Thomas Hearns vs John Mugabi @ 154lbs, Light-middle?

Rocky Balboa · Post by **Rocky Balboa** » 08 May 2005, 11:42

This is one of those fights that got away! I understand that it was close to happening in around 1983-1985, correct me if I am wrong?

Wonder what would have happened if they had fought? I reckon most people would lean towards a Hearns victory, but I am going to pick Mugabi.

I know the old saying "styles make fights", but I reckon Mugabi had a better chin than Hearns and he was much more powerful and stronger than Tommy.

However, Hearns was by far and away the superior boxer, had better speed, movement, and a great jab and a pole-axe of a right hand.

I feel Mugabi would have made Hearns slug-it-out with him, and Tommy could not take many of those punishing punches from 'The Beast'.

My pick: Mugabi KO 3

Lets hear others opinions.

Danny

barry · Post by **barry** » 08 May 2005, 11:56

Hard to pick, all I know is that someone would have got knocked out in a fight that probably would have been just as good as Hagler-Hearns. The only pick I can make is a knockout in 2, or 3 rounds, by whoever landed the best.

Syntax Error · Post by **Syntax Error** » 08 May 2005, 12:09

Tough one this!!

It could go either way, but I feel it would have been like Barkley -v- Hearns 1. Hearns would pummel Mugabe for a couple of rounds & John would chin him with a haymaker in the 3rd or 4th.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 08 May 2005, 12:29

Syntax Error wrote:Tough one this!!

It could go either way, but I feel it would have been like Barkley -v- Hearns 1. Hearns would pummel Mugabe for a couple of rounds & John would chin him with a haymaker in the 3rd or 4th.

It very well could go that way.

Or.....

Hearns superior reach, jab, boxing skill and fighting heart enable him to weather a few rocky patches and drop that big right hand on Mugabis temple and stop him early.

Could go either way as they are both huge punchers at 154lbs with suspect chins. But I lean towards Hearns due to his better skills.

barry · Post by **barry** » 08 May 2005, 13:31

I think it would depend on what Hearns showed up. If he came in like he did against Hagler, I would lean toward Mugabi, but if he used his skill, I would lean toward Hearns.

meade95 · Post by **meade95** » 17 May 2005, 12:31

Would have been a great match-up!! - At 154 Tommy (Hearns) wins!! (IMO) -

Hearns right hand was simply brutal from 147-154 - He was much more talented than Mugabi - (but of course if Mugabi landed flush he definitely could have taken Hearns out as well) -

Would have been a great fight but I'd take Hearns by mid-round KO -

Julian Jackson Vs either Tommy or Mugabi at 154 would have been great too!

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 17 May 2005, 14:28

meade95 wrote:Julian Jackson Vs either Tommy or Mugabi at 154 would have been great too!

Add Terry Norris in the mix as well.

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 18 May 2005, 06:00

Hearns too good too smart for Mugabi. Mugabi wouldn't have the werewithal to make Hearns fight his fight. Tommy to box his head off until the later rounds then go in for the kill. KO8

KO Artist · Post by **KO Artist** » 18 May 2005, 08:01

bollox wrote:Hearns too good too smart for Mugabi. Mugabi wouldn't have the werewithal to make Hearns fight his fight. Tommy to box his head off until the later rounds then go in for the kill. KO8

Mugabi was a pretty good boxer, you know. He went 195-5 as an amatuer and won Olympic Silver. He was never stopped as an amatuer and scored an amazing 163 Ko's.

Mugabi had a good heart too, check the Hagler and Hard Rock Green fights.

Hearns could have given him trouble if he stuck to his Boxing, but in a matchup of big punchers, I reckon Hearns would have been drawn into a slugfest right from the start.

In his prime, Mugabi was a fast starter, with very good hand speed and a good chin. He was a GREAT finisher, and an excellent counter puncher. With a reach almost as long as Hearns, but standing only 5'8", Mugabi would not be an easy target.

I see Hearns as the agressor and Mugabi nailing him with a looping right hand.

After decking Tommy twice.......

Mugabi KO1 Hearns.

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 18 May 2005, 15:39

Applying the kind of pressure needed to make a Tommy Hearns get sucked into a slugfest from the opening bell takes more skill than is probably appreciated. I don't think Mugabi had that particular skill at the required level

Gordon · Post by **Gordon** » 19 May 2005, 04:35

At that weight, if Hearns comes to fight he would KO Mugabe early.

When he stepped up to full middleweight Hearns came unstuck to Hagler, Barkley, but at 147 or 154 he was incredible.

Hence the reason I think Tommy would have won.

Mugabe was a full Middleweight and the extra weight may have given him an advantage but both weighing 154 I swing toward Tommy.

Graham Brett · Post by **Graham Brett** » 19 May 2005, 06:35

bollox wrote:Applying the kind of pressure needed to make a Tommy Hearns get sucked into a slugfest from the opening bell takes more skill than is probably appreciated. I don't think Mugabi had that particular skill at the required level

I fully appreciate the level of skill Mugabi had, having sparred with him many times between 1981 and 1983.

He was a very underrated boxer.

I reckon Hearns would be made for Mugabi.

Mugabi by early KO

Grimm · Post by **Grimm** » 19 May 2005, 20:51

Don't get me wrong I'm a real big fan of Hearns, but the man had a chin that was made out of dust.

He could win if he could stay away from Mugabi.

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 20 May 2005, 05:23

Grimm wrote:Don't get me wrong I'm a real big fan of Hearns, but the man had a chin that was made out of dust.

He could win if he could stay away from Mugabi.

How did he manage to win titles from welterweight to lightheavy?

Grimm · Post by **Grimm** » 20 May 2005, 06:13

bollox wrote:
Grimm wrote:Don't get me wrong I'm a real big fan of Hearns, but the man had a chin that was made out of dust.

He could win if he could stay away from Mugabi.
How did he manage to win titles from welterweight to lightheavy?

What do you mean by this.

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 20 May 2005, 07:08

Grimm wrote:
bollox wrote:
Grimm wrote:Don't get me wrong I'm a real big fan of Hearns, but the man had a chin that was made out of dust.

He could win if he could stay away from Mugabi.
How did he manage to win titles from welterweight to lightheavy?
What do you mean by this.

I mean you don't win titles from 147 to 175 with as bad a chin as you make out 8)

Grimm · Post by **Grimm** » 20 May 2005, 15:46

bollox wrote:
Grimm wrote:
bollox wrote: How did he manage to win titles from welterweight to lightheavy?
What do you mean by this.
I mean you don't win titles from 147 to 175 with as bad a chin as you make out 8)

You do when you have lightning quick reflexes along with a devastating punch and the reach of a gorilla.

Thomas Hearns is my favorite fighter of all times I have seen almost all of his fights. I am not downplaying him at all.

As for the statement about moving up in class and dominating. What about Roy Jones? He also had a chin made out of ashes.

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 20 May 2005, 16:34

Grimm wrote:
bollox wrote:
Grimm wrote: What do you mean by this.
I mean you don't win titles from 147 to 175 with as bad a chin as you make out 8)
You do when you have lightning quick reflexes along with a devastating punch and the reach of a gorilla.

Thomas Hearns is my favorite fighter of all times I have seen almost all of his fights. I am not downplaying him at all.

As for the statement about moving up in class and dominating. What about Roy Jones? He also had a chin made out of ashes.

Your last post tells me as much about you as I need to know. Did you see Jones take a solid wallop from Ruiz in round 1 or 2? Was that someone with a horrible chin? Please explain so I truly understand

Grimm · Post by **Grimm** » 20 May 2005, 16:36

bollox wrote:
Grimm wrote:
bollox wrote: I mean you don't win titles from 147 to 175 with as bad a chin as you make out 8)
You do when you have lightning quick reflexes along with a devastating punch and the reach of a gorilla.

Thomas Hearns is my favorite fighter of all times I have seen almost all of his fights. I am not downplaying him at all.

As for the statement about moving up in class and dominating. What about Roy Jones? He also had a chin made out of ashes.
Your last post tells me as much about you as I need to know. Did you see Jones take a solid wallop from Ruiz in round 1 or 2? Was that someone with a horrible chin? Please explain so I truly understand

It wasn't a punch that posessed knockout power neither was the uppercut Ruiz hit him with in round 5 or 6. They were hard shots but not hard enough to knock someone out.

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 20 May 2005, 16:51

It wasn't a punch that posessed knockout power neither was the uppercut Ruiz hit him with in round 5 or 6. They were hard shots but not hard enough to knock someone out

Surely a lightheavy (or was he a middle or supermiddle) with a terrible chin would have been comatose when hit by a HW with that shot? No? Oh excuse me then

Grimm · Post by **Grimm** » 20 May 2005, 16:59

bollox wrote:
It wasn't a punch that posessed knockout power neither was the uppercut Ruiz hit him with in round 5 or 6. They were hard shots but not hard enough to knock someone out
Surely a lightheavy (or was he a middle or supermiddle) with a terrible chin would have been comatose when hit by a HW with that shot? No? Oh excuse me then

He was a heavyweight when he took the hit(it was not that hard of a punch anyway).

He wasn't a middleweight that got hit by a heavyweight he was a heavyweight that got hit by a heavyweight.

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 20 May 2005, 17:01

Grimm wrote:
bollox wrote:
It wasn't a punch that posessed knockout power neither was the uppercut Ruiz hit him with in round 5 or 6. They were hard shots but not hard enough to knock someone out
Surely a lightheavy (or was he a middle or supermiddle) with a terrible chin would have been comatose when hit by a HW with that shot? No? Oh excuse me then
He was a heavyweight when he took the hit(it was not that hard of a punch anyway).

He wasn't a middleweight that got hit by a heavyweight he was a heavyweight that got hit by a heavyweight.

ok he was a HW with a horrible chin - why was he still standing after it?

Grimm · Post by **Grimm** » 20 May 2005, 17:13

bollox wrote:
Grimm wrote:
bollox wrote: Surely a lightheavy (or was he a middle or supermiddle) with a terrible chin would have been comatose when hit by a HW with that shot? No? Oh excuse me then
He was a heavyweight when he took the hit(it was not that hard of a punch anyway).

He wasn't a middleweight that got hit by a heavyweight he was a heavyweight that got hit by a heavyweight.
ok he was a HW with a horrible chin - why was he still standing after it?

Because it wasn't that hard of a punch.

tiredoldngrey · Post by **tiredoldngrey** » 24 May 2005, 11:09

RE: Hearns vs. Mugabi. One of my all time favorite fights is the Hagler/Mugabi fight. I truly belive that Mugabi would have beaten any other middleweight since Robinson- and maybe him and everyone before him, too- that night. He hit Marvin with bombs from both hands and did enough body work to win a dozen bouts. Hagler was hurt badly in that fight- look at his legs and some of his reactions- but he stayed on Mugabi; I think because if he hadn't John would've known he was hurt and become more dangerous than a fight in a tree. With a leopard. That Mugabi had an incredible chin, did not believe he could lose, had a subtle type of cleverness at setting up a foe, and underrated overall boxing skills. Hearns was fast, had a jab, a thrree round cannon of a right, unreliable legs, a dodgy chin and a tendency to lose to opponents that fought back. Mugabi in one, two or three. Hearns could never defeat the pre-Hagler Mugabi.

zurdo · Post by **zurdo** » 25 May 2005, 23:54

Nonesense, Hearns was a great fighter and he was probably never better than when he fought at 154 pounds.. Hearns was never beaten at that weight and beat two hall of fame opponents ..

Mugabi would have gotten smoked, just like Duran and Pipino

What this would look like is a 154 lb version of Hearns-Cuevas

Hearns KO2 Mugabi