John Mugabi

John Mugabi (born March 4, 1960) is a Ugandan former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 1991, and 1996 to 1999.

He was also a silver medallist at the 1976 Junior World Championships, losing to Herol Graham in the final.

1976 Junior World Championships

Additionally, Mugabi won a bronze medal at the 1978 All-Africa Games in the light-welterweight division.

World Championships (63,5 kg), Belgrade, Yugoslavia, May 1978:

All-Africa Games, Algiers, Algeria, July 1978:

Golden Boat Tournament (67 kg), Łódź, Poland, February 1979:

TSC Tournament (67 kg), East Berlin, East Germany, October 1979:

Mugabi was part of an exceptionally talented group of light-middleweights and middleweights during a "golden era" of the 1980s which included Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Wilfred Benítez, and Roberto Durán.

As an amateur, Mugabi won a silver medal in the welterweight division at the 1980 Summer Olympics, and was the only medallist for Uganda at the event.

He is listed #38 on Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time

Representing Uganda, Mugabi was the Silver medalist at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, boxing in the Welterweight class.

Mugabi lost to Andrés Aldama of Cuba in the final.

Olympic Games (67 kg), Moscow, Soviet Union, July-August 1980:

John Mugabi started as a professional on December 5, 1980, by knocking out Oemer Karadenis in round one in Cologne.

Soon after that win, Mugabi moved to London where he became acquainted with boxing promoter Mickey Duff, an expert in boxer marketing who landed Mugabi various fights in England and built his reputation there.

Mugabi won eight fights in Europe.

Searching for more formidable foes, John moved to Florida where he became a favourite of American TV networks with his sensational knockouts of contenders such as Curtis Ramsey, Gary Guiden, former world champion Eddie Gazo, Curtis Parker, Frank The Animal Fletcher, Nino Gonzalez and Earl Hargrove through a display of tenacity and ferociousness.

'The Beast’ as he would become known (for his ferocious attacks and untamable style—bashing his prey with overhand rights and wild left hooks) was able to fluctuate his weight between middleweight and junior middleweight.

Some people lose effectiveness by changing weight classes, but not Mugabi.

He was able to knock out every opponent he faced to that point of his career.

Mugabi’s first victory of note came on May 2, 1982, when he took on veteran Curtis Ramsey.

1983 was a busy calendar year for the Beast.

In that year he took on Gary Guiden, who had just come off of a Championship fight against Davey Moore; Mugabi stopped him in three.

Many started speculating about Mugabi’s role in the future of the Junior Middleweight and Middleweight divisions.

The fact Mugabi easily made the weight at both divisions made him more intriguing than most prospects.

Nicaraguan, Eddie Gazo, a former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion provided Mugabi with his first real test.

Gazo went rounds with Mugabi, but ‘The Beast’ ended things the way he always did.

Mugabi was simply stronger and faster tactically overwhelming the busier Gazo.

In the same year, Mugabi took on Curtis Parker (a former Pennsylvania Golden Gloves amateur champion )The ‘meeting’ with Curtis Parker was on national television.

Parker was an established fighter, but Mugabi’s destruction of Parker was savage.

It was the first time that Parker had lost a bout by knockout.

In February 1984 Mugabi’s ability to take adversity was tested by James ‘Hard Rock’ Green.

He held the WBC super-welterweight title from 1989 to 1990, and challenged twice for world titles at middleweight, including the undisputed championship.

Mugabi slowly took control of the fight until it was stopped in the 10th round, with Mugabi declared the winner by technical knockout.

The bout between ‘The Beast’ and Frank ‘The Animal’ Fletcher marked a quiet maturity that marked Mugabi’s transformation from being what had been dubbed a ‘banger’ with raw power to a refined tactical boxer.

The Beast hurt his prey, gently testing with his jabs and then in the 4th round a couple of roundhouse punches and a haymaker travelling all the way from his waist caught Fletcher asleep—the fight ended with Fletcher’s body between the ropes.

On his way to becoming the number one contender for the middleweight title of each of the three major sanctioning bodies (WBA, WBC, and IBF), Mugabi ran roughshod over the division and finished each of his opponents inside the distance.

Mugabi's ferocity was captured by Phil Berger.

It was Mugabi’s 11th bout and he took care of the American in two rounds in Atlantic City, New Jersey.