Though we are able to always remember the tragic finish to Carlos Monzon’s life – drink and medicines, homicide, jail, his personal life misplaced in a automotive crash – no one who noticed Monzon battle got here away with out pondering how no man was capable of put a dent in him within the ring.
A veritable God in Argentina earlier than the 1988 homicide of his third spouse, Alicia Muniz, “Escopeta” is unfortunately finest remembered in the present day for the lethal arms he utilized in a disgustingly unlawful style. Monzon would spend the rest of his days behind bars.
However as a prizefighter, as a champion, as a hoop legend, Monzon has few equals. It was on at the present time in 1970 when hefty underdog Monzon, already a battle-hardened 67-3-9 at age 28, met Italian idol, reigning middleweight champion Nino Benvenuti, who was an astonishing 82-4-1 at age 32. No one in Italy had even heard of Monzon, and nobody outdoors of Argentina was prepared to offer the challenger an opportunity.
However Monzon, his eyes maybe smoldering deeper and darker than these belonging to any fighter within the sport’s historical past this facet of Roberto Duran, was badly underestimated. Monzon was full of fireside, gasoline, energy, hate/love, and need. Briefly, the completed Benvenuti didn’t have a clue who, or what, he had been matched with.
To absolutely the shock of all of Rome, Monzon ripped into the defending Playboy champ from the opening bell, and he by no means as soon as got here near letting up. Together with his lengthy arms, his bone-shattering energy, and his very actual disgust over even the concept of himself ever dropping to a different man, Monzon grew to become the completed Benvenuti’s worst enemy. The defending champ, a former ruler at 154 and a two-time middleweight boss was quickly made to look in the direction of the referee, in want of both help or a clue as to what he had been dragged into.
It was a canine battle, and Monzon was the Pitbull to Benvenuti’s Greyhound. Solely there was nowhere to run.
Monzon was successful all of the rounds, after which, within the twelfth, this former Argentine road urchin scored probably the most devastating KO of the yr (barring, maybe, a few of the deadly work punched in by mild heavyweight Bob Foster). An enormous proper hand landed clear on the tiring Benvenuti’s head, this sending the quickly to be former champ down together with his head spinning (actually). One way or the other, Benvenuti bought up, however he was accomplished, and the battle was over.
All of Italy had been shocked in addition to silenced.
Monzon, nonetheless some months from his prime, regarded set for an extended reign. His was certainly a reign of terror – with a minimum of 14 title retentions.
Monzon simply might need to be ranked as the best middleweight ever.
