Boxing: 'Marvelous' Middleweight Legend Marvin Hagler Has Passed Away
"Marvelous" Marvin Hagler after his victory against Roberto Duran on November 10, 1983. AP - Anonymous
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
6 mins
The boxing world is in mourning.
On Saturday March 13, "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler died.
The American boxer went away "unexpectedly" at the age of 66, his wife announced.
Undisputed world middleweight champion in the 1980s, he fought several epic fights.
Marvin Hagler leaves a great mark in the history of noble art.
Publicity
Read more
"Marvelous" ("The Marvelous") is no more.
Fierce, "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler was on the rings.
It was as brutally as he left.
It is his wife, Kay, who transmitted the sad information on
social networks
, Saturday March 13: “
I am sorry to make a very sad announcement.
Today, sadly, my beloved "Marvelous" husband Marvin unexpectedly passed away at his home here in New Hampshire.
"
Born on May 23, 1954, the one born under the full name of Marvin Nathaniel Hagler died at the age of 66.
Kay Guarrera Hagler did not indicate the cause of his disappearance.
"
Our family asks to respect our privacy during this difficult time,
" she just said.
"Marvelous" Marvin was nearly five children, born from a previous union.
And Marvin became "Marvelous"
In mid-1973, shortly before his 19th birthday, young Marvin Hagler entered the professional rings in the middleweight category.
And he quickly made a name for himself.
A year and a half later, when he has already posted 14 victories in as many fights, the American strikes a first blow by dominating Sugar Ray Seales, the reigning Olympic champion.
The Hagler machine is launched.
At the end of 1979, he failed to snatch the WBA and WBC world champion belts from the Italian Vito Antuofermo.
Their face to face ends in a draw.
But the hour of the advent is imminent for the American.
On September 27, 1980, Marvin Hagler claimed a 50th victory, two draws and two losses, by dethroning the Briton Alan Minter.
It's the start of a decade of middleweight craziness.
In 1982, annoyed that he was not called by the nickname he gave himself, Marvin Hagler legally change his name: from now on, it will be "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler.
Violent slugger, smooth skull and impeccable mustache and goatee, the world champion was then as unmistakable as he was indisputable.
All the challengers who challenge him are knocked out.
American "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler (left) facing Panamanian Roberto Duran (right), November 10, 1983 in Las Vegas.
AP - Anonymous
1985: "The War", an anthology fight between Hagler and Hearns
In the 1980s, "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler was not the only one to make sparks.
In the lightweights and super-welterweights, Roberto Duran is also formidable.
The Panamanian eventually climbed in the middleweight to compete with the American at the end of 1983. For the first and only time in his career, the champion was pushed to the 15th and final round.
It's limited, but Hagler is released in the last two times and keeps his belts on points.
The best is yet to come.
In April 1985, it was "The War", the name of the poster between "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns, nicknamed "Hitman" ("The Killer") with his long oversized arms.
This fight remains, even today, as one of the most violent in history.
It only lasted three rounds ... but what savagery in the ring at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
"Marvelous", unbeaten for nine years, and "Hitman", beaten only once (by "Sugar" Ray Leonard) and recent hasty winner of Duran, engage in a fight of terrible ferocity in the first round.
"The fight of the century" is a nickname often used to portray various posters.
But it is only the first three minutes of this Hagler-Hearns that bear the nickname "round of the century".
Finally, in the third round, the champion defeats the challenger and retains his throne to thunderous applause.
The greatest 3 minutes in #boxing history.
🥊 Hagler vs.
Hearns
🔔 Round One
📍 Las Vegas
🗓 April 15, 1985
As fitting a tribute as any to one of the sport's all-time finest.
pic.twitter.com/xxRgSdGZsw
- Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) March 14, 2021
A last fight lost against "Sugar" Ray Leonard
In 1986, “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler made a successful twelfth defense against Ugandan John Mugabi, before losing in points to “Sugar” Ray Leonard, after a very controversial fight.
Leonard, who was coming out of retirement after three years of inactivity and one eye surgery, is tactical and dodges Hagler's crude style.
The three judges are divided, and the public castigates the final result.
But it is the style of the challenger that wins.
This fight against "Sugar" Ray Leonard is the last of the career of "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler, who retired with an exceptional record of 62 wins to two draws and three losses.
Voted boxer of the year in 1983 and 1985, the middleweight was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler passed away on Saturday at age 66.
RIP Champ 🙏 https://t.co/ftPpzsSZK0 pic.twitter.com/tOCizZNNY7
- Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 14, 2021
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Sports
Boxing
United States
On the same subject
Former world boxing champion Leon Spinks dies
Boxing: Tyson Fury defeats Deontay Wilder to become WBC heavyweight king