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Carlos Monzon (August 7, 1942- January 8, 1995)
was an Argentina|Argentinian boxing|boxer who held
the world middleweight title for 7 years, during
which he made a then-division record of 14
defenses. His glamorous and violent life was
avidly followed by the media, culminating with his
trial for the murder of his wife and his death in
a car crash soon thereafter.

He was adored all over Argentina during his run of
14 title defenses of the world middleweight
championship. He was accused many times of
domestic violence by his two wives and many
mistresses, and of beating paparazzi. He toured
all of Latin America and Europe with the prettiest
Argentinan and Italy|Italian models and actresses.
He was accused of killing his wife in 1989, and
then sentenced to 11 years in jail. He died in a
car crash during a weekend furlough. He would have
been let free in 2001.

Monzon's life began in the small but progressive
city of Santa Fe, Argentina. As a youngster, he
showed interest in boxing.

The start to his professional career didn't
indicate anything special, as he lost 3 and drew 3
of his first 20 bouts. However, he kept
progressing against local foes, and built quite an
impressive record. Since most of the opposition in
his record was local, he wasn't given much credit
by anyone, other than for being a good
middleweight who could fight 10 round bouts.

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 United States|American Tom Bethea
in Australia, but in a title rematch in Socialist
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia, he
avenged that loss.

Nobody expected Monzon to beat Benvenuti in their
title match. Yet Monzon applied pressure from the
start, and in the 12th, a right hand landed
perfectly on Benvenuti's chin, and the title
changed hands.

The Argentinan people loved their champion. Monzon
beat Benevenuti in a rematch, this time in only
three rounds in Monte Carlo. A string of defenses
followed, including two wins over three-time
former world champion Griffith, a win over tough
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphian Bennie
Briscoe, a knockout in five rounds over European
champion Tom  Bogs, a knockout in seven rounds
over world Welterweight champion Jose Napoles|Jose
Mantequilla Napoles and a 10 round knockout of
tough Tony Licata of New Orleans at the Madison
Square Garden, in what would turn out to be
Monzon's only fight in the United States.

However, a darker side of Monzon would soon begin
to emerge. In 1973, Monzon was shot in the leg by
his wife, requiring 7 hours of surgery to remove
the bullet from the champion's body. By 1975, he
began a very publicized romance with the great
singer and dancer, Susana Gimenez. Monzon hated
papparazzi who detailed his affairs.  He went to
Italy with Gimenez to participate in a movie, and
started increasingly travelling with her to exotic
locations like Brazil and the rest of Latin
America, letting himself be seen with her.

He was still married, however, and soon the
beatings he gave his wife became public knowledge,
and many times he landed at the police station for
beating her. Ms. Gimenez also began wearing
sunglasses more often, and many times, papparazzi
had to be hospitalized from the beatings suffered
at the hands of Monzon. Monzon was known during
this period for his unpredictable violent
outbreaks. During this period, Monzon divorced his
wife, and later re-married another Argentinian
girl.

Monzon's Middleweight championship title was
lifted in 1975 by the World Boxng Council|WBC for
not defending it against mandatory challenger
Rodrigo Valdez. Valdez, a Colombia|Colombian, then
won the World Boxing Council|WBC's title, while
Monzon kept the World Boxing Association|WBA's
championship. So 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 didn't feel like
fighting. Still, they were under contract and so
the fight took place in Monte Carlo and Monzon
handed an uninterested Valdez a beating, winning a
15 round unanimous decision and unifying the world
title once again. Because of the special
circumstances under which Valdez performed, an
immediate rematch was ordered, once again in Monte
Carlo.

This time,Valdez came out roaring. A right
uppercut to the chin put Monzon down in the first
round, and Valdez built a lead through the first
half of the fight. Monzon, however, mounted a
brilliant comeback and outboxed Valdez for the
last 8 rounds, winning a split decision to retain
the title and score his 14th title defense. 

Monzon retired after this defense and basically
led a quiet life through most of the late 1970s
and the 1980s. Or so it seemed to the public.

Gimenez, perhaps tired of his promises and
humiliations, left him in 1980. She is now
starring in a very popular TV show in Argentina.

After the break up with Gimenez, Monzon's private
life was finally closed to the public, but the
beatings continued, this time with his second
wife, Alicia. And on one sad afternoon of 1989, he
allegedly beat Alicia with his fist so many times,
that Alicia, scared and bloody, ran to the balcony
of their second floor apartment. He followed her
there, and, according to Argentinan police,
grabbed her by the neck, and then picked her up
and pushed her off the balcony and into her death.


Upon hearing his sentence, Monzon didn't show any
remorse for what had happened. 

In 1995, he was given a weekend furlough to visit
his family and kids, and upon returning to jail
after the weekend, he crashed near the jail
building, dying instantly. There have been rumors
that he committed suicide by crashing the car, but
there has been no evidence found that supports
that claim.

His record stands at 89 wins, only three losses,
nine draws, and one no contest (boxing)|no
contest.  Sixty-one of his wins came by knockout. 
His only losses were by points and early in his
career.  Whatever Monzon's personal failings, even
crimes, may have been, his boxing career was
inarguably a towering achievement.