Beast is a better fighter than anyone GGG has thus far beaten.. But I still wouldn't pick him to win. For all is power and ability, John got hit too much and didn't have the chin to compensate for poor defensive skills. That would be a big problem against Golovkin. The prospect of a lucky punch is always lingering in the wings but its not something I'd use to place a wager.
Mugabi was good in the Hagler fight but he was pretty hittable. The uppercut would be the punch to get Golovkin with, not that I think he could knock him out. Golovkin grinds him down in a ripper.
Golovkin looks quite hittable to me too. And I can't remember there being many - or any - doubts over Mugabi's chin until a few fights AFTER his loss to Hagler, when he become a drinking, gambling inconsistent fighter. Correct me if I'm wrong though. Interesting fight. Still too early to tell with Golovkin - he hasn't fought many good opponents. But he looks pretty good.
Mugabi was a small middleweight, inconsistent, and was stopped in a round by the only puncher comparable to Golovkin he faced, admittedly when he was past his peak. You'd not put any money on John to win this fight with any confidence whatsoever.
Mugabi was ruined by Hagler and the poor lifestyle he was leading outside of the ring. Mugabi of the Hagler fight vs Golovkin is not a fight to bet much money on either way.Mugabi would have looked 95% horrifically devastating against GGG's opposition to this point as well.Macklin, Geale, Murray, Proksa etc are serviceable commonwealth\Euro title level fighters in the 80s, not world class.
My initial feeling is that John is very dangerous early. but a sprinter nonetheless, he will not be achieving anything late that that he has not tried to achieve early when fresher..and more importantly with his Hunters predatory physcology still Intact, Golovkin is much more of a versatile performer, he can Manauvere John, set traps and sping them, he is not on an "Enthusiasm Clock" that many "On Top" Predatory fighters seem to suffer from.. If they can not score that goal..they want to take their ball and go home, Its not cowardice, some punchers have been a victim of their own Early success and are strangers to Advercity, I think Golovkin would keep it tight early, keep John Working thinking and Responding...instead of his usual imtimidating and initiating a destruction of his own, I think the sands of the Enthusiasm Hour-Glass would run out for John around about the Half Way Stage.. He Gets Hurt..Dropped..and from one Predator to Another... Knows the writings on the wall.. It would take a very good fighter to do it, Hagler did it and i think Golovkin would as well.
Incidentally i see a lot of similarities in GGG(as of now) and MUgabi going into the Hagler fight in terms of opposition. They've both destroyed one knockout artist that was meant to be a chin check and both beaten a few serviceable\decent fighters, including one or two that were able to take their shots well enough to go late and test other traits. Unfortunately where Mugabi had a great champ to then step up against and a good field of opponents to potentially test himself, GGG is being cheated by a money maker like Cotto and feeling the effects of a poor division with little in the way of real talent that wants to test itself against him.
i'l gor for the guy with the better chin to win around the halfway mark. There power was about the same.