Terry Norris was supposed to be simply a fleet-footed boxer with a snapping jab, the perfect antithesis of a plodding, knockout artist like John "The Beast" Mugabi. Supposed to be is the operative phrase there. Norris' threw sledgehammer-like haymakers and the only thing fleet was how quickly he knocked out Mugabi, the champion, to win the World Boxing Council super-welterweight title on Saturday afternoon at the Sun Dome. Norris (25-3 and 14 knockouts) floored Mugabi (37-3) about one minute into the first round with a thunderous left hook and then ended the fight with a swooping right at 2:47 of the round. "All people used to talk about was my speed," said Norris, 22, already the North American Boxing Federation super welterweight champ. "They didn't think I had any power. Well, now they can talk about my speed and my power." Norris (153} pounds) said he originally planned to stick and move, making Mugabi (154 pounds) chase him. But he dumped that strategy seconds into the fight, which was televised nationally on ABC (but blacked out in the Tampa Bay market). "I had anticipated him coming out fast and I was ready to move, but he shot that lazy jab to the body slowly," Norris said. "He was like in slow motion. That why I started to attack him." When Mugabi, who was one of only two champions to win every fight by knockout, missed with a right, Norris fired back with a left hook, landing flush on the side of the head. Mugabi's legs buckled as he sunk to the floor. Meanwhile, the once boisterous crowd of 2,142 fans, most of whom were pulling for Tampa's adopted son, collectively gasped and grew silent. "John was in fantastic shape and his legs went out," said Jimmy Williams, Mugabi's trainer. "I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't have believed it." Mugabi staggered to his feet, just beating referee Eddie Eckert's count, reached for his mouthpiece that was hanging from his lips and dropped it. A tell-tale sign. Although his corner was yelling, desperately pleading for Mugabi to "tie him up, oh God, hold on, hold on," Mugabi kept coming ahead. Right into more punishment. Norris tagged him again and with his knees resembling Jell-o, Mugabi nearly went down again, reaching out and catching himself on Norris' legs. "He should have been holding on, but he was trying to fight back," said manager Mickey Duff. "His full faculties weren't there and he did what came naturally. But he never got over that first hook. Everything else was just window dressing." Mugabi, who never broke a sweat, did land a grazing right, but Norris never slowed down. He simply relaxed and stalked "The Beast," just waiting for an opening. With just seconds left in the round, Norris cornered Mugabi, pumped a left jab at him _ almost the only jab he threw _ and then roared back with a devastating right hand. Mugabi crumbled, hitting the canvas face down, and was counted out in that prone position. Mugabi, who was making his first title defense, lost for the first time since May 12, 1986 _ 12 fights ago. Norris earned $30,000, while Mugabi, who left the Sun Dome without pausing to answer any questions, will receive $150,000. In other action, Willie Monroe (19-1-1) stopped Ricky Stackhouse (23-12-1) 46 seconds into the sixth round of their 10-round middleweight fight, and heavyweight Jesse Ferguson (17-5), who once beat James "Buster" Douglas, stopped Terry Armstrong (12-10) with 1:41 left in the sixth of their 10-rounder. Also, super middleweight Ron Esset (20-3-2) of Clearwater knocked down Phil Lewis (10-8-2) three times in the first round for a TKO. Junior-middleweight Gerald Coleman of Tampa kept his record perfect (4-0) with a first-round knockout of Ronald Foreman (0-1). McGirt stops Ayers in 2nd round ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. _ Buddy McGirt, the IBF's No. 2 ranked welterweight, stopped Tommy Ayers in the second round of a scheduled 10-round fight Saturday.