Marvin Hagler

By Allyson Turner

Often regarded as one of the greatest middleweights of all-time, Marvin Hagler described his passion for boxing this way: 'I played it like a man, but I loved it like a boy.' Born in Newark, N.J. but raised in Rocky Marciano's hometown of Brockton, Mass., Marvelous Marvin -- a name he legally adopted -- posted a 62-3-2 professional record and successfully defended his middleweight crown 12 times, two shy of Carlos Monzon's mark.

Trained and managed for most of his career by Goody and Pat Petronelli, Hagler won the 1973 Amatuer Athletic Union middleweight championship. He won his first fight, a second-round TKO of Terry Ryan in 1973. Hagler's first title fight came six years later against Vito Antuofermo in Las Vegas, where the bout ended in a draw. The next year, Hagler won the title from Alan Minter at England's Wembley Stadium, where the referee was forced to stop the fight in the third round.

Hagler's 1985 bout against Tommy 'Hitman' Hearns is often referred to as the greatest three-round fight in history. In 1987, Hagler fought Sugar Ray Leonard, who had only fought once in five years and was attempting a comeback. The fight went twelve rounds and the split decision went to Leonard. Unable to secure a rematch, Hagler retired from boxing. Hagler was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.

After retiring from the ring, Hagler pursued an acting career and appeared in several films. He currently lives in Milan, Italy, where his dedication to acting is as strong as it was to boxing.

 

Marvin Hagler won 11 of his 12 successful title defenses by knockout, with the lone decision coming against Roberto Duran. (Allsport)

What do you remember about the fight against Tommy Hearns, considered by some people the greatest fight of all-time?
There was no love there between Tommy and myself. We respect each other now after the fight, but there was no love there and that fight was war. I trained very hard for that fight. I worked really hard on my combinations and my power and all the things that I needed to do in order to win. That Tommy Hearns fight would have to be the highlight of my career because I needed that one outstanding fight to show the world that I was a great champion.

How do you feel when you watch that fight on tape?
I get chills all through my body again because you remember so well being in the heat of the battle and what was happening. I can see how the people think that fight was one of the best three-round fights in history. Because it was war. That fight showed me my ability and what people appreciate about my fighting.

I was glad I showed my best ability in the boxing game -- to gain, finally, that respect for being a great world champion. It took me a long time to gain that respect and that's what I wanted to end up with. Not to be a great champion but to know that I was the best one out there. That's what I strived for. Not the greatness. I think the greatness the public puts on you when you're finished. Then they can say you're great.

Tommy Hearns' former trainer and manager Emanuel Steward: Marvin Hagler is one of my favorite fighters of all time. He could've beaten all of the middleweights including Sugar Ray Robinson. He was a basic fundamental fighter who was able to adjust to all situations in the ring. Once he went into training, he was the consummate professional. He got the most out of his talent. I've been watching him since 1972 and he had great natural instincts and would've been a problem for Sugar Ray Robinson. He would've destroyed Carlos Monzon, no doubt in my mind.

All athletes love the competition but not necessarily the preparation. What about you?
For me, I loved training. That was the easiest part about the fight game because I loved being in shape and I loved training. I really pushed my body to its limit inside the gym. The main thing is not trying to leave all your fight inside the gym. I realized that what you do inside the gym you have to do inside the ring. So, I practiced very hard, and sometimes what you do inside in the gym can make the fight that much easier when you get into the ring.

Is there a fight you remember having more butterflies for than another?
I liked to get the butterflies because then I knew I would do well. If you don't get the butterflies then it feels as though you're going into the ring too over confident, and that is when you find your butt on the deck. I don't like that. I'd rather see the other guy's butt on the deck.

Hagler in the ring against Sugar Ray Leonard in 1987. Hagler received $19 million and Leonard, $11 million for the fight held in Las Vegas. (Allsport)

It's no secret you wanted a rematch with Sugar Ray and you were upset he did not offer you one.
I thought he should have given me a rematch. I think if I was the champion, I definitely would have given him the rematch. I was just looking at the Oscar De La Hoya fight from the other night and I know how Ike Quartey felt. But by being a champion, they gave the split decision to De La Hoya. The decision should go to the champion. With the fight between me and Leonard, there was no knock down or anything like that. So there's nothing that you can say to convince me why I still wasn't champion. Now that, for me, is all in the past and I'm looking for the future. But it did take me awhile to get through it because to me it wasn't justice.

It hurt a lot, but after that, we challenged Leonard for a rematch and waited around for a whole year. I knew the kind of games he was playing. Basically, they were waiting for me to get older so he would think my timing was gone and he could take advantage of that. For me, he just didn't have the heart of a champion. The way that I saw it, he should've given me the opportunity for a rematch. And after that, I starting seeing him playing games. So then, I just felt like, 'Forget this guy. This guy really doesn't want to fight. So I have to concentrate on doing other things.' I felt as though I had accomplished everything in my career and the only thing left for me to do was to have a rematch with him. Things like this happen. It's the boxing game and it just wasn't there.

Former world champion Sugar Ray Leonard: My victory over Marvin Hagler was a great triumph for me. But unfortunately, it left Marvin bitter against the boxing world. However, I can reassure Marvin that he will always be looked upon as one of the greatest middleweight champions in boxing history.

When did you know that you could be a great fighter?
After the fight with Vinnie Brisco, the top dog in Philadelphia, I really knew that I had the ability of becoming a champion. After that fight, Vinnie Brisco gave me the best comment of all saying, 'You're going to be champion.' That inspired me because this was a world-ranked contender who had fought for the title three times. By me beating him, I realized I was on my way then.

In your mind, who was the greatest fighter of all-time?
Naturally, the first thought that comes to mind would have to be Muhammad Ali. He was a tremendous athlete and he was the man for the sport. He brought the highlights, the money and everthing to the sport especially the art, the real good art of boxing. Ali is more my time. But before my time, it would have to be Joe Louis or Rocky Marciano.

You are from the same hometown as Rocky Marciano. Did that have any impact on you?
He was a great inspiration for me. Now in Brockton, we have two world champions in a town that no one really knows about. It's a shoe city that produced two world champions. I had a great following from people in Brockton and a lot of people at that time had great hopes for me. This enabled me to push and to put that sacrifice in there and bring the things that I wanted to bring home -- which was the big fights.

Legendary trainer Angelo Dundee: He's a great guy, a great talent and he was great for boxing. He was a manager's dream. We need a Marvin Hagler today where fighters fight fighters. He would help boxing. He was a great fighter period! I hated to see him leave.

I read that you wanted to be a baseball player but that changed after you met Floyd Patterson.
Floyd Patterson was my idol when I was a young kid growing up. This guy had a lot of heart. He was a good boxer and he was the youngest heavyweight to win the title at that time. I was really impressed with him. He gave me an education about being a gentleman. Every time I had seen this guy inside the ring, he was a tough warrior. But when he was outside, he was a total gentleman. And that was the way that I really wanted to carry myself.

What are you currently doing?
Right now I'm really chasing and hoping, as I always do, that the best things are still in the future. At the moment, I'm still searching for a new film. This is another fight game for me because there's politics involved in this community. There's people you have to know, there's all kinds of connections you have to make, and there's also a lot of luck involved in this new industry which is acting.

It took me a long time to be happy. I was never happy and I think I was never satisfied. I guess maybe by not being satisfied, that keeps me still driving the same way. I still have that drive in me from the fight game that has carried me into the acting field. It's a totally different thing but it's so similar because you still have to put in the time, put in the devotion, the training, the long hours for a great movie. The same way I tried to be the greatest in the boxing world, in the film industry, I'm not looking for an Oscar, but I'm out there trying to make noise, trying to keep the faith in front of my fans who have been following me for many years. What I'm trying to do is to show other fighters that there is another life after boxing.

A lot of people, when they finish one career, think it's too late and they can't go onto anything else. I'm hoping that my timing was right when I retired from the boxing game. In the boxing game, your future is over at 34 or 35 years old. Your legs start to go, your timing starts to go and it's unfortunate when people like George Foreman continue at his age.

What kind of films are you working on?
I like action adventure. I like anything where I can portray someone other than a boxer. I already know who Marvelous Marvin Hagler is, right? Now, I want to portray a different person -- a lawyer or a doctor. To keep working hard at this new art of mine which is acting. Basically, you have to start with four rounds, then eight rounds, until you get to the main event. When you get to the main event, then you're looking for the championship fight. In the movie field, it's the same way for me. Working slow, getting in some movies, getting the experience. The Oscar is like the championship fight but taking your time about it. Learning your art much better. For me being here, it's almost like I'm getting my homework, practicing so that maybe one day I can go back to America and work with great artists like Bruce Willis or Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger. But I also have to have the confidence that I can do it. I'm out here everyday looking for a new movie.

What do you think of the state of boxing today?
For Prince Naseem Hamed, it's good to have a little cockiness in you, but there's too much show-boating. He gets the job done, but you don't want to turn the people off because these are the people -- the fans that are either gonna love or hate you. That's what made Muhammad very famous and made him a lot of money. For me, my division, the middleweight division, was very exciting the way that it was. When you get the opportunity to go back and look at the guys who were fighting, the Tommy Hearnses, the Leonards, the Durans, this was an era when there was great fights. Every time you turned the television on there was great fights. Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, there was George Foreman, Earnie Shavers. These were all great fighters in my time period, they showed you what it took to become world champion. Today, these guys with only 15 fights ... I really don't think that they've paid their dues. But you've gotta give anyone credit that steps inside the ring. I think they deserve a lot of credit for that.

What has boxing given you?
I loved the boxing game. It's been good to me. It's been a great education for me, a teacher not only inside the ring but in life totally. Just looking at life and feeling good about yourself and your accomplishments.

I believe that I had a gift from God. It took a lot of time just mastering that art. That's the way I always took my boxing, as an art. I played it like a man but I enjoyed it like a boy.