Marvin Hagler: Marvelous by name, menacing by nature

The undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987 and one of boxing's 'Four Kings' died on Saturday age 66

Marvin Hagler celebrates his unanimous-decision victory over Roberto Duran in a boxing bout in Las Vegas. Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with a split-decision loss to “Sugar” Ray Leonard in 1987, died Saturday, March 13, 2021. He was 66. AP

Former world middleweight champion Marvin Hagler poses on the red carpet as he arrives for the Laureus World Sports Awards at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi February 7, 2011. Reuters

Marvin Hagler sends sweat flying as he pounds challenger Roberto Duran in the ninth round of a boxing bout in Las Vegas. Hagler scored a unanimous decision over Duran. Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with a split-decision loss to “Sugar” Ray Leonard in 1987, died Saturday, March 13, 2021. He was 66. AP

Marvin Hagler stands in the ring after his boxing bout against Sugar Ray Seales in Boston. Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with a split-decision loss to “Sugar” Ray Leonard in 1987, died Saturday, March 13, 2021. He was 66. AP

In this April 1985 file photo, middleweight champion Marvin Hagler celebrates his title with his manager, Pat Petronelli, and co-manager, Goody Petronelli, in Las Vegas. Hagler knocked out Thomas "Hitman" Hearns in the third round of the boxing bout. Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with a split-decision loss to “Sugar” Ray Leonard in 1987, died Saturday, March 13, 2021. He was 66. AP

In this 1982 file photo, boxer Marvin Hagler poses for a photo. Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with a split-decision loss to “Sugar” Ray Leonard in 1987, died Saturday, March 13, 2021. He was 66. AP

In this November 1974 file photo, Marvin Hagler, right, throws a right at Sugar Ray Seales during a boxing bout in Seattle, which ended in a draw. Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with a split-decision loss to “Sugar” Ray Leonard in 1987, died Saturday, March 13, 2021. He was 66. AP

In this April 1987 file photo, "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler, left, moves in on "Sugar" Ray Leonard during the third round of a boxing bout in Las Vegas. Leonard won with a split decision. Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with the loss to Leonard in 1987, died Saturday, March 13, 2021. He was 66. AP

Former South African president Nelson Mandela (L) strikes a fighting pose with former world middleweight champion Marvin Hagler (C) and former world heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis April 23,2001. Reuters

Boxer Marvelous Marvin Hagler (L) poses with Bernard Hopkins, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after he (Hopkins) won over Winky Wright, of St. Petersburg, Florida, following their light heavyweight fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 21, 2007. Hopkins won by unanimous decision. Reuters

In this file photo Laureus Academy member Marvelous Marvin Hagler and his wife Kay Guarrera pose on the red carpet prior to the 2020 Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony in Berlin on February 17, 2020. Boxing legend Marvin Hagler, the undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987, has died at age 66, his wife said Saturday, March 13. In a posting on the famed fighter's Facebook page, Kay G. Hagler said her husband died at the family home in New Hampshire. AFP

10th May 1980: American boxer Marvin Hagler in London for his middle-weight title fight against Britain's Alan Minter. Getty

Laureus Academy Member Marvelous Marvin Hagler attends a fundraising dinner of Operation Breakthrough at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal on March 6, 2015 in Hong Kong. Laureus supported-project Operation Breakthrough have organised a forum In Hong Kong to cover the topic Sport can change lives and a fundraising dinner. Operation Breakthrough utilises sport as a means to help, rehabilitate and enhance opportunities for youth. Getty

Laureus Academy Member Marvelous Marvin Hagler participates in a session with youth at Hong Kong Police Boxing Club at Tai Po District on March 5, 2015 in Hong Kong. Laureus supported-project Operation Breakthrough utilises sport as a means to help, rehabilitate and enhance opportunities for Youth. The programme helps to fight crime, reduce juvenile delinquency and recidivism amongst youth from low income immigrant communities. Getty

Marvelous Marvin Hagler's opening round against Thomas Hearns will forever be remembered as the greatest three minutes not just in boxing but all combat sport.

One-hundred and eighty seconds of mayhem, of punishment, of destruction, of two men asking everything and more of their bodies; to absorb the hell fire raining down on them and use it to fuel the evisceration of the other. The fight's billing as "The War" felt apt.

The first bomb landed after only 15 seconds, a Hearns right-hand, one of the most feared and revered in boxing, landing flush on Hagler's chin, one of its most durable. Hagler had tasted Hearns' best punch and was still standing. From then on all hell broke loose.

Even watching the fight back almost 36 years later the heart still races. The sound of the bell to call a temporary halt to proceedings at the end of the round - Hagler's face a bloody mess - still elicits a mixture of exhilaration at what we've witnessed and fear of what comes next.

The second round failed to match the ferocity of the first, but then nothing could. Hagler was cut and bleeding profusely; Hearns was fighting hurt too, having suffered a broken right hand in the first.

In a fight that was long in torture and short on time, Round 3 would signal Hagler's ascent into greatness. Referee Richard Steele called a time out to have the ringside doctor examine the cut on Hagler's head. The crowd was on its feet, holding its collective breath, before the doctor gave the OK for Hagler to continue.

Sensing (not for the first time) that the dark elements of boxing were conspiring against him, Hagler charged at Hearns, launching and landing an earth-to-ear missile that threw Hearns' equilibrium out the Cesar's Palace arena and down the Las Vegas strip.

Hearns' legs wobbled like jelly; Hagler moved in for the kill. Hearns toppled to the canvas, rising at the count of nine. But while the heart was willing, the body could take no more. He collapsed into the referee's arms. The fight was halted, and Hagler had etched his name into immortality.

“When they stopped the fight to look at the cut, I realised 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 realise I was bleeding. It wasn’t in my eyes. Then I knew I had to destroy this guy.”

Victory over Hearns (Hagler had already won a unanimous decision over Roberto Duran 18 months previous) secured Hagler's seat at the head table of great middleweights. The fight lasted only eight minutes and one second, but will echo for a lifetime. His passing on Saturday at his family home age 66 allows us time to reflect on one of the greatest boxing careers of all time.

Marvelous by name and menacing by nature, Hagler had already been the undisputed middleweight champ for five years by the time he faced Hearns, but felt boxing had never paid him his dues.

Unmistakable in the ring, his bald head glistening in the lights as he stalked opponents relentlessly behind a southpaw stance, Hagler's brooding persona and perma-scowl radiated hate. Hate for the journalists that prized "Sugar" Ray Leonard's showboating, hate for the establishment that had robbed him of victory against Vito Antuofermo. Hate for hate's sake.

Hagler channelled that hate in all the right ways - on his opponents. Hagler outboxed and left Antuofermo a bloody mess in their 1979 fight but the judges scored it a draw. Two years later he made the former champion retire by Round 4.

The Marvelous one travelled to London to face WBA and WBC Middleweight champion Alan Minter in September 1980. He entered Wembley Arena ring amid a chorus of boos and a backdrop of racist dog whistles - not least from Minter himself - and left it three rounds later with the belts and under a barrage of bottles hurled from the crowd.

Hagler's final fight in April 1987 against Leonard would be one that was five years in the making.

Leonard invited Hagler and other boxing dignitaries to a charity event in Baltimore, Maryland in November 1982 to hear him announce whether he would continue his career. Many - not least Hagler - expected boxing's poster boy to name the middleweight king as his next opponent.

What came next was the ultimate snub, and would fuel a hatred in Hagler that burned in him up to his dying breath.

Standing in a ring with Howard Cosell, the master of ceremonies, instead of naming Hagler as his next opponent, Leonard announced his retirement, saying a bout with Hagler would unfortunately never happen. Leonard maintained his eye was fully healed, but that he just didn't want to box anymore.

Hagler felt used, a prop for the "Sugar Ray Show", and his enmity for his great rival would only grow.

When they eventually did take up the cudgels, Leonard was stepping back into the ring after a three-year retirement having fought just once in the previous five years. Hagler, meanwhile, carried a 16-fight win streak and a reputation as the most fearsome middleweight puncher of all time.

While the fight largely played out how many expected, with Hagler as the aggressor and Leonard fighting off the back foot, the judges awarded the fight to Leonard on a split decision, ending Hagler's long reign as undisputed champion.

The decision is still disputed to this day. Hagler, who was paid $19 million for the fight, left the ring in disgust and never fought again. He moved to Italy to take up a career in acting, finishing with a professional record of 62 wins, three defeats with two drawn. He recorded 52 knockouts.

Hagler carried chips on both shoulders about the plaudits, or lack of, he received compared to those bestowed upon the other three members of the "Four Kings" - Hearns, Duran and Leonard. Some make a habit out of proving doubters wrong; Hagler made it his mission.