Hearns vs Mugabi 1985

If Jose Sulaiman had gotten his way, Hagler vs Hearns would never have happened and Hearns would have faced the unbeaten wrecking machine John "The Beast" Mugabi at 154 lbs instead.

Hearns was 40-1 (34 KOs), Mugabi 23-0 (23 KOs) - who wins at 154?

Mugabi was deliberately fed guys that stood in front of him for most of his career....Did he ever beat anybody world class ??..Not sure he ever did !!

Made his name by extending a declining Hagler who fought a shocking fight...

Question about Mugabi's heart too....Lane thought he quit against Marv and we know he quit against Thomas....But maybe those questions are harsh..

Mugabi though had power and there is hope he lands the big one..

Hearns though was better in all departments bar chin...

My guess is it's Hearns v Barkley 1 without the lottery punch..

Loved to have seen it though...Paid to watch this one..

Think that Hearns would have won it comfortably. The only chance Mugabi had is that he probably had a better chin. Other than that Hearns, had him beat in all departments, probably had him beat as a puncher too.

If you can envisage both men putting in the shift they did against Hagler then wow - what a war it would have been. Hearns may have been the greatest 154 pounder of all - tough to go against him but what a performance Mugabi put in against Hagler. He left a lot in the ring that night.

It's more of a styles thing for me haz.

Duran went the distance with Hagler but got totally rolled like a drunk against Hearns. I think that Hearns would have diposed of Mugabi easier than Hagler did. Hearns just brought different tools to the table.

Can't really see past a quick blow out; Hearns has the power to end it early and Mugabi doesn't have the chin or skill to avoid him for long.

Have to agree, at 154 Hearns was at his peak and Mugabi's legacy is all based on a losing effort to Hagler. Yes he would have posed a threat but only if he got a chance and at that weight Tommy gave no one a chance

The consensus views that mugabi's record was built on stiffs and that hearns was in his pomp at 154 are certainly hard to argue with.

However, Tommy didn't roll everyone at 154, far from it infact and its often forgotten that mugabi was really a natural light middle himself. Irrespective of who he was sparking, the man could punch, and he shipped a ton of hagler's best shots before succumbing. He'd have been unbeaten coming into this fight... a very different beast to the guy we saw later in his career.  He was never a fluid mover, but personally, despite him going on an unbeaten run, he never looked the same post hagler... stiff legged and plodding.

But taking the guy who went to war with hagler for 11 rounds not just 3   ... and considering just a few years later hearns could get hail mary'd by barkley and then struggle with kinchen, its not that big a stretch to suggest mugabi could make Tommy sweat.

Ultiimately, although Mugabi was an olympic medalist, he was pretty crude. This would have been a war while it lasted, and given how open mugabi was its easy to see tommy having a field day with the right hand.

So Hearns the obvious call, and he'd be my pick, but just not a forgone conclusion for me that Tommy doesn't get tagged while he's unloading... and if he does, he isn't getting up.

milkyboy wrote:The consensus views that mugabi's record was built on stiffs and that hearns was in his pomp at 154 are certainly hard to argue with.

However, Tommy didn't roll everyone at 154, far from it infact and its often forgotten that mugabi was really a natural light middle himself. Irrespective of who he was sparking, the man could punch, and he shipped a ton of hagler's best shots before succumbing. He'd have been unbeaten coming into this fight... a very different beast to the guy we saw later in his career.  He was never a fluid mover, but personally, despite him going on an unbeaten run, he never looked the same post hagler... stiff legged and plodding.

But taking the guy who went to war with hagler for 11 rounds not just 3   ... and considering just a few years later hearns could get hail mary'd by barkley and then struggle with kinchen, its not that big a stretch to suggest mugabi could make Tommy sweat.

Ultiimately, although Mugabi was an olympic medalist, he was pretty crude. This would have been a war while it lasted, and given how open mugabi was its easy to see tommy having a field day with the right hand.

So Hearns the obvious call, and he'd be my pick, but just not a forgone conclusion for me that Tommy doesn't get tagged while he's unloading... and if he does, he isn't getting up.

Yep, I'm on the same page as you with this one.