MARVELOUS

[lakerevolution]

Two years after destroying Thomas "Hitman" Hearns in what many boxing purists consider the best fight ever, the enigmatic, tough-as-nails Marvelous Marvin Hagler finally got a chance to go against the flashy and popular Sugar Ray Leonard. The bout went to Leonard in a split-decision, which infuriated Hagler and led to his immediate retirement. Hearns, who remained friends with Hagler, believes that Hagler's death is linked to complications from a recent Covid vaccine.

KTLA/Associated Press -

"Hagler fought on boxing’s biggest stages against its biggest names, as he, Leonard, Hearns and Roberto Duran dominated the middleweight classes during a golden time for boxing in the 1980s. Quiet with a brooding public persona, Hagler fought 67 times over 14 years as a pro out of Brockton, Massachusetts, finishing 62-3-2 with 52 knockouts.

“If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove,’’ Hagler once said. “That’s all I am. I live it.”

Hagler was unmistakable in the ring, fighting out of a southpaw stance with his bald head glistening in the lights. He was relentless and he was vicious, stopping opponent after opponent during an eight year run that began with a disputed draw against Vito Antuofermo in 1979 that he later avenged.

He fought with a proverbial chip on his shoulder, convinced that boxing fans and promoters alike didn’t give him his proper due. He was so upset that he wasn’t introduced before a 1982 fight by his nickname of Marvelous that he went to court to legally change his name.

“He was certainly one of the greatest middleweights ever but one of the greatest people that I’ve ever been around and promoted,” promoter Bob Arum said. “He was a real man, loyal and just fantastic person.”

Any doubts Hagler wasn’t indeed Marvelous were erased on a spring night in 1985. He and Hearns met in one of the era’s big middleweight clashes outdoors at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and when the opening bell rang they traded punches for three minutes in an opening round many consider the best in boxing history.

Hagler would go on to stop Hearns in the third round, crumpling him to the canvas with a barrage of punches even as blood poured out of a large gash on his forehead that nearly caused the referee to stop the fight earlier in the round.

“When they stopped the fight to look at the cut, I realized they might be playing games and I wasn’t going to let them take the title away,″ Hagler said later. “It was a scary feeling. I thought, ‘Why are they stopping this fight?’ I didn’t realize I was bleeding. It wasn’t in my eyes. Then I knew I had to destroy this guy.’’

Arum said Hagler simply willed himself to victory over Hearns, whose big right hand was feared in the division but couldn’t keep Hagler at bay.

“That was an unbelievable fight,’’ Arum said. “Probably the greatest fight ever.’’

[3Peatkb24]

Very sad! RIP to Marvin. That was my dad's favorite fighter of all-time, he always bragged about Marvin being tough as nails and invincible. I personally was more of a Sugar Ray fan and did think he beat Marvin because he out boxed him to out point him but Marvin was a great champion. That was when the Middle WT division had real tough guys. Sugar Ray, Marvin, Duran, and Hearns! That is unreal how great that division was back then.

I remember watching the Marvin/Hearns fight, that was something out of a Rocky movie. Marvin knocked him silly in the 3rd round lol. Marvin was one scary dude with his power.

[KobeMVP888]

I had the privilege of sitting 11th row ringside at Caesar's Palace for the Hagler-Duran 15 round slugfest in 1983. You could see the welts forming on their bodies during that fight as they both went to the body a TON! I still have the ticket stub ($600 - my client treated me; flew me there first class and everything. We did a ton of blow and didn't sleep for 36 hours. Many stories, including sitting next to Alexis Arguello at a bar at Caesar's before the fight and picking his brain and sharing a dance floor at a nightclub with many celebrities, including Sugar Ray Leonard, whose dance moves were surprisingly as bad as Elaine from Seinfeld!). His fights, especially the Hearns classic and the shocking loss to Sugar Ray after Leonard's 5 year lay off, were some of the most exciting ever. Marvelous Marvin Hagler died on March 13, 2021, my 65th birthday. RIP TO A POUND-FOR-POUND ALL-TIME GREAT!

[lakerevolution]

I had the privilege of sitting 11th row ringside at Caesar's Palace for the Hagler-Duran 15 round slugfest in 1983. You could see the welts forming on their bodies during that fight as they both went to the body a TON! I still have the ticket stub ($600 - my client treated me; flew me there first class and everything. We did a ton of blow and didn't sleep for 36 hours. Many stories, including sitting next to Alexis Arguello at a bar at Caesar's before the fight and picking his brain and sharing a dance floor at a nightclub with many celebrities, including Sugar Ray Leonard, whose dance moves were surprisingly as bad as Elaine from Seinfeld!). His fights, especially the Hearns classic and the shocking loss to Sugar Ray after Leonard's 5 year lay off, were some of the most exciting ever. Marvelous Marvin Hagler died on March 13, 2021, my 65th birthday. RIP TO A POUND-FOR-POUND ALL-TIME GREAT!

I was enamored with Sugar Ray as most people were, but Hearns was much more of a real boxer than Ray. So glad I could witness the last Golden Era of boxing before all this UFC and MMA stuff took over.

Love the "did a ton of blow" line -- the early 80s were made for it!

[3Peatkb24]

The 1 downfall Hearns had was, his jaw. Once he got hit a bunch he would lose his rhythm. Sugar IMO was the best out of the Big4 = Leonard, Hagler, Duran, and Hearns. Hearns could punch like a Heavy WT but his jaw was weak lol. I would rank them as:
1. Leonard
2. Hagler
3. Duran
4. Hearns is an easy 4 and there were other great fighters in that division back then. John 'The Beast' Mugabi was a monster too. Duran is the only boxer that literally took it to Leonard when Leonard was in his prime, that was their 1st fight. The 2nd fight, Leonard made him look like a clown but Duran will always have that 1st fight performance. Hearns did beat Duran but by then Duran was over the hill.

Regarding Leonard vs Hagler, it was a good fight but Leonard was just smarter and avoided that big punch Marvelous had.