Mugabi was an excellent fighter overall. Unfortunately he thrived in the same era of even more brilliant champions. You can't really rank him among the very greats, but at his best he could have given a few problems to people such as Tommy Hearns and Mike McCallum.
He showed toughness against Hagler, especially in the middle rounds when Marvin really tried to put him away. Even though Mugabi was taller/longer, he moved up for that fight, took Hagler deeper than most of his championship opponents. But after that, his punch resistance always seemed questionable.
He's a hard one to rate. Mugabi would be trouble for a lot of people at 154. He was big for the weight and hit very hard. But he doesn't have a great list of wins and having 2 first round losses hurts his reputation, even though they were to HOFers. Off the top of my head I can't think of any great fighter with 2 KO1 losses.
If he was around now I don't see him beating Charlo but he would probably be top 5 in the division.
He showed toughness against Hagler, especially in the middle rounds when Marvin really tried to put him away. Even though Mugabi was taller/longer, he moved up for that fight, took Hagler deeper than most of his championship opponents. But after that, his punch resistance always seemed questionable.
He's a hard one to rate. Mugabi would be trouble for a lot of people at 154. He was big for the weight and hit very hard. But he doesn't have a great list of wins and having 2 first round losses hurts his reputation, even though they were to HOFers. Off the top of my head I can't think of any great fighter with 2 KO1 losses.
If he was around now I don't see him beating Charlo but he would probably be top 5 in the division.
It seems its the same answer like the other ones.. Vulnerable chin. Not glass, but vulnerable.
Same with Cleveland Williams. If you have everything but the chin you won't make it to the very top.
John Mugabi was part of an unusually talented group of light-middleweights and middleweights during the 1980s. He is listed #38 on Ring ****zine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. The Beast was a very good, but not great, fighter, who lived and died with his power. He either knocked out or was knocked out.
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