Great Middleweight Champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler Turns 57
by Scott Christ on May 23, 2011 11:07 PM EDT
in Boxing History
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All-time great middleweight champion and two-time Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year Marvelous Marvin Hagler turned 57 today.
Hagler was born in Newark on May 23, 1954, before moving to Brockton, Mass., in 1967 following the infamous Newark riots. He began to box at age 15, and in 1973 won the National AAU championship at 165 pounds.
Hagler turned pro in '73 and remained undefeated for three years, when he dropped a pair of fights in 1976. But by 1979 he had progressed far enough to earn a shot at middleweight champion Vito Antuofermo. In a fight in Las Vegas that most felt Hagler won, the decision was announced as a draw. It would be another 10 months before Hagler would get a second shot, this time against Alan Minter in London. Hagler stopped Minter in three rounds, claiming the championship.
Hagler dominated the 1980s, defending his crown successfully against the likes of Roberto Duran, Antuofermo, Juan Roldan, Tony Sibson, John Mugabi, and others. His most famous fight came on April 15, 1985, when he faced Tommy Hearns in what were arguably the three most furious rounds of action in boxing history.
Hagler would fight just twice more after the war with Hearns. He beat Mugabi in 1986, and then in 1987 faced a returning Sugar Ray Leonard, losing a 12-round decision that is debated fiercely to this day. He never did fight again, leaving boxing behind and never returning, something few are able to do, and fewer still at age 33 and in fighting shape.
After boxing, Hagler moved to Italy, and lives in Milan today, though he owns a home in New Hampshire. He has been quiet in retirement for the most part, staying well out of the public spotlight.
After the jump: Some Hagler video clips.
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Hagler-Hearns is one of those that never gets old. It just never does. You could watch it a 1000 times and you know that 1001 is going to happen, eventually.
Bad Left Hook
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
I remember as a young Marine watching it live at a bar in Palm Springs, CA (yep, that old).
I’m surprised someone with his warrior mentality retired so young. He pride was greater than his love of boxing (and money).
Part of me thinks that he really was so embittered by the Sugar Ray decision like he says. Obviously a controversial fight for those watching, but he’s completely positive he was mugged.
Bad Left Hook
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
Dude beat Sugar Ray Leonard...
Had he not switched up styles in the first two rounds and fought like he normally did, it would’ve been that much more obvious.
And I’ll go to my grave knowing that Hagler was (one of) the greatest middleweight champ of all-time.
"Gowin on fourth and 14 will punt it away. He hangs it very high, angling it for the near sideline...HAKIM DROPS THE BALL!!! HAKIM DROPS THE BALL!! Brian Milne might've fallen on it at the ten yard line! It's the New Orleans Saints' football! Brian Milne, the most unlikely hero of them all, falls on the fumble, the muff by Hakim! There is a God after all!" -- Jim Henderson
by hakimdropstheball on May 24, 2011 12:22 AM EDT reply actions
As far as happy endings post boxing
Hagler seems like a good candidate. (He didn’t beat Leonard, but that doesn’t diminsh his greatness.)
Hagler lives in Milan, Italy?!?
Action films?
Good for him. I just read his wikipedia entry. Sounds like he is doing good.
Happy Birthday Hagler!
I tend to be biased towards strikers . . . exciting strikers.
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VEe is ANIMated!
that last hagler/hearns vid needs to get promoted to the front page. pure awesomeness.
Pacquiao/Marquez III = FIGHT OF THE YEAR 2011
The veiw you get... 5:30 to 6:00
When Hagler is pounding him on the ropes is brilliant
by Sweet science on May 24, 2011 7:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Happy bday Marvin!
well its true and to this day I still believe and after watching his fight with leonard – I had it for Marvin….. maybe it is indeed true that after the sugra ray fight he never lace up those leathers again….that loss disgusted him.
stone and eggs - no business!
Happy b-day
to a hell of a fighter who never dogged out his fans!
A fighters fighter
That Hearns fight took more out of Marvin than I remembered , he looked a lot slower against Mugabi. Hearns certainly couldnt fight well if he was made to go backwards, he looked amateurish against Hagler and he had no idea how to fight a southpaw. Hagler kept blindsiding Hearns , getting outside his( Hearns) right shoulder and hitting him with looping left hands.
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