Boxing legend “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler has passed away at the age of 66, according to a statement put out by his wife, Kay.
While an exact cause of death is unknown at this point, TMZ Sports reported that Hagler was taken to the hospital Saturday morning after experiencing chest pains and breathing trouble.
The former middleweight champion is survived by his wife and five children.
Initially making his pro debut in 1973, Hagler waited nearly six years for an opportunity at a championship match despite ranking as one of the top contenders in the middleweight class. As Joe Frazier explained to a young Hagler, higher-profile fighters avoided the upstart for several reasons:
“You have three strikes against you,” Frazier would tell the young fighter, according to ESPN’s Max Kellerman. “You’re black, you’re a southpaw, and you’re good.”
Despite the adverse conditions set against him, Marvin Hagler would eventually secure the title in 1980 and hold it until 1987, marking the second-longest run as the undisputed middleweight champion in history behind Tony Zale.
During that time, the southpaw not only defended the belt 12 times against multiple opponents but participated in some of the best individual boxing matches of all time. Among his most notable bouts were fights against Roberto Duran and John Mugabi in 1983 and 1986, respectively.
However, it’s his fights against Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard later in the decade that elevated Hagler towards the sports all-time greats.
Fighting against Hearns, the two participated in what is widely considered the greatest single round of boxing in history, as Hagler ultimately prevailed in three rounds.
Against Leonard, Hagler faced a far more drawn-out affair, with the former securing a controversial split-decision that is still hotly contested to this day. While it marked the end of Hagler’s reign as the champion, the bout was one of the most strategically complex fights of all time and an instant classic among fans.
For a sport struggling to regain relevancy, Hagler’s death is a reminder of the glory days of boxing.
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