GOODBYE MARVELOUS MARVIN HAGLER
It had just gone midnight on Saturday night/Sunday morning. I was up waiting to watch UFC when I heard the news that Marvin Hagler had passed away, apparently due to complications from taking a vaccine. When I heard the former undisputed middleweight champion and one quarter of arguably the best era in boxing died at just 66, it really hurt me deeply.
I was really young when Hagler was in his prime and admittedly, did not see many of his fights when they happened. However, Hagler was one of my all time favourite boxers and the first boxer I had a real vested interest in. I was more or less introduced to boxing during his feud with Tommy Hearns. This culminated in one of the most amazing three rounds in boxing’s history, when Hagler defeated Hearns to retain his WBA, WBC, IBF and ring magazine titles in 1985.
Back then, I only knew about boxing when my dad used to watch it or talk about to his friends or other family members. However, this time felt different. I remember being in my room and hearing my dad, what I thought was arguing with his two friends about this upcoming boxing match. I knew my dad was into boxing but this was the first time I remembered seeing him so animated and invested in a fight.
I always knew my dad to be a cool, clam customer and only really got rilled occasionally, which was usually when he was telling me or my sister off. So to see him really going at it with is two friends, furiously debating this Hagler v Hearns fight, I was really intrigued.
Back then there was no internet, no YouTube, no social media, so I couldn’t go and instantly see footage of Marvin Hagler, I had to be creative. I tried to catch every sports related program leading up to that fight, catch any news coverage and anything else related to boxing. Although in those days in the UK there was not much. I also purchased or ask my mum to get a any boxing magazines….Yes, magazines. It was a hard graph but the more I searched the more I become interested.
Hagler, along with Tommy Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran were a quartet and era in boxing in the 1980’s like no other. A true golden age, where the best fought the best, at their best. All four fighters where at the top of their game and had their own unique style that was different from the other three. All four had their loyal fans depending on what boxing style you liked, which made it or the more interesting.
I was always a Hagler man. He was a fighters fighter. No flash, nothing fancy, just a fighter in every sense of the word. A strong, gritty, no nonsense, walk forward boxer, with power in both hands and the ability to switch hit.
He had a great engine and a granite chin. He would take a punch, then come back with his own and more often than not, fighters wouldn’t be able to take his shots. He was a mean, bad man who certainly did not play or take any back steps.
I found myself, somehow, someway trying to find out any and everything about Hagler, his background, past history, past fights, likes, dislikes and just why did Hearns hate him so much. The more I found out, the more I admired and adored Marvin Hagler.
For me, if you ever had the perfect image of what a boxer looked like, it was Marvin Hagler. Whenever I played any boxing computer game in my teens, I was always Marvin Hagler, even though some games had the heavier puncher’s, I was always picking Hagler, it was either, I was wining with Hagler or not at all.
The build up to the Hearns fight was huge, nothing like I had ever known before and later on in years, I realised it had been nothing like boxing had seen that much either. Two iconic, elite boxers at the peak of their powers, who generally hated each other and would take every opportunity to bash the other. I quickly realised why my dad was so unusually animated at the prospect of the fight.
A quote I always remembered from the build up was when Tommy Hearns said “I have nothing against this guy, I just dont like him” to this day it remains one of the most intense build ups to a fight ever.
What made it all the more historic was the fight lived up to all the hype. As short as it was, it was a three round barn stormer, with what possibly could be one of the greatest first rounds in boxing. You really felt the hate, both fighters were throwing everything at each other and refusing to take a back step.
I was ecstatic when Hagler stopped Hearns in the third round and cemented his position as the greatest ever middleweight. My adulation was sealed forever. Although Hagler only had two more fights after that. An 11th round TKO against John Mugabi in March 1986. Then another huge, huge battle in April 1987, where he lost on points to a returning Sugar Ray Leonard, which was a hugely contested decision and to this day I still feel Hagler did enough to win
That defeat was too much for Hagler and it forced him to retire at just 32 years old. I was devastated. But this just made me delve more into Hagler’s past and as technology began to develop, more footage became available of Hagler’s amazing 67 fight career where he ended with 62 wins, 2 draws and just 3 defeats.
Some highlights were when he came to England in September 1980 and dethroned Alan Minter in rounds in devastating fashion, leaving the Englishman’s face a bloody mess at Wembley stadium to become the WBA & WBC middleweight champion.
He defended those titles six times, stopping all six of his opponents, before defending and adding the IBF title in May 1983. He then defended all those titles a further five times, including a brutal 15 round points win against Roberto Duran in November 1983 and that iconic win against Hearns in April 1985.
Hagler was named ring fighter of the year in 1983 and 1985 and boxing Illustrated fighter of the decade for the 1980’s. He was also inducted into both the international boxing hall of fame and the world boxing hall of fame in 1993. After his defeat to Ray Leonard in 1987, Hagler moved to Italy and started a career in acting, where he became well known for being in several action movies.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler is sadly the first of the famous quartet of Leonard, Duran and Hearns to pass away, he leaves behind a wife and five children. The term legend, icon, a great, is always casually banded about, but no one word would be enough to describe this man and the immense impact he had on the sport of boxing, not to mention the impact on me growing up.
I can confidently say he gave me my proper introduction into the world of boxing. He was the reason I really got into the sport and it was because of him, why I became so interested and seduced by the sport. Hagler was the reason why I decided to learn, research and become more knowledgable about boxing as a whole, including the art form and everything that comes with the sport.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler is and will always be one of my all time favourite boxers. He will forever be on my Mount Rushmore, in my top five and on my all time list, with no debates. From the bottom of my heart. Thanks for the memories Marvelous, Rest In Eternal Peace.
