2. Carlos Monzon (89-3-9, 61 KO, 1 NC)

 

Although Bernard Hopkins surpassed Monzon’s middleweight title defence record of 14 long ago, the Argentinean gets on this list for his career accomplishments more than his considerable championship deeds.  Following a 10-round loss to Alberto Massi on Oct. 9, 1964, Monzon went undefeated in his final 82 fights over the next 13 years. 'The Mule' not only avenged all three of his losses, he also reversed the one no-contest and eight of the nine draws incurred during the streak and that’s only because Marcos Bustos did not fight Monzon a second time.

 

Carlos Monzon systematically destroyed opponents.  Perhaps most instructive was his deconstruction of former world champion Nino Benvenuti.  Benvenuti had quit with an injury in a non-title fight in March of 1970, but wouldn’t be knocked out in a fight until his fifth defense of the middleweight championship that November, a fight in which he was devastated by a Monzon right hand.  In the rematch, Monzon showcased what was to make him one of the greatest middleweight champion ever to live.

 

As thumping a jab as has been seen in the weight division, consistently thrown from maximum distance is the first crucial ingredient.  A points gatherer and a sadistic softener it also worked as Monzon’s first line of defense—even the toughest fighters took their durability in their hands when pressuring the Argentine.  It also worked as a direct challenge to the opponent’s balance, inviting counterpunchers to travel the entire length of what was essentially a staving manoeuvre, and lurking at the end of this stave was Monzon’s devastating right hand.  His own balance, meanwhile, bordered on supernatural.  The temptation when analyzing a fighter’s offense is naturally to concentrate upon the punches a fighter lands, but even the punches Monzon misses are important.  If he misses a straight right hand, he’s bringing a left to the gut behind it.  No matter how compromised he appears to be physically by some winging miss, he finds a way to bring some unwanted gift in compensation.

 

An inside game that married great strength with a mauling aggression, Monzon was every bit the general, moving opponents with a combination of careful footwork and shepherding punches, that gave him eventual control in every title fight he ever fought.  Even the rematch with Rodrigo Valdez, fought past his prime in his final match, eventually ended up in his control despite his being outgunned in the first half of the fight; Monzon, ice in his veins, remained calm and out thought his physically superior opponent for a UD.

 

It is a combination of skill and will that made Monzon almost unbeatable.  The three losses he suffered all occurred within the first eighteen months of his career.  Between late 1964 and mid 1977—for thirteen years—he went unbeaten, stopping fifty-nine opponents.  He was never stopped himself.  He was victorious in a record fifteen middleweight title fights, none of which he came close to losing.  He retired the undefeated champion of the world.

 

Unlike Greb, there is plenty of video available on Monzon, whose dominance over the middleweights inspired many to call him 'King Carlos.'   Monzon was one of the few who left the sport while on top and never came back, allowing fans to remember him only at his best.

 

His glamorous and violent life was avidly followed both by the media and Argentine people. He was, however, accused many times of domestic violence by his two wives and many mistresses, and of beating paparazzi.  Charged with killing his wife Alicia Muñiz in Mar del Plata in 1988, the former champion was sentenced to 11 years in jail.  He died in a January 1995 car crash.