Marvelous Marvin Hagler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marvelous Marvin Hagler
Hagler on the cover of El Gráfico in March 1984
Statistics
Rated at	Middleweight
Height	5 ft 9 in
Reach	75 in
Born	(1954-05-23)May 23, 1954 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	March 13, 2021(2021-03-13) (aged 66) Bartlett, New Hampshire, U.S.
Stance	Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights	67
Wins	62
Wins by KO	52
Losses	3
Draws	2
Medal record Men's amateur boxing U.S. National Championships Gold 1973 Boston Middleweight

Marvelous Marvin Hagler (born Marvin Nathaniel Hagler; May 23, 1954 – March 13, 2021) was an American professional boxer and film actor. He was the undisputed champion of the middleweight boxing division from 1980 to 1987. This means he held all the major world titles at the same time.

Hagler successfully defended his title twelve times. Most of these wins were by knockout. He has one of the highest knockout rates among middleweight champions, at 78 percent. His reign as champion lasted for six years and seven months, which is one of the longest in history. He is known as "Marvelous" because he legally changed his name to "Marvelous Marvin Hagler" in 1982. This was because he wanted announcers to use his nickname.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He was named "Fighter of the Year" twice by The Ring magazine. He was also named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 1980s. Many experts believe he had one of the strongest "chins" (meaning he was hard to knock down) in boxing history. He was only knocked down once in his professional career.

Early Life and Moving to Brockton

Marvin Nathaniel Hagler was born on May 23, 1954. He grew up in Newark, New Jersey, with his mother and five siblings. One of his half-brothers, Robbie Sims, also became a professional boxer. Marvin started boxing at age ten. He learned from a social worker he knew as Mister Joe.

When he was 14, Marvin left school to work in a toy factory. He wanted to help his family. His mother remembered that he always dreamed of boxing. He promised her he would buy her a home one day. Marvin used to pretend he was famous boxers like Floyd Patterson.

In 1967, there were riots in Newark. Many people were hurt, and buildings were destroyed, including the Haglers' home. Marvin's family had to hide for three days. Bullets even came through their window. After another riot two years later, his family moved to Brockton, Massachusetts, for safety.

Amateur Boxing Career

In 1969, Hagler decided to become a boxer. This happened after a local boxer roughed him up on the street. The very next day, he went to a gym owned by brothers Pat and Goody Petronelli. They became his trainers and managers.

To enter some amateur tournaments, Hagler lied about his age. He said he was born in 1952 instead of 1954. In May 1973, he won the National AAU 165-pound title. He beat Terry Dobbs, a U.S. Marine. Officials also voted him the 'Outstanding Boxer' of the tournament. After this, Hagler became a professional boxer. His amateur record was 55 wins and only 1 loss.

• In March 1973, he lost to Dale Grant in the National Golden Gloves (Light Middleweight) in Lowell, Massachusetts.
• In May 1973, he won the United States National Championships (Middleweight) in Boston, Massachusetts. He defeated Terry Dobbs in the finals.

Professional Boxing Journey

Starting Out as a Pro

Marvin Hagler was a top middleweight boxer for many years before he got a chance to fight for a world title. It was hard for him to find big opponents who wanted to fight him. Famous boxer Joe Frazier once told Hagler, "You have three strikes against you: You're black, you're a southpaw, and you're good." This meant it was tough for him to get fights. He often had to travel to his opponents' hometowns.

His first big chance came when he fought Willie 'The Worm' Monroe. Hagler lost the first fight, but it was a close match. So, Monroe gave him a rematch. This time, Hagler knocked out Monroe in twelve rounds. In their third fight, Hagler won again in just two rounds.

A promoter named Rip Valenti helped Hagler find more top opponents. Hagler fought Sugar Ray Seales, an Olympic gold medalist. Hagler won their first fight, the second was a draw, and Hagler knocked Seales out in their third match. He also knocked out Mike Colbert and broke his jaw. He stopped British boxer Kevin Finnegan in eight rounds. Hagler also beat Bennie Briscoe in a ten-round fight. After these wins, famous promoter Bob Arum signed him.

First Shot at the World Title

In November 1979, Hagler finally got to fight for the world middleweight title. He faced champion Vito Antuofermo in Las Vegas. After 15 rounds, most people watching thought Hagler had won. However, the fight was announced as a draw. This meant Antuofermo kept his title. Hagler was very frustrated by this decision.

Becoming World Champion

Antuofermo later lost his title to British boxer Alan Minter. Hagler then got his second chance at the title against Minter in London. The atmosphere was very tense. Hagler took control of the fight quickly. His powerful punches soon opened cuts on Minter's face.

The referee stopped the fight in the third round because Minter had four bad cuts. Minter's manager quickly gave up. When the fight was stopped, a riot broke out among the fans. People threw bottles and glasses. Hagler and his team had to be escorted to their locker room by police. After seven years and 50 fights, Marvin Hagler was finally the world middleweight champion!

Hagler was a very active champion. He defended his title many times. He beat Fulgencio Obelmejias and then Antuofermo again. Both of these fights were in Boston, near Hagler's home. He also defeated Mustafa Hamsho in a tough eleven-round fight. Other challengers like William "Caveman" Lee and Tony Sibson also lost to Hagler. By this time, Hagler's fights were often shown on HBO, which was like the pay-per-view of that time.

Hagler vs. Durán

On November 10, 1983, Hagler fought Roberto Durán. Durán was a champion in a lighter weight class. He moved up in weight to challenge Hagler for his middleweight title. This was the first time a challenger lasted all 15 rounds with Hagler in a title fight. Hagler won by a unanimous decision. Durán was ahead on two scorecards after 13 rounds, but Hagler came on strong in the last two rounds to win.

More Title Defenses

Next, Hagler fought Juan Roldán from Argentina. Roldán was the only fighter to be credited with knocking Hagler down. This happened just seconds into the fight. Hagler said he was pulled or pushed down. Hagler then cut Roldan's eye and stopped him in the tenth round. Sugar Ray Leonard was watching this fight. He thought Hagler looked slower, which might have given Leonard the idea he could beat Hagler.

Hagler fought Hamsho again. This time, Hagler won by TKO in just three rounds. Hamsho angered Hagler with headbutts, which made Hagler attack fiercely.

Hagler vs. Hearns: "The War"

After beating Hamsho again, Hagler fought Thomas Hearns on April 15, 1985. This fight was called "The War" because it was so intense.

The first round was full of action. Hearns landed a big punch on Hagler's chin early on, but Hagler kept coming forward. In the second round, Hagler got a cut on his head. Hearns also broke his right hand. Despite their injuries, both fighters kept up the fast pace. Hearns started to back up as his legs weakened.

In the third round, the referee stopped the fight briefly to check Hagler's cut. The doctor allowed the fight to continue. Hagler then charged Hearns and landed a powerful punch. Hearns' legs wobbled, and he fell. He got up at the count of eight but collapsed into the referee's arms. The fight was stopped.

The fight lasted only eight minutes and one second, but it is considered one of the greatest boxing matches ever. It was named "Fight of the Year" by The Ring magazine.

Hagler vs. Mugabi

Hagler's next opponent was John Mugabi from Uganda. Mugabi had a perfect record of 26 wins and 26 knockouts. The fight happened on March 10, 1986. Hagler stopped Mugabi in the eleventh round of a very tough fight. Some people noticed that Hagler seemed a bit slower and easier to hit. He had changed his style to be more of a slugger. Many thought Hagler might retire soon.

Hagler vs. Leonard: The Controversial Fight

Hagler's next big challenge was Sugar Ray Leonard. Leonard was coming back to boxing after being retired for three years. Before the fight, Leonard made some important conditions. He wanted a larger ring, heavier gloves, and the fight to be 12 rounds instead of 15. Leonard was two years younger and had fewer fights. He also secretly had practice fights to get ready. The fight took place on April 6, 1987, in Las Vegas. Hagler was the favorite to win.

Hagler, who usually fought left-handed, started the fight fighting right-handed. Leonard, who was quick and slick, won the first two rounds. Hagler then switched to his usual left-handed stance in the third round and did much better. Leonard's speed kept him in the fight. By the fifth round, Leonard started to get tired from moving so much. Hagler began to get closer. Leonard started holding Hagler more often. Hagler hurt Leonard with a punch near the end of the fifth round.

In rounds seven and eight, Hagler's punches were landing well. Leonard's counter punches were less frequent. Round nine was the most exciting. Hagler hurt Leonard and trapped him in a corner. Leonard fought back fiercely. Both boxers had strong moments in this round. The pace slowed in round ten, but Hagler kept pushing forward. Leonard seemed to get a second wind in the eleventh round. In the final round, Hagler chased Leonard, landing a big punch. Leonard responded with a flurry of punches. The fight ended with both fighters exchanging blows.

After the fight, Leonard was announced as the winner by a split decision. This means two judges scored it for Leonard, and one for Hagler. The scores were 118–110, 115–113 for Leonard, and 113–115 for Hagler. This result is still debated by many boxing fans today. Some people thought Hagler won, while others thought Leonard won.

After the Fight

Hagler wanted a rematch, but Leonard decided to retire again. About 14 months after their fight, Hagler also retired from boxing on June 13, 1988. He said he was "tired of waiting" for Leonard to agree to a rematch. In 1990, Leonard offered Hagler a rematch, but Hagler said no. By then, Hagler had started a new life as an actor in Italy and wasn't interested in boxing anymore.

Life After Boxing

After his boxing career, Marvin Hagler moved to Italy. He became a well-known actor in action films. He played a U.S. Marine in movies like Indio (1989) and Indio 2 (1991). In 1997, he starred in Virtual Weapon. Hagler also worked as a boxing commentator for British television. He even helped with the video game Fight Night: Round 3.

Personal Life and Passing

Marvin Hagler had five children with his first wife, Bertha: Charelle, Celeste, James, Marvin Jr., and Gentry. He owned a home in New Hampshire but lived in Milan, Italy. In May 2000, he married his second wife, Kay, who is Italian.

Hagler attending Parade of Champions at International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY, 2008

On March 13, 2021, Hagler's wife, Kay, announced that he had passed away at his home in New Hampshire. He was 66 years old. His son James said his father had chest pains and trouble breathing before he was taken to the hospital.

Professional Boxing Record

Awards and Recognitions

• Named Fighter of the Decade (1980s) by Boxing Illustrated.
• Named Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year for 1983 and 1985.
• Named The Ring Fighter of the Year for 1983 and 1985.
• Received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement in 1983.
• Inducted into both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.
• Received the Excellence Guirlande D'Honneur and was entered into the FICTS Hall Of Fame in 2016.

See also

In Spanish: Marvin Hagler para niños

• List of undisputed boxing champions
• List of middleweight boxing champions
• List of The Ring world champions
• List of WBA world champions
• List of WBC world champions
• List of IBF world champions
• List of left-handed boxers
• List of people from Newark, New Jersey