BoxRec

Who would you pick in their primes?

For that matter, how about John Mugabi vs. Antonio Tarver?

You do know Mugabi was a light middle right?

This matchup makes me laugh.
Two weeks ago, I would have said that Mugabi had a good chance, but I got The Beast's career on DVD and I have reevaluated the Beast as a result.
Anyone who saw the Frank Fletcher fight should have known that Hagler would eat Mugabi up, I can't see why Mugabi was considered a threat.
If anything, the Mugabi fight hows how far Hagler had regressed, IMHO.
Fletcher being a southpaw caused Mugabi no end of problems - Nunn would have been a nightmare for Mugabi (interesting that Hagler fought the first few rounds against Mugabi from orthodox - much like he did Leanord).

Newbie_71 wrote:Who would you pick in their primes?

For that matter, how about John Mugabi vs. Antonio Tarver?

Oh, welcome to boxrec, by the way. Not a bad first post, you came up with a theoretical matchup that has not been suggested before (to my knowledge).

If Nunn wants to he can win handily. If he gets silly and starts trading then Mugabi can get to him. The thing is John will be looking to blast him out with single shots rather than wear him down for the KO. I go with Nunn over 15 or a late stoppage.

bigzab wrote:
This matchup makes me laugh.
Two weeks ago, I would have said that Mugabi had a good chance, but I got The Beast's career on DVD and I have reevaluated the Beast as a result.
Anyone who saw the Frank Fletcher fight should have known that Hagler would eat Mugabi up, I can't see why Mugabi was considered a threat.
If anything, the Mugabi fight hows how far Hagler had regressed, IMHO.
Fletcher being a southpaw caused Mugabi no end of problems - Nunn would have been a nightmare for Mugabi (interesting that Hagler fought the first few rounds against Mugabi from orthodox - much like he did Leanord).

You clearly didn't see the colour drain from the faces of opponents when Mugabi first tagged them.

bennie wrote:

bigzab wrote:
This matchup makes me laugh.
Two weeks ago, I would have said that Mugabi had a good chance, but I got The Beast's career on DVD and I have reevaluated the Beast as a result.
Anyone who saw the Frank Fletcher fight should have known that Hagler would eat Mugabi up, I can't see why Mugabi was considered a threat.
If anything, the Mugabi fight hows how far Hagler had regressed, IMHO.
Fletcher being a southpaw caused Mugabi no end of problems - Nunn would have been a nightmare for Mugabi (interesting that Hagler fought the first few rounds against Mugabi from orthodox - much like he did Leanord).

You clearly didn't see the colour drain from the faces of opponents when Mugabi first tagged them.

Yes, can't help but be impressed by Mugabi's power, no doubt about that, but I still could not see why anyone would have thought he had a chance against Hagler - (or maybe it's too easy for me to say that 20 years after the event!). As someone already pointed out, Mugabi was a Light-Middle, and Hagler's chin was proven.
Talk about colour draining from face - WILBERT JOHNSON! The guy looked like the blood had been sucked out of him! Any older guys here remember the Vampire? - Came out of a Coffin to enter the ring

Oh yeah, have to add, Duane Thomas looked like he was shitting himself when he got tagged by Mugabi, and could not hide the fact that he was surprised as hell at what happened off one LUCKY punch.
And if anyone has the fight, check out Fletchers facial expressions during his fight with the beast - hilarious!

bigzab wrote:Oh yeah, have to add, Duane Thomas looked like he was shitting himself when he got tagged by Mugabi, and could not hide the fact that he was surprised as hell at what happened off one LUCKY punch.
And if anyone has the fight, check out Fletchers facial expressions during his fight with the beast - hilarious!

Mugabi landed dozens of shots on Hard Rock Green without making him change facial expression. That Green was a tough bloke.

That's quite an interesting little fight. Who can forget Mickey Duff begging Mugabi to dig deep when Mugabi looks to want to quit. "John, if you won't do it for me, do it for the father" - an allusion to some catholic priest Mugabi had befriended (or vice versa) and who was at the fight.

Collins2000 wrote: Who can forget Mickey Duff begging Mugabi to dig deep when Mugabi looks to want to quit. "John, if you won't do it for me, do it for the father" - an allusion to some catholic priest Mugabi had befriended (or vice versa) and who was at the fight.

During Mugabi's fight with Hagler there was another young guy in his corner, curly red hair on him who was also imploring him to dig deep.. "WE BELIIIEEEVE IN YOU JOHN!!, WE BELIIIEEEEVE IN YOU JOHN!!! (anybody know who the guy was?)

Is Hard Rock the guy who had Lou Duva in his corner? Landed some good shots on Mugabi? Didn't watch that fight all the way through yet, but saw some of it, he did take Mugabi's best punches and was still fighting back.

Collins, clarify - are you talking about the Hagler fight, when Duff exhorted Mugabi to 'do it for the father'. Or was the father a source of motivation in the Green fight also?

Broncano wrote:

Collins2000 wrote: Who can forget Mickey Duff begging Mugabi to dig deep when Mugabi looks to want to quit. "John, if you won't do it for me, do it for the father" - an allusion to some catholic priest Mugabi had befriended (or vice versa) and who was at the fight.

During Mugabi's fight with Hagler there was another young guy in his corner, curly red hair on him who was also imploring him to dig deep.. "WE BELIIIEEEVE IN YOU JOHN!!, WE BELIIIEEEEVE IN YOU JOHN!!! (anybody know who the guy was?)

YOU CAN DO IT JOHN!

bigzab wrote:Is Hard Rock the guy who had Lou Duva in his corner? Landed some good shots on Mugabi? Didn't watch that fight all the way through yet, but saw some of it, he did take Mugabi's best punches and was still fighting back.

Collins, clarify - are you talking about the Hagler fight, when Duff exhorted Mugabi to 'do it for the father'. Or was the father a source of motivation in the Green fight also?

It's the James Green fight where I heard Duff say those exact words. It was between rounds and Mugabi was starting to look very disinterested in the fight which was turning into a much harder battle than I think he expected.

Maybe Duff repeated them in the Hagler fight. I don't recall it though. It did seem to give Mugabi a bit of a second wind in the Green fight so I can well imagine Duff giving them a 2nd airing in the Hagler fight.

Hard Rock Green almost stopped Mugabi in the 4th round. He had the Beast out on his fight, and he was saved by the bell. I remember when both guys came into the ring, instead of being another lamb for the slaughter, Hard Rock walked up to the Beast, and with a fierce look, pointed at him and yelled "You goin down".

On the original subject, Nunn was too good for Mugabi. Being a 6-3 southpaw, he'd be a nightmare for Mugabi. 88-89 probably stops Mugabi in 10.

bigzab wrote:
This matchup makes me laugh.
Two weeks ago, I would have said that Mugabi had a good chance, but I got The Beast's career on DVD and I have reevaluated the Beast as a result.
Anyone who saw the Frank Fletcher fight should have known that Hagler would eat Mugabi up, I can't see why Mugabi was considered a threat.
If anything, the Mugabi fight hows how far Hagler had regressed, IMHO.
Fletcher being a southpaw caused Mugabi no end of problems - Nunn would have been a nightmare for Mugabi (interesting that Hagler fought the first few rounds against Mugabi from orthodox - much like he did Leanord).

No end of problems? Mugabi decapitated him in four. As for the Hagler fight it was the toughest of Marvins career. Mugabi could have been a long reingning champ, but he was ill disciplined.

As for Mugabi v Nunn, a good moving SP would always give John problems. Nunn by decision 116-112