Thomas Hearns vs John Mugabi

The beast can't battle evenly with leads and he can't counter someone with so much reach and speed. Mugabi plants his feet in mid-range and slugs, he'll be looking to land all night and not be finding much.

Hearns makes it look easy, tko. And no, Mugabi is not like Barkley.

 

This fight actually almost did take place back in 85'-86' when Tommy "The HitMan" Hearns was coming off the dramatic knockout loss to Marvelous Marvin Hagler and "Middleweight Mayhem," (Hagler vs John "The Beast" Mugabi & Hearns vs James "Black Gold" Shuler) was originally suppose to be Marvelous Marvin Hagler vs James Shuler & Tommy Hearns vs John Mugabi, at 154.

Hearns was suppose to fight Mugabi in defense of his at the time WBC(Ring Magazine) Jr. Middleweight title at 154 while Hagler was supoose to be fighting Shuler in defense of his Undisputed(Ring Magazine) World Middleweight belt at 160 before the promoter I guess for some reason decided that the styles of both fighters for both fights in particular would be better suited the other way around in what was suppose to be an actual prelude to a Hagler-Hearns rematch.

Hearns ended up fighting Shuler for Shuler's NABF Middleweight belt at 160 which worked out for him because that meant he didn't have to strain himself to make 154. Hearns took full advantage of that and the fact that Shuler, who sadly just two weeks after the fight died in a motorcycle accident in his native Philly, had never fought on the big PPV/CCT stage and froze which was why Hearns disposed of him in just 73-seconds, and Hagler's fight with Mugabi was all but unforgettable as "The Beast" was truly game in a match that both fighters left it all in the ring that night so much that at the fights conclusion Marvin was almost ready to announce his retirement right there and forgo the rematch with Hearns. His retirement was almost imminent at the time until of course ringside spectator Sugar Ray Leonard came out of retirement minus tuneups to challenge Marvin.

Tommy Hearns vs John Mugabi at 154 or 160 would have been very entertaining for as long as it lasted and Mugabi, for as stylistically flawed as he was as far as good defense was concerned, would've tagged Tommy with some pretty decent shots and rattle him for a little bit, especially with Hearns' trademark of fighting intentionally with his left hand low, but Hearn's recuperative powers and experience would over take Mugabi's limitations and he'd win this one on a dramatic and unforgettable mid to late rounds knockout: Hearns by ko in 7 or 9 rounds over Mugabi!

 

Mugabi of the Hagler fight would be a live underdog. He might catch Hearns with a bomb and lay him out. That night Mugabi fought like a man possessed and an equally determined Marvin had a difficult time breaking him and knocking him out.

Assuming Mugabi fought Hearns the way he did Hagler, it'd be in Hearns's best interest to box Mugabi and look for a decision win. He should only throw bombs at Mugabi sparingly, otherwise he might get caught with a bomb in return and have a similar fate he endured against Barkley in their first fight.

 

Mugabi was not a durable as Barkley and didn't have his heart. Hagler was rusty the night Mugabi fought him. John just never could take a great punch. I think Tommy's first big punch wobbles John an the follow up stops him. Tommy punched much harder than Hagler.

 

I think there's a good chance that it was Hagler who ruined Mugabi's punch resistance. That was the type of war that could ruin fighters, and I think it definitely left Mugabi as damaged goods.

 

Hagler was not great that night. He looked soft and his left was looping the whole night. I agree Hagler hurt Mugabi a little, but the fact was Hearns punched much harder than Hagler. Hagler went 15 with Duran and 11 with Roldan and Hearns went 2 and 4 with those guys.

 

Hearns most likely KO's Mugabi. Just as long as his chin doesn't do the hitting...

 

That is evidenced in mugabi's very next fight 9 months later against Duane Thomas. Thomas, a capable but hardly stellar fighter, stopped the Beast in 3 rounds.

 

I remember that fight. John claimed a thumb in the eye but he was not the same fighter at all. Maybe he should have stayed at 160. A Mugabi/Barkley fight would have been incredible. I think Barkley had too much heart for John.

 

woulda been nice, that is for sure.

 

I swear never heard Gil Clancy say that. At least give credit

 

give credit for something I saw previous to Gil saying it? It was fact and easy to see, as well as Hagler looking soft and slow, which is not something Gil Clancy said. Not a great Hagler fight. We all could see it, not just Gil Clancy. Hagler was off that night.

 

Tommy has 3 rounds to do it in or he's getting laid out by the Beast, I recall James "Hardrock" Green giving john some problems at 154 but Tommy is in serious danger here. It's a shootout & the longer it goes the more chance of Hearns getting flattended.

With regard to the Duane Thomas debacle, it's unfair & incorrect to say that john had no heart, he had a fractured orbital bone, i recommend to any doubters here that they should get a small child to punch them in the eye & see how that feels, then multiply that by 100 for pain & effect. back then it was the god given american mantra & dogma that all aliens/oversees fighters were of an inferior stock to home grown land of the free protagonists & the word "Quitter" or "Lacks Heart" was employed as a dismissive at every & any given opportunity by the resident US ringside verbalists & hacks of the day. Mugabi was a very dangerous man indeed & it took the likes of Mighty Marvin to overcome him. No one wanted a piece of Mugabi at 154 pre Hagler.

 

Hearns would outbox and kayo Mugabi at some point. Better skills.