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Philippines, 02 Mar 2026 |
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SPORTS SHORTS 82: IN MEMORIAM MARVELOUS MARVIN HAGLER By Maloney L. Samaco PhilBoxing.com Wed, 17 Mar 2021  Marvelous Marvin Hagler was born Marvin Nathaniel Hagler on May 23, 1954 in Newark, New Jersey. Due to the Newark Riots in July 1967, in which 26 people were killed and $11 million in property damage resulted, with the Haglers' tenement destroyed, his family moved to Brockton, Massachusetts. * * * He ruled as undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987, defending successfully his title twelve times, and holding the highest knockout percentage among all undisputed middleweight champions at 78 percent, at the same time reigning as the third-longest unified champion in boxing history. * * * At six years and seven months, his reign as undisputed middleweight champion is the second-longest of the last century behind only Tony Zale, from July 1940 to July 1947, whose reign included four years from 1942 to 1946 of inactivity during his service in World War II. * * * In 1982, exasperated that boxing commentators often did not call him by his nickname "Marvelous", Hagler legally changed his name to "Marvelous Marvin Hagler". * * * Hagler was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He was named Fighter of the Decade in the 1980s by Boxing Illustrated magazine, and twice named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America. * * * In 2001 and 2004, The Ring listed him as the fourth greatest middleweight of all time and in 2002 named him the 17th greatest fighter of the past 69 years. The International Boxing Research Organization ranked Hagler as the 6th greatest middleweight of all time, while BoxRec listed him the 29th greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound. * * * Many boxing experts and scribes regarded Hagler as having one of the most durable chins in boxing history, being knocked down only once during the entire professional career, by Juan Roldán of Argentina, and the said knockdown is still being disputed as official or a slip. * * * In 1969, Hagler took up boxing after being attacked on the street by a local boxer, whom he later defeated, while his friends were watching. The very next day after being beaten up, Hagler, decided to become a boxer, and joined a gym owned by brothers Pat and Goody Petronelli, who later on became his trainers and managers. * * * Hagler has to be 16-years old in order to join some amateur tournaments, so he lied about his age, saying that he was born in 1952 instead of 1954. * * * Hagler's real birth year was publicly revealed in 1982 when he had to officially indicate his date of birth in order to change his legal name from Marvin Nathaniel Hagler to Marvelous Marvin Hagler. * * * In 1973, Hagler won the National Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) middleweight title after defeating a U.S. Marine from Atlanta, Georgia, Terry Dobbs. He finished his amateur career with a 55–1 record. * * * He found it hard to find big-name opponents who are willing to face him in his early years. Joe Frazier told Hagler, "You have three strikes against you, "You're black, you're a southpaw, and you're good." * * * He often had to fight on his opponents' hometowns before hostile crowd to engage in bouts. His first loss was dealt by American Bobby Watts by majority decision. His first big chance came when he was offered, on two weeks' notice, a chance against Willie "The Worm" Monroe, who was being trained by Frazier. * * * Hagler lost a close decision, so Monroe gave him a rematch. This time Hagler knocked out Monroe in 12 rounds. In the third fight, he stopped Monroe in two rounds. * * * In November 1979, Hagler fought world middleweight champion Vito Antuofermo of Italy at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. After fifteen rounds, most ringside observers thought that Hagler had won, but the result was a controversial split draw, with Antuofermo retaining the title. * * * Hagler demolished British Alan Minter as referee Carlos Berrocal stopped the fight with four big cuts on Minter's face and a riot broke out among the spectators at the Wembley Stadium. After seven years and 50 fights, Hagler won as the world undisputed middleweight champion. * * * He went on to defend his title seven times by stoppage, defeating Syrian Mustafa Hamsho by 11th round TKO, American William Lee by 1st round TKO, Venezuelan Fulgencio Obelmejias by 5th round TKO, British Tony Sibson by 6th round TKO, and American Wilford Scypion by th round KO. * * * Roberto Durán was the first challenger to went the distance with Hagler in a world-championship bout. Durán was then the WBA light middleweight champion and went up in weight to challenge for Hagler's middleweight crown. Hagler won by a unanimous 15-round decision. * * * On April 15, 1985, Hagler and Thomas Hearns met in what was billed as "The Fight" later known as "The War".The fight lasted only eight minutes and one second, but it was universally regarded as a classic fight. The fight was named "Fight of the Year" by The Ring. * * * The fight with Olympic silver medalist John Mugabi of Uganda, who was 26–0 with 26 knockouts and was ranked the number one contender by all three major bodies WBA, WBC and IBF took place on March 10, 1986. Hagler stopped Mugabi in the 11th round in a savage fight. * * * Hagler's next challenger was Sugar Ray Leonard, who was returning to the ring after a three-year retirement. The fight took place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on April 6, 1987. Hagler was the clear betting favorite after a dominant six and a half years as the reigning undisputed middleweight champion of the world. * * * Leonard threw 629 punches and landed 306, while Hagler threw 792 and landed 291. The verdict was a split decision in favor of Leonard. JoJo Guerra scored it 118–110 for Leonard, Dave Moretti had it 115–113 for Leonard, and only Lou Filippo saw it for Hagler, 115–113. * * * Hagler wanted a rematch but Leonard retired again, the third of five celebrated retirements declared by Leonard during his professional boxing career. Fourteen months after their fight, Hagler retired from boxing in June 1988, announcing that he was "tired of waiting" for Leonard rematch. * * * In 1990, Leonard finally offered Hagler a rematch which reportedly would have earned him $15 million, but he declined. By then, Hagler had established himself in a new life as an actor in Italy and was not interested in his past boxing life. * * * Hagler had a professional record of 62 wins, 52 by KOs, 3 losses and 2 draws. Nine of his wins were by decision and one is by disqualification. * * * The sports world lost a legend on Saturday as Marvelous Marvin Hagler died at the age of 66. Hagler’s wife Kay announced it on Hagler’s fan club page on Facebook. * * * “I am sorry to make a very sad announcement. Today unfortunately my beloved husband Marvelous Marvin passed away unexpectedly at his home here in New Hampshire. Our family requests that you respect our privacy during this difficult time,” she wrote. * * * Rest in Peace Marvelous one. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.  |
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