Could any version of SRL have beaten Monzon at MW? The WW / JrMW version of SRL was probably his best. After that SRL was getting hurt, retiring & un-retiring and cherry picking his opponents so no one really knows how good he was at the heavier weights. Would a Monzon-Leonard fight look like Monzon-Napoles, with Monzon just overpowering Ray and stopping him late in a 15 round fight?
Monzon, easily. Too big, had no problem with slicksters and over 15 rounds he just pounds SRL unmercifully. Not even than close.
Not a chance. Monzon is simply too big and strong, and his effectiveness at tying up opponents, esp. smaller ones like SRL, comes into play here.
Ray does better than people are saying IMO. But he can't win this in 50 tries...Carlos has the Ray that took on Hagler seriously under the pump in the later rounds but I think Leonard can hang in there.
No way, you're an absolute arsehole for starting this thread, how dare you suggest anybody could beat Monzon? It's impossible at 160, would never happen, never, nobody, completely unthinkable, don't even bother thinking about it, no way, no chance.
The size advantage is more or less meaningless; they're practically the same height and Monzon has a grand total of ... 2 inches in reach to play with. Napoles comparisons are laughable (and Leonard wouldn't get a jammy cut). Considering that Leonard's faster and better with his feet, he's not at a disadvantage from the outside (certainly not sufficiently for King C to repeat the jab 'n' grab routine he did against real MW midgets). Leonard also has power and strength that carries up pretty well, as he was able to manhandle much bigger men that Monzon, as well as a more proven chin. Anyway, I'd expect to see a tentative Leonard concede the opening rounds on the back foot as he looks to settle in against Monzon's more active and consistent jabbing, facing a points deficit by the half way point but then starting to pick things up and win rounds based on more sporadic, fast power punching. Leonard would start taking over in the latter half of the fight and probably sneak a tight narrow victory on the cards. Monzon's non-existent defence does also concern me though, and if Leonard builds up confidence and starts pouring it on he could very well pull out a late TKO (believe it). [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3wA6__QgUA[/ame]
Lets see now, Monzon retired in 1977 so I reckon by about 1987 Leonard would have had a chance.....maybe
Hard to see Ray win this stylewise, but Ray punched harder than people thought. So the edge to Monzon on a decision, but I would not count out Ray to stop him believe it or not. Ray would not win a decision in this one.
Yeah, Monzon crept past a faded Griffith, crept past Valdez but he's going to brutalise SRL... Leonard is more than a few rounds better than those guys, and that's all it takes.
I'd go as far as saying Leonard would be the best MW Monzon had faced. Given hes by far the fastest and best athlete, skill wise hes on par with the best, and he is actually near primed at the weight unlike Griffith/Benvenuti/Napoles who were all faded or past prime. Despite being an ex-WW, unlike Griffith/Napoles his frame was much larger, Napoles was also fighting near the LW limit until the age of 28 and never fought above 147, meaning fighting Monzon was akin to Marquez fighting Mayweather, although Mayweather didn't even have as much size advantage as Monzon did I disagree on how your seeing the fight going though. I always see the faster slicker man sweeping the early round and the stronger boxer who relies on timing taking over as the speedy boxer slows. I see it quite a close decision type fight giving the edge to Leonard but it could well have its controversy like a certain other fight Leonard was involved in :yep