Was Carlos Monzon ever tempted to come out of retirement and fight Hagler?

[cotto16]

When Hagler was champion monzon was 3 years into retirement and 38. Was there any talk of it? i think even an old monzon beats a young hagler

[TheGreatA]

I doubt it.

But he could have fought a young Hagler who was already a top contender by the time Monzon was the champion. Monzon retired in 1977 when Hagler was the number 1 ranked contender.

[andrewcuff]

I doubt it.

But he could have fought a young Hagler who was already a top contender by the time Monzon was the champion. Monzon retired in 1977 when Hagler was the number 1 ranked contender.

Yep, Monzon retired instead of facing him. I think prime-for-prime Hagler was a better fighter than Monzon. He rates higher on my ATG list and is the best middleweight of AT as far as I'm concerned. A truly complete fighter. The 77-83 Hagler was about as unbeatable a fighter as I've seen.

[Kid McCoy]

Yep, Monzon retired instead of facing him. I think prime-for-prime Hagler was a better fighter than Monzon. He rates higher on my ATG list and is the best middleweight of AT as far as I'm concerned. A truly complete fighter. The 77-83 Hagler was about as unbeatable a fighter as I've seen.

Monzon was pretty damn unbeatable himself, unbeaten in 80 or so fights by the time he retired. I disagree with the implication that he was ducking Hagler. He capped his career by re-unifying the title by beating the dangerous Valdez, and in winning the rematch he'd essentially done all he needed to do.

Peak vs peak is a pick 'em fight, but I don't see 38-yr-old inactive Monzon beating a peak Hagler. Nor do I recall any talk of a comeback.

[BattlingNelson]

Tennis legend Guillermo Vilas was a close friend of Monzon. He said the following:

Monzon vs. Hagler? “Monzon tried to come back one time (he retired in August of 1977 at 35). They were trying to convince him to fight Hagler. He was considering. I was talking to him one time and he was smoking. And I ask him, Do you think you can come back? He showed me the cigarette (and said), I don’t think so [laughs]. He thought that Hagler was a very good fighter. But against somebody who knew how to move - Hagler was always fighting the same way. If he could get around, Monzon believed he was an easy target at certain moments of the fight. If you were intelligent enough. He said Hagler needed a certain way to get his opening. He knew what it was. (Monzon) said, I know how to get him.”

[TheGreatA]

Monzon was pretty damn unbeatable himself, unbeaten in 80 or so fights by the time he retired. I disagree with the implication that he was ducking Hagler. He capped his career by re-unifying the title by beating the dangerous Valdez, and in winning the rematch he'd essentially done all he needed to do.

Peak vs peak is a pick 'em fight, but I don't see 38-yr-old inactive Monzon beating a peak Hagler. Nor do I recall any talk of a comeback.

I would not say that Monzon avoided Hagler but the fight could've happened since Hagler was the outstanding contender by the time Monzon retired. It would've certainly made more sense than a near 40 year old Monzon coming back to fight a prime Hagler which was suggested by the thread starter.

Monzon really had nothing to prove after beating Rodrigo Valdez twice.

A young Hagler vs a slightly past prime Monzon would've been an interesting fight.

Some of Hagler's early fights in Philadelphia:







Monzon vs Valdes I & II:





Another interesting fight would've been Rodrigo Valdez vs Hagler.

Valdez KO's Bennie Briscoe:

[BattlingNelson]

Monzon was decked hard in the second Valdez fight if I remember correctly. One of Monzon's many assets was a concrete chin.