delivered by the implacable Monzon would have taken their toll, and and either a points win, or a very late stoppage would I believe be the outcome, but maybe my glasses are a little too rose tinted.
Stay safe Tin-Ribs, chat soon buddy.
Mike.

 

Pretty much exactly as I see it, and said much better than I could have. Also, Monzon is the heavier handed fighter, and I think there is a small possibility of a late TKO.

 

Both are overrated in my opinion.

However, Joe would have been a career LHW in Carlos' era, where Carlos never fought at SMW and weighed 160 pounds back in the days of same day weigh-ins.

So all things considered, I'd have fancied Joe on a decision.

 

Many fighters didn't rehydrate by that much back in the 70's, in the days of same day weigh-ns.

So unless someone knows any different, I don't think that Carlos rehydrated by that much afterwards.

I also don't believe that Joe was up at the 180's at SMW. Maybe at LHW.

However, I still think that your weight difference is accurate.

Joe would have been 10-15 pounds heavier on fight night.