Marvin Hagler was blown away by a dangerous fighter’s ferocious power.
During his astonishing career, ‘Marvelous’ cemented his status as a thunderous puncher, with the prospect of having to absorb his devastating body attacks sending shivers down the spines of every boxer who set foot inside the ring with him.
In an iconic showdown, Hagler knocked out Thomas Hearns to retain the WBA, WBC, IBF and Ring Magazine world titles.
After securing the win, the boxer put his belts on the line once more against a man who carried dynamite in his fists.
WOW: Marvin Hagler face planted his opponent in 67 seconds to defend world championship
Marvin Hagler said John Mugabi is the hardest puncher he fought
On March 10, 1986, Marvin Hagler went to war with John Mugabi, who’d knocked out all 26 of his previous opponents.
The pair exchanged brutal blows, with the legendary champion finishing his previously undefeated opponent in the eleventh round.
When asked who the hardest hitter he ever faced was, Hagler told The Ring Magazine: “I believe he put on more weight before the fight. I could feel his body against me. He felt like a light heavyweight; he didn’t feel like a middleweight.
“When he threw punches, they were all deadly, very hard punches. This guy felt like a light heavyweight to me, so I had to wear him down, to take away some of that strength.
“Mugabi hit me with an uppercut. It didn’t hurt, but it was a hard punch, and I learned something from that. I had to regroup and come up with a different strategy.”
Sugar Ray Leonard got ‘knocked out’ in sparring before Marvin Hagler fight
Following his win over Mugabi, Hearns suffered a close and controversial defeat to the great Sugar Ray Leonard.
Surprisingly, the victor hadn’t had ideal preparation leading up to the bout.
On a particularly tough day of training camp, the skilled operator sparred a big puncher.
In a testament to his honesty, Leonard claims he got knocked out right before the Hearns fight.