Los Angeles (AFP)

His left paw will remain as one of the most devastating in the history of noble art: the American Marvin Hagler died suddenly at the age of 66 on Saturday, leaving boxing orphaned by one of its greatest champions and fiercest pugilists .

“I'm sorry to bring you such sad news. Today, unfortunately, my beloved + Marvelous + Marvin husband unexpectedly passed away at his home here in New Hampshire,” his wife, Kay G. Hagler, in a post on her late husband's Facebook page.

“Marvin Hagler was one of the greatest boxers Top Rank had ever promoted. He was a man of honor and a man of his word, and he acted in the ring with unparalleled determination. He was a true sportsman. and a real man. I will miss him dearly, "reacted his former promoter Bob Arum in a statement.

Extremely formidable fighter, warrior's gaze under his bald head, Hagler was an undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987 and, more simply, one of the best boxers in history, offering fans memorable fights, especially against Thomas Hearns , Sugar Ray Leonard or the Panamanian Roberto Duran.

During his unchallenged reign, he retained the WBA, WBC and IBF titles by twelve consecutive victorious defenses, which was the second longest unifying reign in boxing history.

- "The war" with Hearns -

His aggressive and powerful boxing made him an outstanding finisher.

Of his 62 victories in 67 professional fights, 52 were by knockout.

He also conceded two draws and three losses.

Born May 23, 1954 in Newark, New Jersey, Marvin Nathaniel Hagler, whose real name was, took a long time to reach the heights.

He started his career in 1973 and won the WBA and WBC middleweight titles seven years later at the expense of England's Alan Minter.

If we had to retain three of his fights, the first would be without hesitation, without respecting the chronological order, the one which opposed him to Hearns on April 15, 1985 at Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas.

Rightly called "The War" by the media of the time, it was of a violence rarely seen in a ring, so much the two boxers surrendered blow for blow, without backing down.

Hagler, early cut to the forehead and risking a stop by the referee at his expense at any moment, finally managed to send to the all-in "The Hitman" after three rounds.

A little more than eight minutes of anthology, which constituted the fight of the year 1985.

- Controversial loss -

Two years earlier, still at Ceasar's Palace, it was another fierce confrontation he delivered against Roberto Duran, not for nothing nicknamed "hands of stone".

In the 13th round, the Panamanian led in points, until Hagler, despite a cut above one eye, finally regained the upper hand and won after 15 rounds, by unanimous decision of the judges.

Finally, his last battle was that of 1987 which cost him his titles against Leonard, just out of his retirement after an operation to an eye and who, unlike the "former victims" of "Marvelous", managed to avoid his blows while throughout the twelve occasions.

The judges then praised this performance rather than Hagler's efforts to box forward, which had been seen as a highly controversial decision.

Failing to obtain a rematch, Leonard having decided to resume his retirement, Hagler decided to hang up the gloves in turn, at 33 years old.

Inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993, he then tried a career in cinema, with much less prominent roles in B or Z series, such as "Virtual Weapon" alongside Terence Hill , ex-star of "spaghetti westerns".

Father of five children, from a first marriage, he went to live in Italy for a while in the early 2000s, where he got married for a second time with Kay.

© 2021 AFP