RIP Marvin Hagler.

[smiths]

Sad news that Marvin Hagler has died aged 66. He was one of the best Middleweights ever in my view. Totally dominant from 1979-87 and he fought some good boxers in his 14 year career. RIP.

[spiralnotebook]

I was just catching up on some of his fights on YouTube, what a fantastic boxer.

[king tarzan]

Extremely sad news..
One of my favourite idols..
A great athlete.. a great hardworking man..
RIP GOD BLESS 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😭😭😭😭

[WelshMichael]

Came up the hard way too, no Olympic Gold medal or TV contract to smooth the way. A great champion and was always introduced in the ring with a word we hardly ever hear these days - undisputed.

[Paris69]

Devastating news... as i'd said in an earlier boxing post - met him in Vegas.
What a lovely guy he was...and one of the all time great fighters at any weight

At middleweight I'd have SRR, Hagler and Monzon as the top 3.....

[Kingy28]

He wasn't called Marvelous for nothing. A truly great boxer. RIP

[radioman33]

His fights were great against sugar Ray Leonard and Alan minter I think boxing was better in the 80s along with others in that era

[wearegreat]

His fights were great against sugar Ray Leonard and Alan minter I think boxing was better in the 80s along with others in that era

Not forgetting the other 2 great fighters from that era - Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns and Roberto "Fists of Stone" Duran.
I would go as far as saying that 1980 -1987 was the best ever era for middle-weight boxing.

[Goldfinch]

R.I.P 🥊🥊

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[king tarzan]

Not forgetting the other 2 great fighters from that era - Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns and Roberto "Fists of Stone" Duran.
I would go as far as saying that 1980 -1987 was the best ever era for middle-weight boxing.

Watch closely minter Vs Hagler
And if one has knowledge about boxing it's not as one sided in Hagler favour as it looks

That's a brutal toe to toe fight

[Goldfinch]

Watch closely minter Vs Hagler
And if one has knowledge about boxing it's not as one sided in Hagler favour as it looks

That's a brutal toe to toe fight

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[smiths]

Not forgetting the other 2 great fighters from that era - Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns and Roberto "Fists of Stone" Duran.
I would go as far as saying that 1980 -1987 was the best ever era for middle-weight boxing.

I agree that period is the golden period for Middleweights, Hagler, Leonard, Hearns, Duran and others, fantastic.

[WelshMichael]

His fight with John Mugabi was brutal as well, I remember reading that it was a big reason why Leonard came out of retirement to fight Hagler as he'd seen enough to suggest Hagler had slipped a little. Although he later managed to win a world title Mugabi was never the same after it. The action in round 6 shows why:

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[king tarzan]

His fight with John Mugabi was brutal as well, I remember reading that it was a big reason why Leonard came out of retirement to fight Hagler as he'd seen enough to suggest Hagler had slipped a little. Although he later managed to win a world title Mugabi was never the same after it. The action in round 6 shows why:

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Mugabi was beaten senseless by that dog fighting dog murdering bastard Gerald McLennan.. evil bastard..
Good what happened to him later.. poetic justice

[king tarzan]

One fighter Hagler and Thomas avoided  not because they were scared of him because he would of made them look stupid until the moment they knocked him out was herol Graham.. Nigel been and Chris eubank also avoided him too, but I think he would of beaten them both herol Graham would of..
A very very talented fighter

[WelshMichael]

One fighter Hagler and Thomas avoided  not because they were scared of him because he would of made them look stupid until the moment they knocked him out was Herol Graham.. Nigel been and Chris eubank also avoided him too, but I think he would of beaten them both herol Graham would of..
A very very talented fighter

My all time favourite British fighter. Ironic that the one fight where he moved away from his defensive style and went on the front foot looking for the finish was his fight with Julian Jackson. And look how that ended up...

[Paris69]

One fighter Hagler and Thomas avoided  not because they were scared of him because he would of made them look stupid until the moment they knocked him out was herol Graham.. Nigel been and Chris eubank also avoided him too, but I think he would of beaten them both herol Graham would of..
A very very talented fighter

Bomber Graham was a superb 'Boxer'.... in many other era's he would have won some version of a world title: Unfortunately he was around in the Hagler years.
I always felt he was just 'shy' of being a 'GREAT' fighter.... When he came up against the Jackson's/McCallum's/Kalambay's he always came up just a little short...
Really sweet guy though.... I met him through Brendan Ingle on many occasions......
Likewise, his gym buddy... Johnny Nelson, who is a true gentleman in all respects

[king tarzan]

Bomber Graham was a superb 'Boxer'.... in many other era's he would have won some version of a world title: Unfortunately he was around in the Hagler years.
I always felt he was just 'shy' of being a 'GREAT' fighter.... When he came up against the Jackson's/McCallum's/Kalambay's he always came up just a little short...
Really sweet guy though.... I met him through Brendan Ingle on many occasions......
Likewise, his gym buddy... Johnny Nelson, who is a true gentleman in all respects

He completely outboxed Mark Kaylor.. he wasn't the best of fighters but decent enough..

[Paris69]

He completely outboxed Mark Kaylor.. he wasn't the best of fighters but decent enough..

Yeah, Kaylor was very carefully matched and managed by Lawless and Duff as he was very limited tbh. He was an East End tough guy, but in boxing terms just didnt have it

[king tarzan]

Yeah, Kaylor was very carefully matched and managed by Lawless and Duff as he was very limited tbh. He was an East End tough guy, but in boxing terms just didnt have it

For me watching modern British fighters
The best and one of the greatest is Lennox Lewis

Calzaghe was very tough but is tarnished in my opinion beyoind his control that he fought shadows of there former selves in the form of Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins
So to me those wins should be discarded

[Paris69]

For me watching modern British fighters
The best and one of the greatest is Lennox Lewis

Calzaghe was very tough but is tarnished in my opinion beyoind his control that he fought shadows of there former selves in the form of Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins
So to me those wins should be discarded

Agree... 

Without doubt my favourite British/Irish fighter was Nigel Benn.... Not the best Brit, but the most thrilling.
My other would be McGuigan - one of the nicest 'people' i've met; never mind fighters..

The worst would be Naz. A real nasty piece of work....

[king tarzan]

Agree... 

Without doubt my favourite British/Irish fighter was Nigel Benn.... Not the best Brit, but the most thrilling.
My other would be McGuigan - one of the nicest 'people' i've met; never mind fighters..

The worst would be Naz. A real nasty piece of work....

Old Barry was very courageous

Benn fought some good battles but his disrespectful arrogant attitude towards other fighters in his divisions really put me off him..

I would of loved to see him get dissected by Micheal Nunn who like Herol Graham was extremely skillful and who's knockout power was very severally underated

I remember I really wanted to o see Iran Barkley knock Nigel Benn unconscious, but that wasn't to be..
Barkley got stopped left me nearly in tears!!

[Paris69]

Old Barry was very courageous

Benn fought some good battles but his disrespectful arrogant attitude towards other fighters in his divisions really put me off him..

I would of loved to see him get dissected by Micheal Nunn who like Herol Graham was extremely skillful and who's knockout power was very severally underated

I remember I really wanted to o see Iran Barkley knock Nigel Benn unconscious, but that wasn't to be..
Barkley got stopped left me nearly in tears!!

I think Benn's seeming disrespect was his way of driving himself/building his hatred and anger rather than who he really was.
At his peak he hated everyone and everything and took slight at 'anyone' who he thought was disrespecting him.... real or not.

I was in Benn's changing room after his loss to Sugar Boy Malinga in Newcastle. He had just proposed on bended knee, in the ring, to Caroline... (she accepted) and Nigel was a totally different man than he portrayed in public.
After this loss (and in the fight itself he was awful - his heart wasn't in it).....he became 'human' again and turned out to be a nice guy who no longer needed to be angry at everyone/everything.

Benn v McClellan is still in my all-time top 5 fights that i attended.... And I've been at 1000's

Yeah, the Barkley fight. He annihilated 'the Blade' who had in turn 'done' a deteriorating Tommy Hearns.


I remember running into McGuigan at some boxing.... Mentioned that me and my brother were at QPR's ground the night he beat Eusebio Pedroza. He asked if my brother was with me (he was, sitting in the gallow seats)... BM went and shook hands with my brother and thanked him for his support that night... This, 20 years after the event.
Class guy/class act and i know his parents were very proud of him.

Shame that he was forced to fight and 'melt' in the afternoon heat of a Vegas summer v Stevie Cruz. No way could this white skinned Irishman cope with the heat that afternoon... and he duly was beaten by an inferior fighter.

[king tarzan]

I think Benn's seeming disrespect was his way of driving himself/building his hatred and anger rather than who he really was.
At his peak he hated everyone and everything and took slight at 'anyone' who he thought was disrespecting him.... real or not.

I was in Benn's changing room after his loss to Sugar Boy Malinga in Newcastle. He had just proposed on bended knee, in the ring, to Caroline... (she accepted) and Nigel was a totally different man than he portrayed in public.
After this loss (and in the fight itself he was awful - his heart wasn't in it).....he became 'human' again and turned out to be a nice guy who no longer needed to be angry at everyone/everything.

Yeah, the Barkley fight. He annihilated 'the Blade' who had in turn 'done' a deteriorating Tommy Hearns.


I remember running into McGuigan at some boxing.... Mentioned that me and my brother were at QPR's ground the night he beat Eusebio Pedroza. He asked if my brother was with me (he was, sitting in the gallow seats)... BM went and shook hands with my brother and thanked him for his support that night... This, 20 years after the event.
Class guy/class act and i know his parents were very proud of him.

Shame that he was forced to fight and 'melt' in the afternoon heat of a Vegas summer v Stevie Cruz. No was could this white skinned Irishman cope with the heat that afternoon... and he duly was beaten by an inferior fighter.

Back then there was talk of Barry and Azumah Nelson
As much as like Barry no way on earth could he ever of beaten Azumah
Azumah was just awesome.. just have to see the way he destroyed the great wilfredo Gomez

[Paris69]

Back then there was talk of Barry and Azumah Nelson
As much as like Barry no way on earth could he ever of beaten Azumah
Azumah was just awesome.. just have to see the way he destroyed the great wilfredo Gomez

Azumah, the Accra Ghana, Assassin.
Awesome fighter - Was ringside at the NEC when he nearly killed Pat Cowdell.
He would have been way, way to much for McGuigan; you're correct

Nelson v Salvador Sanchez was a different matter though.. Sal was one of 'the great' Feathers of all time. Maybes the greatest if he hadn't died so young

[king tarzan]

Azumah, the Accra Ghana, Assassin.
Awesome fighter - Was ringside at the NEC when he nearly killed Pat Cowdell.
He would have been way, way to much for McGuigan; you're correct

Nelson v Salvador Sanchez was a different matter though.. Sal was one of 'the great' Feathers of all time. Maybes the greatest if he hadn't died so young

Only 22 when Sanchez died in car crash

[lamboman]

Great boxer from an era when the best fought eachother instead of spending years avoiding eachother.

[mr.bluesky]

Even for someone like myself who does not particularly follow boxing to the extent of King tarzan or Goldfinch remember what a great boxer Hagler was . Like Ali will be rembered as an all time great probably the greatest in his weight division. How many of todays boxers will be remembered the same way 

[king tarzan]

Even for someone like myself who does not particularly follow boxing to the extent of King tarzan or Goldfinch remember what a great boxer Hagler was . Like Ali will be rembered as an all time great probably the greatest in his weight division. How many of todays boxers will be remembered the same way 

In his division he's on Parr with
Harry Grebb
Stanley Ketchell
Carlos Monzon
Sugar Ray Robinson ( moving division though)

certainly above the likes of Tony Sale, Rocky Grazisno, Jake Lomatta, Nino Benoventi

Only Monzon made more defenses than Hagler

Dream superfight for me would of been
Hagler Vs Ketchell 👊👊👊👊🥊🥊🥊🥊🥊👊👊🥊🥊

[radioman33]

Lloyd honeyghan v Don curry was a fight I remember in the 1980s as he went to America and won.Back in the 80s you could watch the fights on itv like the Benn v Eubank and Watson ones,I’m not that interested anymore.

[mr.bluesky]

Lloyd honeyghan v Don curry was a fight I remember in the 1980s as he went to America and won.Back in the 80s you could watch the fights on itv like the Benn v Eubank and Watson ones,I’m not that interested anymore.

Likewise. Remember watching all the big fights on itv back in the day. Now they all seem to be on pay per view sky channels so I have not watched a big fight live for years and lost what little interest I had in boxing.

[Jabba the Slut]

Sad to hear about Marvin Hagler.
His first round against Tommy Hearns,in the 80s is amazing.Considered by boxing experts to be the finest,of all time.It was all out war.

[Paris69]

In his division he's on Parr with
Harry Grebb
Stanley Ketchell
Carlos Monzon
Sugar Ray Robinson ( moving division though)

certainly above the likes of Tony Sale, Rocky Grazisno, Jake Lomatta, Nino Benoventi

Only Monzon made more defenses than Hagler

Dream superfight for me would of been
Hagler Vs Ketchell 👊👊👊👊🥊🥊🥊🥊🥊👊👊🥊🥊

That fight woulda been a War to end all wars!
If forced to choose, i'd go Hagler....

[king tarzan]

That fight woulda been a War to end all wars!
If forced to choose, i'd go Hagler....

Difficult one..??????

[Sheraton]

Sad to hear about Marvin Hagler.
His first round against Tommy Hearns,in the 80s is amazing.Considered by boxing experts to be the finest,of all time.It was all out war.

RIP.
You're right about that fight.  The first round was toe to toe fighting.  Relentless by both warriors, though both of them would I think have "boxed" a bit more if only to conserve energy.  As others have said, a great era for Middle Weight boxing..

[Paris69]

RIP.
You're right about that fight.  The first round was toe to toe fighting.  Relentless by both warriors, though both of them would I think have "boxed" a bit more if only to conserve energy.  As others have said, a great era for Middle Weight boxing..

But Hagler's strategy wasn't to 'conserve' energy as he was proven to be able to go hard for 15 rounds, and had amazing stamina.
Hearns wasn't overly proven over 15 rounds and struggled with the distance unless he was easily on top...

Which is why Hagler termed it WAR (see his baseball cap) and why he made the fight like that from within the 1 second it took him to run across the ring at the 1st bell and launch into a brawl.

[Jabba the Slut]

I've just watched it again on Utube.
It's tremendous.
Both Hagler and Hearns were absolute class boxers.

[king tarzan]

Watch him against Tony Sibson, the movement from all angles with punch after punch just broke Sibson's resolve and resistance.. getting pounded from head to body all angles..
Swift footwork...

[Goldfinch]

Watch him against Tony Sibson, the movement from all angles with punch after punch just broke Sibson's resolve and resistance.. getting pounded from head to body all angles..
Swift footwork...

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[Paris69]

Watch him against Tony Sibson, the movement from all angles with punch after punch just broke Sibson's resolve and resistance.. getting pounded from head to body all angles..
Swift footwork...

6, totally one-sided rounds. 2 Knockdowns; and Carlos Padilla had to stop the fight
Hagler slaughtered a peak 'Sibbo'...

[winkywanky]

Watch closely minter Vs Hagler
And if one has knowledge about boxing it's not as one sided in Hagler favour as it looks

That's a brutal toe to toe fight

God you are old KT!!   

Minter sure was a great fighter, I remember Harry on Sportsnight in the 70s  .

[Paris69]

God you are old KT!!   

Minter sure was a great fighter, I remember Harry on Sportsnight in the 70s  .

Yeah; he is 88 

[winkywanky]

Yeah; he is 88 

Ouch!! 

[finn5555]

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I am not a boxing fan, but that was brutal 

[Paris69]

I am not a boxing fan, but that was brutal 

Sibbo was one tough nut... and his left hook was devastating. Ask Minter's nose; which needed reconstructing after they had fought.
But Hagler was on another planet to Sibbo..... By the end i felt like i was watching something not nice; like a child torturing an animal..

[Chorley]

One half of the greatest first round in boxing history. Two blokes pummeling the shit out of each other without quarter or mercy. Hagler truly was an all time greats. 

[spiralnotebook]

I remember one boxer describing his contest with Herol Graham as like fighting a limbo dancer  . As for the Hagler Sibson fight all the British press were saying how Sibson was going to murder Hagler, with the exception of Frank McGhee of the daily mirror who correctly said Hagler was in a different class. Afterwards Sibbo said he had been taught a boxing lesson and went to the USA. God bless old bullet bonce.

[king tarzan]

Hagler Vs Briscoe would of been a great fight had Briscoe been many years younger

[Paris69]

Hagler Vs Briscoe would of been a great fight had Briscoe been many years younger

Agree. He was mid 30s when Hagler comfortably outpointed him.

The one obvious match that hasn't been mentioned; and would surely have even been more brutal and exciting then Hagler v Hearns, is Hagler v LaMotta.

[king tarzan]

Agree. He was mid 30s when Hagler comfortably outpointed him.

The one obvious match that hasn't been mentioned; and would surely have even been more brutal and exciting then Hagler v Hearns, is Hagler v LaMotta.

LaMotta wouldn't of had the punch power to keep Hagler at bay..

Tony Zale Vs Marvin Hagler would of been a brutal fight..
In Hagler favour KO in mid rounds..

As a middleweight Sugar Ray Robinson I think would of edged Marvin Hagler on points..
Ray Robinson smoothness and finesse wise was more skillfully refined than Marvin Hagler and probably anyone else with ko power in either hand.