Say early in their careers, when Mugabi beat Curtis Parker and Benn around 1990.
Say Mugabi at 158 and Benn at 160.
Who would have won and how?
John Mugabi v Nigel Benn
I think Mugabe would be too tough for Benn - much as I admire Benn - and would probably stop him anytime after round seven or eight. Much the same, in fact, to what Chris Eubank did to him back in 1990. Wait till he tires and chin comes up then rattle it.
Benn didn't have the greatest chin and I reckon Mugabe would exploit that.
Benn didn't have the greatest chin and I reckon Mugabe would exploit that.
Mugubi vs Benn
I'd go for Benn by late rounds stoppage. Mugubi was less happy under fire than Benn was, he wasn't as slick as Eubank or Watson and so would be sucked into a war and I think that after tasting Benns power for some rounds he would wilt. Gerald MccLELLEN was a superior puncher to Mugubi yet Benn came through to win. Albeit tragically.
And Benn was a better puncher at middleweight than when he moved up. Remember how he destroyed Iran Barkley and Doug Dewitt.... and Barkley still had quite a few more good fights left in him.
And Benn was a better puncher at middleweight than when he moved up. Remember how he destroyed Iran Barkley and Doug Dewitt.... and Barkley still had quite a few more good fights left in him.
Re: Mugubi vs Benn
Sounds about right to me. McClellan was not only a bigger puncher than Mugabi probably, but better all around.silkov wrote:I'd go for Benn by late rounds stoppage. Mugubi was less happy under fire than Benn was, he wasn't as slick as Eubank or Watson and so would be sucked into a war and I think that after tasting Benns power for some rounds he would wilt. Gerald MccLELLEN was a superior puncher to Mugubi yet Benn came through to win. Albeit tragically.
And Benn was a better puncher at middleweight than when he moved up. Remember how he destroyed Iran Barkley and Doug Dewitt.... and Barkley still had quite a few more good fights left in him.
I would fancy John Mugabi against Nigel Benn every night of the week. Mugabi was a devastating puncher in the early rounds of any fight and was licking Marvin Hagler early on in their undisputed world middleweight title fight before his dubious approach to training let him down. Yes, Benn was also devastating early in a fight, and showed he had the stamina and guts to outlast Gerald McClellan in their 90's classic. But Benn got a real break in the first round of that fight when the referee prevented McClellan from following up on the knockdown he scored (to this day, I can't believe the refereeing in that round) - and wasn't as quick as Mugabi in my opinion, who had fast hands as well as powerful hands. Mugabi's career essentially petered out after losing to Hagler (even though he dropped down to win the WBC light-middleweight title), and people tend to remember his shocking surrender against Duane Thomas and fading late career.
But on the way up, "The Beast" was a truly frightening puncher who promoter Mickey Duff really struggled to find opponents for. Mugabi essentially got to the position of WBC number one middleweight on his unbeaten record and his gym form, where he knocked out more world class middleweights than Sugar Ray Robinson knocked out world class welterweights. He was 25-0 going into the Hagler fight - every one of them by knockout. There's no doubt if he had met more big names in a 'live' scenario than he did, he would have stood a better chance against a fading Hagler (whose phenomenal chin served him well that night) and would be remembered as a far greater fighter than he is today. Fellow contenders like Wilford Scypion, Mustafa Hamsho, Robbie Sims and Juan Roldan wouldn't have lived with him in the mid-80's in a boxing ring. Mugabi was that hard a hitter! Yes, he came through a rocky patch against James "Hard Rock" Green in that same period, but Mugabi should be commended for that more than vilified. Green rocked him badly - and then continued to rock him with an unbelievable follow-up attack, but Mugabi didn't go down, survived, and came back to stop Green in the final round of a breathtaking battle. He showed his fighting qualities in his first serious test as a pro, whereas Benn's first serious test - against Michael Watson - saw him outclassed and stopped in six rounds.
Don't get me wrong. Benn was a huge puncher on his night. But John Mugabi was a huge puncher. Period.
But on the way up, "The Beast" was a truly frightening puncher who promoter Mickey Duff really struggled to find opponents for. Mugabi essentially got to the position of WBC number one middleweight on his unbeaten record and his gym form, where he knocked out more world class middleweights than Sugar Ray Robinson knocked out world class welterweights. He was 25-0 going into the Hagler fight - every one of them by knockout. There's no doubt if he had met more big names in a 'live' scenario than he did, he would have stood a better chance against a fading Hagler (whose phenomenal chin served him well that night) and would be remembered as a far greater fighter than he is today. Fellow contenders like Wilford Scypion, Mustafa Hamsho, Robbie Sims and Juan Roldan wouldn't have lived with him in the mid-80's in a boxing ring. Mugabi was that hard a hitter! Yes, he came through a rocky patch against James "Hard Rock" Green in that same period, but Mugabi should be commended for that more than vilified. Green rocked him badly - and then continued to rock him with an unbelievable follow-up attack, but Mugabi didn't go down, survived, and came back to stop Green in the final round of a breathtaking battle. He showed his fighting qualities in his first serious test as a pro, whereas Benn's first serious test - against Michael Watson - saw him outclassed and stopped in six rounds.
Don't get me wrong. Benn was a huge puncher on his night. But John Mugabi was a huge puncher. Period.
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knockout artist
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1482
- Joined: 03 Sep 2003, 13:18
I'd have to agree with Bennie 100%, theres no more I can add apart from IMO a prime Mugabi was P4P better than Mclellan.
Also, Mugabi seemed to be rated no1 by the WBC (at 154) for years. The truth is that both Hearns and Curry avoided him.
Mugabi had to fight Hagler as none of the champions at 154 would fight him.
I'm not sure that Mugabi would have beaten Hearns or Curry but they did avoid him. Mickey Duff was calling out Hearns and Duran from as early as 1983?, when Mugabi KO'd Curtis Parker in 1.
As for Curry, rather than fight his no1 contender, he went to France and fought Jacquot and lost the title. (Although Mugabi was past it by then).
Whats your opinion, Bennie?
Also, Mugabi seemed to be rated no1 by the WBC (at 154) for years. The truth is that both Hearns and Curry avoided him.
Mugabi had to fight Hagler as none of the champions at 154 would fight him.
I'm not sure that Mugabi would have beaten Hearns or Curry but they did avoid him. Mickey Duff was calling out Hearns and Duran from as early as 1983?, when Mugabi KO'd Curtis Parker in 1.
As for Curry, rather than fight his no1 contender, he went to France and fought Jacquot and lost the title. (Although Mugabi was past it by then).
Whats your opinion, Bennie?
I am somewhat relieved, KnockoutArtist and Bennie, that you have sided with me on favouring Mugabi. I thought I was heading for a whitewash in terms of counter opinions.
Good analysis of Mugabi's career, Bennie. He gave Hagler a barrel load of trouble for a good few rounds in his title shot and Hagler, as we all know, was a far superior boxer to Nigel Benn.
I was a big fan of Benn and his frequently reckless but exciting style. Like you though, I feel a peak Mugabi would have been way too strong for him. The again, to state the obvious, Benn was capable of knocking out almost any middleweight in the world.
Good analysis of Mugabi's career, Bennie. He gave Hagler a barrel load of trouble for a good few rounds in his title shot and Hagler, as we all know, was a far superior boxer to Nigel Benn.
I was a big fan of Benn and his frequently reckless but exciting style. Like you though, I feel a peak Mugabi would have been way too strong for him. The again, to state the obvious, Benn was capable of knocking out almost any middleweight in the world.
It does seem strange that, despite his WBC number one ranking at light-middle, Mugabi was unable to secure a shot at Hearns and in the end had to move up and fight the mighty Hagler. It proves what a puncher he was that he was still able to rock Hagler early with a sickening right uppercut and fight on relatively even terms till he was outlasted in the 11th round.knockout artist wrote:I'd have to agree with Bennie 100%, theres no more I can add apart from IMO a prime Mugabi was P4P better than Mclellan.
Also, Mugabi seemed to be rated no1 by the WBC (at 154) for years. The truth is that both Hearns and Curry avoided him.
Mugabi had to fight Hagler as none of the champions at 154 would fight him.
I'm not sure that Mugabi would have beaten Hearns or Curry but they did avoid him. Mickey Duff was calling out Hearns and Duran from as early as 1983?, when Mugabi KO'd Curtis Parker in 1.
As for Curry, rather than fight his no1 contender, he went to France and fought Jacquot and lost the title. (Although Mugabi was past it by then).
Whats your opinion, Bennie?
Mickey Duff in his autobiography "Twenty and Out", doesn't go into any detail about Mugabi's light-middleweight ranking. He talks about the Hagler fight of course. "I was convinced John had a good chance to beat Hagler," he writes, "You could see opponents' faces drain of colour when Mugabi hit them. The one nagging doubt in my mind was that I could not get him to work 15 rounds in the gym. Every time he got to nine or ten rounds, he would break off and say: 'That's it. No more. Finished.'
And there was nothing you could do to persuade him to carry on."
Duff also details Mugabi's love of big-spending and how Hagler once approached him at a function and asked coldly: "Did you steal John Mugabi's money?"
"You must be joking."
"You know, he got half a million dollars to fight me," continued Hagler. "How can a guy like that end up broke?"
Duff then revealed that Mugabi had cleared 320,000 dollars for the fight after all deductions and yet six weeks later had phoned him to ask for money for an air ticket.
Duff concludes: "At my induction into the Hall of Fame, Hagler was there. He must have taken in what I said, gone away and done some checking because he got up and spoke. "I said something to Mickey Duff once. He knows what it was and I know. And I want to make a public apology."
Incidentally, Duff rates Hagler as the greatest middleweight in history.
Re: John Mugabi v Nigel Benn
Interesting one.
Re: John Mugabi v Nigel Benn
Mugabi for me.
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Mimmy
- Heavyweight
Re: John Mugabi v Nigel Benn
What a mtchup this would have been. Mugabi had a fkucing good punch. I think it would be similar to Mclennan tbh. As for the outcome im not sure. Benn was a banger too. I'm on the fence but I would be sitting closer to Benn's side of it.