Predictors are out in force ahead of the July 2 matchup between Jeff “Fighting Schoolteacher” Horn and Manny “Fightin’ Pilipino Senator” Pacquiao at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
One of those tippers is John “The Beast” Mugbai, who like Horn, was known for heavy-handed punches from both hands that could stagger opponents. Mugbai once lasted 11 round in Las Vegas against former world middleweight champion Marvin “Marvelous Marvin” Hagler in 1986.
Mugbai says that Horn could shock Pacquiao and he is a frequent visitor to the Brisbane gym of Horn’s strength and conditioning coach Dundee “Crocodile Dundee” Kim. Disclosure: So far as we know, Kim does not go by the nickname “Crocodile Dundee.”
When Mugbai met Hagler in 1986, he was the hold of a 25 fights for 25 knockout wins. He landed enough heavy punches that even though he lost the fight, Hagler never won again.
Mugbai was an expert at taking out opponents in the early rounds and he says that strategy would serve Horn well. Mugbai won the silver medal for Uganda in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games that the U.S., now firmly entrenched, boycotted in protest of Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan. History does indeed repeat, doesn’t it?
The prediction here at “Will Write Words for Food” is pending, although we do slightly favour, only slightly, any schoolteacher over any politician.
