Marvelous Marvin Hagler: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:41, 14 December 2003

Revision as of 07:31, 14 April 2004

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Antuofermo lost his title later to [[Alan Minter]], who became the 2nd champion to be brave enough to defend his title against the [[Brockton]] menace. Hagler went to [[London]] and beat Minter in 3 rounds at the [[Wembley Arena]]. At the conclusion of this bout a riot broke out, and Hagler and his trainers had to be carried away to their locker rooms by the police, in the middle of a rain of beer bottles and glasses.

Hagler proved a busy world champion and he defeated future world champion [[Fulgencio Obelmejias]] by a knockout in 8, and then former world champ Antuofermo by knockout in 5, both at the [[Boston Garden]]. [[Mustafa Hamsho]], who would later defeat future world champ [[Bobby Czyz]] followed, beaten in 11. ''[[Caveman Lee]]'' lasted only 1 round, and in a rematch in [[Italy]], Obelmejias lasted 5. [[British]] champion [[Tony Sibson]] followed Hagler challengers' trips to the canvas, falling in 6, and [[Wilford Scypion]] went in 4. By then Hagler was a staple on [[Home Box Office|HBO]] which was the [[Pay Per View]] of it's time. A super-fight vs [[Roberto Duran]] followed and Duran was the first challenger to last the distance with Hagler in a world championship bout, but he lost a unanimous 15 round decision. Then came [[Juan Roldan]], who became the only man to drop Hagler, scoring a knockdown seconds into the fight, but Hagler got angrier and proceeded to beat Roldan, stopping him in 10. Hamsho was given a rematch and lost in 3, and then inon [[April 15th15]]th, Hagler and [[Thomas Hearns]] met in what was billed as [[The War]]. In a sensational slugfest, Hagler survived one of the best first rounds in history and won by an electryfing 3 round knockout. Next was [[John Mugabi|John "The Beast" Mugabi]],a thunderous puncher who was 26-0 with 26 [[knockout]]s. Hagler took Mugabi's best shots and came back handily, stopping Mugabi in the 11th in what would turn out to be his last successful defense. Hagler's next challenger was Sugar Ray Leonard, who won a close split decision in [[Las Vegas]] [[April]] of [[1987]].

After his defense vs Hearns and before his fight with Mugabi, Hagler changed his name legally to ''Marvelous Marvin Hagler'' and made a few commercials, most notably a commercial for [[Pizza Hut]]. He enjoyed his fame and relished the fact that after so many years in the background, he was finally a household name.