Carlos Monzón


Carlos Roque Monzón, nicknamed Escopeta, was an Argentine professional boxer who held the undisputed world middleweight championship for 7 years. He successfully defended his title 14 times against 11 different fighters and is widely regarded as not only one of the best middleweights in history but also one of the greatest boxers of all time pound-for-pound. Known for his speed, punching power and relentless work rate, Monzon ended his career with a record of 87-3-9 with 59 knockouts, each one of his losses were early in his career and were avenged. Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, he was chosen by The Ring magazine in 2002 as the 11th greatest fighter of the last 80 years and voted him as the best middleweight title holders of the last 50 years in 2011. As of January 2018, Monzón holds the 2nd longest unified championship reign in middleweight history at 9 consecutive defenses.
Argentinians adored Monzon throughout his career. 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 during a weekend furlough.

Early life

Monzón was born in the city of San Javier, Argentina, in a family of Mocoví descent. His parents were Roque Monzón and Amalia Ledesma. Monzón was raised in poverty with his twelve siblings. When Monzón was six years old, his family moved to Barranquitas Oeste, a poor neighborhood, of Santa Fe, the capital of Santa Fe Province. To help out his family, he quit school in third grade, working different jobs, such as shoe shiner, paper boy and milk man. As a youngster, he showed an interest in boxing.
When he was sixteen, he met Zulema Encarnación Torres, with whom he had his first son, Carlos Alberto Monzón. Later, on 11 May 1962, he married Mercedes Beatriz García, nicknamed 'Pelusa.' They were so poor that they did not have enough money to buy the marriage license. They had three kids: Silvia Beatriz, Abel Ricardo and Carlos Raúl.

Boxing beginnings

Monzón had his first amateur fight on 2 October 1959. This first fight ended in a draw. Three years later, after a 73-6-8 amateur record, he became a professional. His first professional bout was held on 6 February 1963. He knocked out his opponent in the second round. In 1966, he won the Argentine middleweight title. In 1967, he won the South American middleweight title. After this success, Argentine boxing promoter Juan Carlos Lectoure pushed him into the international boxing scene by organizing fights with foreign boxers such as Douglas Huntley, Charles Austin, Johnny Brooks, Harold Richardson, Tommy Bethea, Bennie Briscoe Manoel Severino and Eddy Pace.
World middleweight champion Nino Benvenuti had long had a distinguished career that included championships in 2 divisions and 2 wins in 3 bouts vs all-time great Emile Griffith. He had lost the year before to American Tom Bethea in Australia, but in an actual title fight in Yugoslavia, he avenged that loss.
Nobody expected Monzón to beat Benvenuti in their title match. Yet Monzón applied pressure from the start, and in the 12th, a right hand landed perfectly on Benvenuti's chin, and the title changed hands. Monzón also beat Benvenuti in a rematch, this time in only three rounds in Monte Carlo when Benvenuti's seconds threw in the towel.

Champion

In 1971, Monzón became only the second man to stop former three-time world champion Emile Griffith in 14 rounds, and later out-pointed him over 15 in a close fight. Monzón then scored a win over tough Philadelphian Bennie Briscoe in their rematch, over-coming a shakey 9th round, in which Briscoe almost scored a knockout; a knockout in five rounds over European champion Tom Bogs, a knockout in seven rounds over Cuban-Mexican José Mantequilla Nápoles in Paris, France and a 10-round knockout of tough Tony Licata of New Orleans at the Madison Square Garden, in what would turn out to be Monzón's only fight in the United States.
Monzón's middleweight championship title was lifted in 1975 by the WBC for not defending it against mandatory challenger Rodrigo Valdez. Valdez, a Colombian, won the WBC's title, while Monzón kept the WBA's championship. In 1976, they finally met, this time, world champion vs. world champion.
Valdez's brother had been shot to death one week prior to the fight and he did not feel like fighting. Still, the fight went on, as they were both under contract. It took place in Monte Carlo. Monzón handed Valdez a beating, winning a 15-round unanimous decision and unifying the world title once again. Facing a lack of good challengers, Monzón was offered a high purse to again fight the Colombian.
The second fight was different. Monzón-Valdez II is a classic. Valdez came out roaring this time. In the second round, right cross to the chin put Monzón down for the first and only time in his career. Valdez built a lead through the first part of the fight. Monzón, however, mounted a brilliant comeback and outboxed Valdez for the last 8 rounds, winning a unanimous decision to retain the title and score his 14th title defense.

Retirement

Monzón retired after the second Valdez fight defense. His record stood at 87 wins, only three losses, nine draws and one no contest. Of his wins, 59 came by knockout. His only losses were by points and early in his career. In 2003, he was named by the Ring Magazine as one of the 100 greatest punchers of all time. On the independent computer-based ranking of boxrec.com, he is listed as the second best middleweight boxer of all time after Sugar Ray Robinson.
Following Monzón's victory over Mantequilla Nápoles, Angelo Dundee said: "Monzón is the complete fighter. He can box, he can hit, he can think, and he is game all the way."
Before retirement, in 1974, he starred in La Mary, a hit movie directed by Daniel Tinayre. After retirement, he participated as an actor in a couple of Argentine movies, which were not very successful, and TV shows.
A monument to him stands in Santa Fe, Argentina.

Personal life

Monzón was tremendously popular throughout his career. During Monzón's fights, Argentina would stand still, cities had no traffic, and all TV sets and radios were tuned to the fight. While filming La Mary, he met famous Argentine actress and model Susana Giménez. They started a tumultuous relationship, which led to Monzón's divorce. Since then, his glamorous and sometimes violent life was avidly followed by the media. He toured Latin America and Europe with Argentine models and actresses.
While still a champion, a darker side of Monzón began to emerge. In 1973, Monzón was shot in the leg by his wife, requiring seven hours of surgery to remove the bullet. In 1975, he began a very publicized romance with Susana Giménez; they had previously met in the 1974 thriller La Mary, directed by Daniel Tinayre, where the two played husband and wife. Monzón hated paparazzi who detailed his affairs. He went to Italy with Giménez to participate in a movie, and started increasingly traveling with her to locations in Brazil and the rest of Latin America, allowing himself be seen with her, although still married. He was accused of domestic violence and of beating paparazzi.
Soon the beatings he gave Giménez became public knowledge. Monzón was repeatedly detained by the police. Giménez began wearing sunglasses more often, presumably to hide her bruises, and many times, paparazzi had to be hospitalized from the beatings suffered at the hands of Monzón, who had unpredictable violent outbreaks. During this period, Monzón divorced his wife.
Susana Giménez left him in 1978. After the breakup, Monzón's private life was fairly low key. In 1979, he met Uruguayan model Alicia Muñiz, with whom he had an on-and-off relationship for many years. They eventually married and had a child together, Maximiliano Roque. But his violent behavior continued. In 1988, while vacationing in the resort city of Mar del Plata, after a heated argument, he beat Muñiz. According to the investigation after this incident, he strangled her, picked her up, and pushed her off the second floor balcony, killing her, after which he followed her in the fall, injuring his shoulder. In 1989 he was found guilty of homicide. He received an 11-year prison sentence.
On January 1995, Monzón was given a weekend furlough while serving his term in Cárcel de Las Flores, Santa Fe Province, to visit his family and children. On 8 January, 1995, when returning to jail after the weekend, he and a passenger, Gerónimo Domingo Mottura, were killed instantly when the vehicle rolled over near Santa Rosa de Calchines. The other passenger, Monzón's sister-in-law Alicia Guadalupe Fessia, was injured.
Even in death, Monzón drew a crowd. Thousands sang "Dale campeón" during his funeral.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
100Win87–3–9 Rodrigo ValdézUD1530 Jul 1977 Stade Louis II, Fontvieille, Monte Carlo, MonacoRetained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
99Win86–3–9 Rodrigo ValdézUD1526 Jun 1976 Stade Louis II, Fontvieille, Monte Carlo, MonacoRetained WBA, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
Won WBC middleweight title
98Win85–3–9 Gratien TonnaKO5 13 Dec 1975 Nouvelle Hippodrome, Paris, Île-de-France, FranceRetained WBA, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
97Win84–3–9 Tony LicataTKO10, 2:4330 Jun 1975 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, U.S.Retained WBA, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
96Win83–3–9 Tony MundineKO7, 1:205 Oct 1974 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, ArgentinaRetained WBA, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
95Win82–3–9 José NápolesRTD7, 3:009 Feb 1974 Puteaux, Hauts-de-Seine, FranceRetained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
94Win81–3–9 Jean-Claude BouttierUD1529 Sep 1973 Stade Roland Garros, Paris, Île-de-France, FranceRetained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
93Win80–3–9 Emile GriffithUD152 Jun 1973 Stade Louis II, Fontvieille, Monte Carlo, MonacoRetained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
92Win79–3–9 Roy DaleKO5, 2:405 May 1973 Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, ItalyNon-title bout
91Win78–3–9 Bennie BriscoeUD1511 Nov 1972 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, ArgentinaRetained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
90Win77–3–9 Tom BogsTKO5, 2:3019 Aug 1972 Idraetsparken, Copenhagen, DenmarkRetained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
89Win76–3–9 Jean-Claude BouttierTKO13, 3:0017 Jun 1972 Colombes Stadium, Paris, Île-de-France, FranceRetained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
88Win75–3–9 Denny MoyerTKO5, 1:504 Mar 1972 Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, ItalyRetained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
87Win74–3–9 Fraser ScottTKO3, 0:014 Dec 1971 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, ArgentinaNon-title bout
86Win73–3–9 Emile GriffithTKO14, 2:3225 Sep 1971 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, ArgentinaRetained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
85Win72–3–9 Nino BenvenutiTKO3, 1:058 May 1971 Stade Louis II, Fontvieille, Monte Carlo, MonacoRetained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles
84Win71–3–9 Roy LeeKO2 6 Mar 1971 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, ArgentinaNon-title bout
83Win70–3–9 Domingo GuerreroKO2 19 Feb 1971 Salta, Salta, ArgentinaNon-title bout
82Win69–3–9 Charley AustinKO2, 2:0919 Dec 1970 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, ArgentinaNon-title bout
81Win68–3–9 Nino BenvenutiTKO12, 1:577 Nov 1970 Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, ItalyWon WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal middleweight titles;
The Ring Fight of the Year
80Win67–3–9 Santiago RosaKO4 19 Sep 1970 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
79Win66–3–9 Eddie PacePTS1018 Jul 1970 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
78Win65–3–9 Adolfo Jorge CardozoTKO3 18 Apr 1970 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
77Win64–3–9 Juan AguilarRTD9 7 Mar 1970 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina
76Win63–3–9 Antonio AguilarKO5 11 Feb 1970 Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaRetained Argentina middleweight title
75Win62–3–9 Carlos EstradaKO2 12 Dec 1969 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina
74Win61–3–9 Manoel SeverinoKO6 27 Sep 1969 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, ArgentinaRetained South American middleweight title
73Win60–3–9 Emilio Ale AliTKO7 5 Sep 1969 San Miguel, Tucumán, Argentina
72Win59–3–9 Tom BetheaPTS109 Aug 1969 Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
71Win58–3–9 Harold RichardsonKO3 5 Jul 1969 Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
70Win57–3–9 Carlos Alberto SalinasTKO7 6 Jun 1969 Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina
69Draw56–3–9 Carlos Alberto SalinasPTS1025 Apr 1969 Recreativo Bochas Club, Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina
68Win56–3–8 Mario TabordaKO3 14 Mar 1969 Club Sportivo, Presidencia Roque Saenz Pena, Chaco, Argentina
67Win55–3–8 Ruben OrricoKO9 10 Jan 1969 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, ArgentinaRetained South American middleweight title
66Win54–3–8 Emilio Ale AliPTS1020 Dec 1968 Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
65Win53–3–8 Johnny BrooksPTS107 Dec 1968 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
64Win52–3–8 Charley AustinUD1023 Oct 1968 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
63Win51–3–8 Doug HuntleyKO4 14 Aug 1968 Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
62Win50–3–8 Benito SanchezKO4 5 Jul 1968 Chaco, Chaco, Argentina
61Win49–3–8 Juan AguilarPTS1020 Jun 1968 Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
60Win48–3–8 Alberto MassiPTS1017 May 1968 Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
59Draw47–3–8 Juan AguilarPTS105 Apr 1968 Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
58Win47–3–7 Tito MarshallPTS1018 Nov 1967 Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
57Win46–3–7 Ramon D RochaKO7 20 Oct 1967 San Juan, La Rioja, Argentina
56Win45–3–7 Carlos EstradaKO7 6 Oct 1967 Trelew, Chubut, Argentina
55Win44–3–7 Ramon D RochaPTS108 Sep 1967 Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
54Win43–3–7 Tito MarshallPTS1016 Aug 1967 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
53Win42–3–7 Antonio AguilarKO9 29 Jul 1967 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
52Win41–3–7 Jorge FernandezUD1210 Jun 1967 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, ArgentinaWon South American middleweight title
51Draw40–3–7 Bennie BriscoePTS126 May 1967 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
50Win40–3–6 Benito SanchezTKO3 9 Apr 1967 Santa Elena, Entre Ríos, Argentina
49Win39–3–6 Angel Alberto CoriaKO6 25 Mar 1967 Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
48Win38–3–6 Osvaldo MarinoKO7 9 Mar 1967 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina
47Win37–3–6 Alberto MassiPTS1015 Feb 1967 San Francisco, Santa Fe, Argentina
46Win36–3–6 Eudoro RobledoKO4 27 Jan 1967 Charata, Chaco, Argentina
45Win35–3–6 Carlos Alberto SalinasKO8 13 Jan 1967 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina
44Win34–3–6 Marcelo FariasKO3 23 Dec 1966 San Cristóbal, Santa Fe, Argentina
43Win33–3–6 Alberto MassiTKO8 2 Dec 1966 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina
42Win32–3–6 Luis Antonio PereyraTKO2 18 Nov 1966 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina
41Win31–3–6 Angel Alberto CoriaPTS101 Nov 1966 Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
40Win30–3–6 Jorge FernandezUD123 Sep 1966 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, ArgentinaWon Argentina middleweight title
39Win29–3–6 Benito SanchezKO4 8 Jul 1966 San Pereyra, Argentina
38Draw28–3–6 Ubaldo Marcos BustosPTS103 Jun 1966 Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina
37Win28–3–5 Ismael HamzeTKO9 29 Apr 1966 San Nicolas, Santiago del Estero, Argentina
36Win27–3–5 Norberto JuncosKO7 17 Feb 1966 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina
35Win26–3–5 Ramon D RochaPTS104 Feb 1966 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina
34Win25–3–5 Carlos Alberto SalinasPTS1029 Dec 1965 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
33Win24–3–5 Antonio AguilarPTS108 Dec 1965 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
32Win23–3–5 Celedonio LimaKO5 17 Nov 1965 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
31Win22–3–5 Gregorio GomezPTS106 Oct 1965 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
30Draw21–3–5 Manoel SeverinoPTS828 Aug 1965 Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
29Draw21–3–4 Manoel SeverinoPTS814 Aug 1965 Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
28Win21–3–3 Felipe CambeiroPTS81 Aug 1965 São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
27Win20–3–3 Alberto RetondoTKO8 14 Jul 1965 Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
26Win19–3–3 Anibal CordobaPTS1019 May 1965 Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
25Draw18–3–3 Emilio Ale AliPTS109 Apr 1965 San Miguel, Tucumán, Argentina
24Win18–3–2 Andres Antonio SelpaPTS1011 Mar 1965 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina
23Draw17–3–2 Andres Antonio SelpaPTS108 Jan 1965 Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
22Draw17–3–1 Celedonio LimaPTS1018 Nov 1964 Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
21Win17–3 Francisco GilabertRTD4 28 Oct 1964 Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
20Loss16–3 Alberto MassiUD109 Oct 1964 Cordoba Sport Club, Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
19Win16–2 Francisco OleaKO9 25 Sep 1964 Tostado, Santa Fe, Argentina
18Win15–2 Americo VaccaKO3 4 Sep 1964 Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina
17Win14–2 Juan Carlos DiazKO9 14 Aug 1964 Villa Ángela, Chaco, Argentina
16Win13–2 Walter VillaKO9 24 Jul 1964 Ceres, Santa Fe, Argentina
15Win12–2 Roberto Eduardo CarabajalPTS1010 Jul 1964 Tostado, Santa Fe, Argentina
14Loss11–2 Felipe CambeiroPTS828 Jun 1964 Auditorium Río TV, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
13Win11–1 Angel Alberto CoriaPTS813 Jun 1964 Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
12Win10–1 Roberto Eduardo CarabajalKO8 17 Jan 1964 Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina
11Win9–1 Rene SosaKO6 6 Dec 1963 Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina
10Win8–1 Benito SanchezKO8 18 Oct 1963 Reconquista, Santa Fe, Argentina
9Loss7–1 Antonio AguilarPTS1028 Aug 1963 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
8Win7–0 Lisandro GuzmánKO3 9 Aug 1963 Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
7Win6–0 Andres CejasKO4 17 Jul 1963 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
6Win5–0 Jose N RodriguezKO5 31 May 1963 Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina
5Win4–0 Raul Elio RivasKO5 3 May 1963 Posadas, Misiones, Argentina
4Win3–0 Mario SuarezTKO8 12 Apr 1963 Posadas, Misiones, Argentina
3Win2–0 Albino VeronTKO2 9 Apr 1963 Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina
2NC1–0 Albino VeronN/D1 13 Mar 1963 Vila, Santa Fe, Argentina
1Win1-0 Ramón MontenegroKO2 6 Feb 1963 Club Sportivo Ben Hur, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina