| Marvelous Marvin Hagler Like most people in Britain, my introduction to the mesmirising brutal world of Marvin Hagler (he later changed it to Marvelous Marvin Hagler and who are we to argue?) was his dismantling and destruction of Alan Minter for his World Middleweight Championship at Wembley Arena in 1980s. It was as one-sided as you can get. Astonishing. Astonishingly brutal to witness. At one point Minter was on the ropes beckoning Hagler to finish him off like Jake La Motta to Sugar Ray Robinson in Raging Bull. I think Marvin said something like: 'Thank-you very much. Don't mind if I do'. And proceeded to take his head off. He was equally ruthless with another game British fighter who challenged him for his world titles, Tony Sibson, in 1983. TKO in six and afterwards, Hagler, not the most gracious of winners (think the opposite of Sugar Ray Robinson) said: "Haven't you got anyone better in the UK?". Hagler didn't do politeness but when you're the baddest man on the planet why bother? His three round war with Hearns is one of the most exciting fights in history. The first round I would venture will never be surpassed in terms of toe-to-toe action. It is why boxing can never be beaten for primal ecstasy. He beat Duran among others. His lost to Leonard in 1987 was his last fight. Unlike so many greats he wasn't knocked out or humiliated. On the contrary to this day many believe he won the fight. Did Leonard as a challenger really do enough to take his titles away? Debatable. Hagler was never the type of fighter you could get to love or really care about. He never really wanted that anyway. But boy you admired his ferocity, his chin and the power in his hands. Yes, those hands! When he introduced them as 'Destruct and Destroy' you knew they didn't belong to a doctor. Rated at: Middleweight Boxing record SIMPLY MARVELOUS: Marvelous Marvin Hagler (born Marvin Nathaniel Hagler, in Newark, New Jersey, May 23, 1952), is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%. In 1982, upset that network announcers often did not refer to him by his nickname of Marvelous, Hagler legally changed his name from Marvin Nathaniel Hagler to Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Post boxing career, he's had a fragrance for men named after him ('Cologne de Fear' by any chance?), moved to Italy and became a movie star. He has been married twice and has five children. Paul Page, December, 2012 FURTHER READING: Marvelous Marvin Hagler |
