The 70s Decade End Awards

Carlos really said this?

"I am much better than Robinson. I'm told he won the middleweight title five times and I only won it once because I beat the champion and never lost to a challenger."

He's got a point. But much better? :shock: Robbi did have a middleweight resume before he challenged for the title. At 120-1-2. :yep

 

Ali won some big fights, lost some big fights, and had several close calls in the 70's.

Monzon & Duran had more dominating records.

Monzon with zero losses is at the top.

 

I'd give fighter of the decade to Duran. I like Duran's comp a bit more overall. Fought everyone at their peaks, whereas Monzon caught a few late in their careers or outside their best weights (Griffith, Benvenuti, Napoles).

But my decision is also based on a few things which most disagree with:

- I think Monzon-Valdez II could have gone either way really, so I don't hold Monzon to be a clearly more dominant fighter for the decade.

- I have a huge man-crush on Ernesto Marcel and rate him higher than the likes of Benvenuti and Valdez.

Here's a list of their best wins from the 70's below for people to have a better think about their resumes:



Ernesto Marcel ----- Nino Benvenuti
Esteban Dejesus -----Rodrigo Valdez
Ken Buchanan ----- Emile Griffith
Carlos Palomino -----Bennie Briscoe
Edwin Viruet -----Jose Napoles
Hiroshi Kobayashi -----Jean Claude Bouttier
Hector Thompson -----Tony Mundine
Saoul Mamby -----Tom Bogs
Guts Ishimatsu -----Tony Licata
Ray Lampkin -----Gratien Tonna
Emiliano Villa -----Denny Moyer
Vilomar Fernandez -----Antonio Aguilar

 

Whether you like him or not, Marcel was evidently better than the likes of Valdez and Nino.

Problem is he wasn't as refined/established when Duran beat him as those guys were when Monzon beat him. Still clearly very good though.

 

Hadn't built up a reputation, but clearly superior on film imo. Did a better job than say Buchanan, who didn't face a too disimilar Duran.

Marcel ran Duran oh so close...

 

Agreed. Bull**** stoppage as well. Andre Dirrell should be DQ'd every fight going by those standards.

 

Exactly.

 

I dont like to give that bitter **** Buchnan too much credit guys, but c'mon the Duran he fought looked like he was on pcp compared to the one that took on Ernesto(or KObayashi)

I've not witnessed Duran fight like that before or after that bout.It was a one off imo, though the way he was closing the gap so quickly and recklessly could have got him in trouble against a bigger puncher.