Former undisputed world middleweight champion ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler has died at the age of 66, his wife announced on Saturday. Hagler had ruled the division from 1979, but was dethroned following a controversial defeat by Sugar Ray Leonard in April 1987. Marvelous Marvin Hagler. The bloke you show to the aliens when they ask what the word ‘boxer’ means. What a massive loss. pic.twitter.com/UurYBksqQd Matt Christie (@MattCBoxingNews) March 14, 2021 Kay Hagler wrote on the official Marvelous Marvin Hagler Fan Club Facebook page: “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.”
Updated: March 14, 2021, 10:57 am
Marvin Hagler (centre) ruled the middleweight division for much of the 1980s (Nick Potts/PA)
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Marvelous Marvin Hagler ruled over the middleweight division with an iron fist for much of the 1980s before his reign was ended by Sugar Ray Leonard in one of the most controversial judging decisions of all time.
Hagler, who has died suddenly aged 66, made 12 successful defences of the crown he had long coveted, the high point of which was indisputably getting the better of Thomas Hearns in an eight-minute firefight known as ‘The War’.
Boxer Thomas Hearns has blasted Covid anti-vaxxers for co-opting the death of Marvin Hagler, after the all-time great passed away Saturday at age 66.
Before Hagler s death, Hearns - who was knocked out by Hagler during their famous bout in 1985 - had told followers online that the star was suffering from the after effects of the vaccine .
But no official cause of death has yet been announced, and his family have said he died of natural causes , with no mention of a Covid vaccine being to blame.
Hagler s son James told TMZ his father was rushed to hospital with chest pains and was experiencing trouble breathing before dying about four hours later.
Their meeting was marketed simply by the promoter Bob Arum as The Fight, though this astonishing contest became known as The War in the years thereafter. With both men casting caution to the wind, the normally slow-starting Hagler elected to meet the big-punching “Hitman” Hearns head-on in an opening round of frightening ferocity.
Both men were landing huge punches, but when Hagler sustained a deep cut on his forehead in the third round it was clear the contest could not conceivably last the full 15 rounds. As blood gushed into Hagler’s eyes, the referee Richard Steele was forced to call the ringside doctor to examine the wound. When asked if he could see, Hagler replied: “I ain’t missing him, am I?” and this has become one of the great quotes of boxing folklore.