In terribly sad news, it’s been reported – first by Kevin Iole – that absolute warrior Greg Haugen has died, this at age 64. Greg, known, of course, as “Mutt” during his thrilling, he-fought-them-all ring career, lost his around three-year battle with colon cancer.
Greg was without any doubt a real throwback fighter, a man who would never, ever back down from any fight, from any challenge. One look at Greg Lee Haugen’s ring resume lets any fan know instantly what a warrior he really was: Jeff Bumphus, Freddie Roach, Jimmy Paul, Vinny Paz (these two being real bad blood adversaries), Pernell Whitaker, Hector Camacho, Ray Mancini, Julio Cesar Chavez, and Tony Lopez. Yeah, Greg really did rumble with all of them.
Diagnosed with a form of the most cruel decease there is, this in 2023, Greg said, typically, that he would fight as best he could while at the same time letting the chips fall where they may.
“I was diagnosed with colon cancer,” Greg told me in 2023. “But I hope I can beat this. But s*** happens. We’re only here for a short while anyway.”
The sheer bravery Greg displayed upon hearing how he had been diagnosed with his, as it turned out, fatally bad news, impressed me immensely. It was similar to the guts and bravery Greg showed during all of his fights in the ring.
Greg will be sadly missed. And that’s a massive understatement. It’s a cliché, yes, but the sport of boxing will never see another Greg Haugen.
Final record: 40-10-1 –2 NC (19 KO). World champion at lightweight, light-welterweight. Scored wins over – Camacho, Roach, Paz, Paul, Mancini, and others. Retired from the ring in 1999.
Greg lived from August 31 of 1960 to February 23 of 2025.
“Mutt” was a great.
