Saying Goodbye To Our Guy, Marvelous Marvin Hagler Gone At 66

Published

4 years ago

March 15, 2021

Saying-Goodbye-To-Our-Guy-Marvelous-Marvin-Hagler-Gone-At-66

On Saturday night March 13, 2021, the sporting world at large was shocked to learn of the sudden death of former undisputed world middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler.

The internet reacted immediately to a social media posting on Facebook originating from a Marvin Hagler Fan Page administered by Hagler’s second wife, Kay Hagler, who broke the terrible news: “I am sorry to make a very sad announcement. Today unfortunately, my beloved husband Marvelous Marvin passed away unexpectedly at his home here in New Hampshire.”

The Newark, New Jersey born pugilist was just 66 when he died at or near his summer home in Bartlett, NH. Hagler was not known to be ill or in poor health. A scroll through his recent social media reveals a man engaged in sporting activities such as 50 mile bike rides. It’s been reported he enjoyed a meal at the Lobster Trap in North Conway, NH just four days before his death. Staff at the nearby Red Parka Pub also spotted Hagler at their establishment on that Tuesday.

Considered by many to have possessed the sturdiest chin in boxing history, Hagler was never legitimately knocked off his feet nor was he ever knocked out in the ring. What John “The Beast” Mugabi and other big punchers could not do (stop Hagler) the Grim Reaper has finally done.

Though his official cause of death remains unknown at this time, there has been some speculation that Hagler could be another casualty of the coronavirus. After his retirement from boxing in 1987, Hagler relocated to Italy and quietly lived there for many years with his family. It is well known that Italy was the first country to be significantly affected by the Chinese pathogen.

Hagler always claimed that if they opened up his bald head, they’d find a boxing glove in there, that he lived and breathed boxing, that it defined him in a way that nothing else in life ever could.

Always physically fit and ready to rumble, he successfully defended his world title a dozen times, twice by knockout in 1981 at the Boston Garden. A true New England sports legend, Hagler lived and trained in Brockton, Massachusetts before moving to Hanover after taking the middleweight crown off Alan Minter in 1980 at London’s Wembley Stadium. Infamously, Hagler was forced to take cover and flee as angry British fans pelted the ring with bottles and debris.

It was not the first time Hagler was forced to flee from violent rioters. In the wake of the destructive race riots that rocked Newark, NJ in 1967, Hagler’s mother Ida Mae evacuated the fatherless teen up north to Brockton in search of a better life. After suffering a bad beating on the streets at the hands of a boxer named Dornell Wigfall, Hagler found his future in the boxing gym.

In 1973, Hagler got revenge, knocking out Wigfall at Brockton High School in just his 4th pro bout. They met again two years later at Brockton High and Hagler again knocked him out.

Trained for his entire professional career by Goody and Pat Petronelli, Hagler and the two Brockton brothers formed an unbreakable triangle built on unwavering loyalty, consistency and respect. Hagler was equally loyal to the late Angie Carlino, his longtime personal photographer.

Hagler made headlines in 1982 when he legally changed his name from Marvin Nathaniel Hagler to Marvelous Marvin Hagler. He did this so that ring announcers and defiant color
commentators would be forced to call him by the name he’d so marvelously earned and identified with.

With a record of 62-3-2 with 52 knockouts, Hagler was best known for his Superfights with Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard. He is lesser well known for his role in the Italian produced Indio films. Hagler fought 22 times in Boston, winning all 22 including a pair of wins against Sugar Ray Seales. In 1993, he was enshrined at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY.

“Marvelous Marvin Hagler’s name is synonymous with greatness,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Edward Brophy. “One of the best to ever step into the ring, he combined skill and determination to dominate the middleweight division during his championship career.”

Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan issued a proclamation on behalf of Hagler’s adoptive hometown. “The City of Brockton and the boxing world has suffered a devastating loss today with the passing of Marvelous Marvin Hagler, former Undisputed Middleweight Champion of the world. Marvelous Marvin will always be a champion from our ‘City of Champions’ and he inspired civic pride in generations of Brocktonians. He will be remembered as the dominant Middleweight fighter of his era. His championship boxing matches captivated Brockton and the world and became instant classics. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Hagler family.”

Hagler’s Top Rank promoter Bob Arum had the following to say about a fighter who “embodied everything noble” about boxing. “Marvin Hagler was among the greatest athletes that Top Rank ever promoted. He was a man of honor and a man of his word, and he performed in the ring with unparalleled determination. He was a true athlete and a true man. I will miss him greatly.”

Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns was the first of Hagler’s boxing rivals to comment publicly on his passing, inexplicably doing so before he’d actually passed. What Hearns wrote on Instagram Saturday created a firestorm reminiscent of their ‘Fight of the Year’ war in Las Vegas. For reasons as yet unknown, Hearns wrote that Hagler was “in ICU fighting the after effects of the vaccine.” On Marvin Hagler’s official webpage, “natural causes” are vaguely cited in his death.

The “Destruction and Destroy” website MarvelousMarvin.com contradicts the statement of Kay Hagler that her husband died “at” their Bartlett home and states that Hagler died “near his home” in New Hampshire on March 13 as widely reported. Perhaps we’ll never know the full story.

According to TMZ, Hagler’s son James told the online tabloid that his father was taken to a New Hampshire hospital earlier on the day he died; after complaining of shortness of breath and chest pains. It’s not known if any of this is true or if Hagler was discharged and released.

Or if he went to a hospital at all.

A reasonable person might conclude Hagler ate some bad seafood somewhere and perhaps succumbed to food poisoning. What’s more likely is that Hagler was enjoying the unseasonably mild weather in the New England area and was outside doing something physical when struck down by a heart attack or a stroke. In the ring he was “unknockoutable” but life hits harder.

On the Monday after his death, Kay Hagler issued another heartfelt statement on the Marvin Hagler Facebook page. The Italian widow apologized for her poor English before stating that she is “the only person that know how things went, not even his family know all the details. I was the only person close to him until the last minute.”

Mrs. Hagler is adamant that the coronavirus vaccine had nothing to do with Marvin’s death and that he died in peace with a smile on his face. Surprisingly, she also wrote that Marvin “hated funerals” and thus there would not be one for him or any “church celebrations” planned.

Sugar Ray Leonard spoke to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix on the night Hagler died, telling the reporter that his middleweight title fight with Hagler was the “closest I’ve been” to death.

After losing his middleweight championship by controversial split decision to Leonard in 1987, Hagler resisted the urge to come back and seek a rematch. Instead, he retired with his faculties and his fortune intact. Hagler never accepted or acknowledged the legitimacy of his defeat to Leonard, forever claiming it was the dirty politics of boxing that was his true undoing.

“I still feel as though I’m the champion,” claimed Hagler after the loss to Sugar Ray. “I fought my heart out to keep my belt. I think I’ve done a lot for boxing. I’ve been a true champion to the sport. It puts a bitter taste in my mouth the way they went and did this. It’s just not right.”

Rest in Peace Marvelous One.

—

I’ll never forget meeting you for the first time at Brockton High School in 1980. I was 10. You were in the gymnasium conducting a very sweaty public sparring session with your half-brother Robbie Sims. I ran around getting every autograph I could on a black-and-white headshot of you handed out to everyone in attendance. I wish I still had it. Every Hagler friend or family member signed it, your trainers, and even your publicist. When it came time for you to sign my picture, there was no room left on the front so you humorously flipped it over and signed the back.

Thanks for always being our guy.

Boxing Writer Jeffrey Freeman grew up in the City of Champions, Brockton, Massachusetts from 1973 to 1987, during the Marvelous career of Marvin Hagler. JFree then lived in Lowell, Mass during the best years of Irish Micky Ward’s illustrious career. A former member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and a Bernie Award Winner in the Category of Feature Under 1500 Words, Freeman covers boxing for The Sweet Science in New England.

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Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing

Published

3 days ago

January 19, 2025

Arne K. Lang

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Skylar Lacy, a six-foot-seven heavyweight, returns to the ring on Sunday, Feb. 2, opposing Brandon Moore on a card in Flint, Michigan, airing worldwide on DAZN.

As this is being written, the bookmakers hadn’t yet posted a line on the bout, but one couldn’t be accused of false coloring by calling the 10-round contest a 50/50 fight. And if his frustrating history is any guide, Lacy will have another draw appended to his record or come out on the wrong side of a split decision.

This should not be construed as a tip to wager on Moore. “Close fights just don’t seem to go my way,” says the boxer who played alongside future multi-year NFL MVP Lamar Jackson at the University of Louisville.

A 2021 National Golden Gloves champion, Skylar Lacy came up short in his final amateur bout, losing a split decision to future U.S. Olympian Joshua Edwards. His last Team Combat League assignment resulted in another loss by split decision and he was held to a draw in both instances when stepping up in class as a pro. “In my mind, I’m still undefeated,” says Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs). “No one has ever kicked my ass.”

Lacy was the B-side in both of those draws, the first coming in a 6-rounder against Top Rank fighter Antonio Mireles on a Top Rank show in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and the second in an 8-rounder against George Arias, a Lou DiBella fighter on a DiBella-promoted card in Philadelphia.

Lacy had the Mireles fight in hand when he faded in the homestretch. The altitude was a factor. Lake Tahoe, Nevada (officially Stateline) sits 6,225 feet above sea level. The fight with Arias took an opposite tack. Lacy came on strong after a slow start to stave off defeat.

Skylar will be the B-side once again in Michigan. The card’s promoter, former world title challenger Dmitriy Salita, inked Brandon Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) in January. “A capable American heavyweight with charisma, athleticism and skills is rare in today’s day and age. Brandon has got all these ingredients…”, said Salita in the press release announcing the signing. (Salita has an option on Skylar Lacy’s next pro fight in the event that Skylar should win, but the promoter has a larger investment in Moore who was previously signed to Top Rank, a multi-fight deal that evaporated after only one fight.)

Both Lacy and Moore excelled in other sports. The six-foot-six Moore was an outstanding basketball player in high school in Fort Lauderdale and at the NAIA level in college. Lacy was an all-state football lineman in Indiana before going on to the University of Louisville where he started as an offensive guard as a redshirt sophomore, blocking for freshman phenom Lamar Jackson. “Lamar was hard-working and humble,” says Lacy about the player who is now one of the world’s highest-paid professional athletes.

When Lacy committed to Louisville, the head coach was Charlie Strong who went on to become the head coach at the University of Texas. Lacy was never comfortable with Strong’s successor Bobby Petrino and transferred to San Jose State. Having earned his degree in only three years (a BA in communications) he was eligible immediately but never played a down because of injuries.

Returning to Indianapolis where he was raised by his truck dispatcher father, a single parent, Lacy gravitated to Pat McPherson’s IBG (Indy Boxing and Grappling) Gym on the city’s east side where he was the rare college graduate pounding the bags alongside at-risk kids from the city’s poorer neighborhoods.

Lacy built a 12-6 record across his two seasons in Team Combat League while representing the Las Vegas Hustle (2023) and the Boston Butchers (2024).

For the uninitiated, a Team Combat League (TCL) event typically consists of 24 fights, each consisting of one three-minute round. The concept finds no favor with traditionalists, but Lacy is a fan. It’s an incentive for professional boxers to keep in shape between bouts without disturbing their professional record and, notes Lacy, it’s useful in exposing a competitor to different styles.

“It paid the bills and kept me from just sitting around the house,” says Lacy whose 12-6 record was forged against 13 different opponents.

As a sparring partner, Lacy has shared the ring with some of the top heavyweights of his generation, e.g., Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He was one of Fury’s regular sparring partners during the Gypsy King’s trilogy with Deontay Wilder. He worked with Joshua at Derrick James’ gym in Dallas and at Ben Davison’s gym in England, helping Joshua prepare for his date in Saudi Arabia with Francis Ngannou and had previously sparred with Ngannou at the UFC Performance Center in Las Vegas. Skylar names traveling to new places as one of his hobbies and he got to scratch that itch when he joined Whyte’s camp in Portugal.

As to the hardest puncher he ever faced, he has no hesitation: “Ngannou,” he says. “I negotiated a nice price to spend a week in his camp and the first time he hit me I knew I should have asked for more.”

Lacy is confident that having shared the ring with some of the sport’s elite heavyweights will get him over the hump in what will be his first 10-rounder (Brandon Moore has never had to fight beyond eight rounds, having won his three 10-rounders inside the distance). Lacy vs. Moore is the co-feature to Claressa Shields’ homecoming fight with Danielle Perkins. Shields, basking in the favorable reviews accorded the big-screen biopic based on her first Olympic journey (“The Fire Inside”) will attempt to capture a title in yet another weight class at the expense of the 42-year-old Perkins, a former professional basketball player.

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Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce

Published

4 days ago

January 18, 2025

David A. Avila

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Japan’s Mizuki Hiruta smashed through Mexico’s Maribel Ramirez with ease in winning by technical decision and local hero Omar Trinidad continued his assault on the featherweight division on Friday.

Hiruta (7-0, 2 KOs), who prefers to be called “Mimi,” made her American debut with an impressive performance against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez (15-11-4) and retained the WBO super flyweight world title by unanimous decision at Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

The pink-haired Japanese southpaw champion quickly proved to be quicker, stronger and even better than advertised. In the opening round Ramirez landed on the floor twice after throwing errant blows. On one instance, it could have been ruled a knockdown but it was not a convincing blow.

In the second round, Ramirez again attacked and again was met with a Hiruta check right hook and down went the Mexican. This time referee Ray Corona gave the eight-count and the fight resumed.

It was Hiruta’s third title defense but this time it was on American soil. She seemed nervous by the prospect of getting a favorable review from the more than 700 fans inside the casino tent.

For more than a year Hiruta has been training off and on with Manny Robles in the L.A. area. Now that she has a visa, she has spent considerable time this year learning the tricks of the trade. They proved explosively effective.

Though Mexico City’s Ramirez has considerable experience against world champions, she discovered that Hiruta was not easy to hit. Often, the Japanese champion would slip and counter with precision.

It was an impressive American debut, though the fight was stopped in the eighth round after a collision of heads. The scores were tallied and all three saw Hiruta the winner by scores of 80-71 twice and 79-72.

“I’m so happy. I could have done much more,” said Hiruta through interpreter Yuriko Miyata. “I wanted to do more things that Manny Robles taught me.”

Trinidad Wins Too

Omar Trinidad (18-0-1, 13 KOs) discovered that challenger Mike Plania (31-5, 18 KOs) has a very good chin and staying power. But over 10 rounds Trinidad proved to be too fast and too busy for the Filipino challenger.

Immediately it was evident that the East L.A. featherweight was too quick and too busy for Plania who preferred a counter-puncher attack that never worked.

“He was strong,” said Trinidad. “He took everything.”

After 10 redundant rounds all three judges scored for Trinidad 100-90 twice and 99-91. He retains the WBC Continental Americas title.

Other Bouts

Ali Akhmedov (23-1, 17 KOs) blasted out Malcolm Jones (17-5-1) in less than two rounds. A dozen punches by Akhmedov forced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the super middleweight fight.

Iyana “Roxy” Verduzco (3-0) bloodied Lindsey Ellis in the first round and continued the speedy assault in the next two rounds. Referee Ray Corona saw enough and stopped the fight in favor of Verduzco at 1:34 of the third round.

Gloria Munguilla (7-1) and Brook Sibrian (5-2) lit up the boxing ring with a nonstop clash for eight rounds in their light flyweight fight. Munguilla proved effective with a slip-and-counter attack. Sibrian adjusted and made the fight closer in the last four rounds but all three judges favored Munguilla.

More Winners

Joshua Anton, Tayden Beltran, Adan Palma, and Alexander Gueche all won their bouts.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Published

6 days ago

January 16, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Best wishes to the survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires that took place last week and are still ongoing in small locales.

Most of the heavy damage took place in the western part of L.A. near the ocean due to Santa Ana winds. Another very hot spot was in Altadena just north of the Rose Bowl. It was a horrific tragedy.

Hopefully the worst is over.

Pro boxing returns with 360 Boxing Promotions spotlighting East L.A.’s Omar Trinidad (17-0-1, 13 KOs) defending a regional featherweight title against Mike Plania (31-4, 18 KOs) on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

“I’m the king of L.A. boxing and I’ll be ready to put on a show headlining again in the main event. This is my year, I’m ready to challenge and defeat any of the featherweight world champions,” said Trinidad.

UFC Fight Pass will stream the Hollywood Night fight card that includes a female world championship fight and other intriguing match-ups.

Tom Loeffler heads 360 Promotions and once again comes full force with a hot prospect in Trinidad. If you’re not familiar with Loeffler’s history of success, he introduced America to Oleksandr Usyk, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and the brothers Wladimir and Vitaly Kltischko.

“We’ve got a wealth of international talent and local favorites to kick off our 2025 in grand style,” said Loeffler.

He knows talent.

Trinidad hails from the Boyle Heights area of East L.A. near the Los Angeles riverbed. Several fighters from the past came from that exact area including the first Golden Boy, Art Aragon.

Aragon was a huge gate attraction during the late 1940s until 1960. He was known as a lady’s man and dated several Hollywood starlets in his time. Though he never won a world title he did fight world champions Carmen Basilio, Jimmy Carter and Lauro Salas. He was more or less the king of the Olympic Auditorium and Los Angeles boxing during his career.

Other famous boxers from the Boyle Heights area were notorious gangster Mickey Cohen and former world champion Joey Olivo.

Can Trinidad reach world title status?

Facing Trinidad will be Filipino fighter Plania who’s knocked off a couple of prospects during his career including Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer and Giovanni Gutierrez. The fighter from General Santos in the Philippines can crack and hold his own in the boxing ring.

It’s a very strong fight card and includes WBO world titlist Mizuki Hiruta of Japan who defends the super flyweight title against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez. It’s a tough matchup for Hiruta who makes her American debut. You can’t miss her with that pink hair and she has all the physical tools to make a splash in this country.

Mizukii Hiruta

Two other female bouts are also planned, including light flyweight banger L.A.’s Gloria Munguilla (6-1) against Coachella’s Brook Sibrian (5-1) in a match set for six rounds. Both are talented fighters. Another female fight includes super featherweights Iyana “Right Hook Roxy” Verduzco (2-0) versus Lindsey Ellis (2-1) in another six-rounder. Ellis can crack with all her wins coming via knockout. Verduzco is a multi-national titlist as an amateur.

Others scheduled to perform are Ali Akhmedov, Joshua Anton, Adan Palma and more.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Boxing and the Media

The sport of professional boxing is currently in flux. It’s always in flux but no matter what people may say or write, boxing will survive.

Whether you like Jake Paul or not, he proved boxing has worldwide appeal with monstrous success in his last show. He has media companies looking at the numbers and imagining what they can do with the sport.

Sure, UFC is negotiating a massive billion dollar deal with media companies, as is WWE, both are very similar in that they provide combat entertainment. You don’t need to know the champions because they really don’t matter. Its about the attractions.

Boxing is different. The good champions last and build a following that endures even beyond their careers a la Mike Tyson.

MMA can’t provide that longevity, but it does provide entertainment.

Currently, there is talk of establishing a boxing league again. It’s been done over and over but we shall see if it sticks this time.

Pro boxing is the true warrior’s path and that means a solo adventure. It’s a one-on-one sport and that appeals to people everywhere. It’s the oldest sport that can be traced to prehistoric times. You don’t need classes in Brazilian Jiujitsu, judo, kick boxing or wrestling. Just show up in a boxing gym and they can put you to work.

It’s a poor person’s path that can lead to better things and most importantly discipline.

Photos credit: Lina Baker

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