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.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (11.30pm)
Saturday Freiburg v Borussia Monchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Dortmund, Cologne v Wolfsburg, Arminia Bielefeld v Mainz (6.30pm) Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig (9.30pm)
Sunday Werder Bremen v Stuttgart (6.30pm), Schalke v Bayer Leverkusen (9pm)
Monday Hoffenheim v Augsburg (11.30pm)
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Draw
Quarter-finals
Real Madrid (ESP) or Manchester City (ENG) v Juventus (ITA) or Lyon (FRA)
RB Leipzig (GER) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Barcelona (ESP) or Napoli (ITA) v Bayern Munich (GER) or Chelsea (ENG)
Atalanta (ITA) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Ties to be played August 12-15 in Lisbon
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
