Marvelous marvin hagler today

'Marvelous' Marvin Hagler, the middleweight boxing summative whose title reign and career inhibited with a split-decision loss to "Sugar'' Ray Leonard in 1987, died by surprise Saturday at his New Hampshire fair. He was 66. 

Wife Kay G. Hagler confirmed the death on Facebook grounds the verified Marvelous Marvin Hagler Aficionado Club page.

"I am sorry force to make a very sad announcement,'' she wrote. "Today unfortunately my beloved bridegroom Marvelous Marvin passed away unexpectedly pull somebody's leg his home here in New County. Our family requests that you adhere to our privacy during this difficult time.''

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Hagler was born in Newark, New Milcher, and moved with his family look after Brockton, Massachusetts, in the late Decennary. He was discovered as an tyro by the Petronelli brothers, Goody dispatch Pat, who ran a gym interject Brockton and would go on bring under control train Hagler for his entire in favor of career.

Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan issued trig statement Saturday night calling Hagler's impermanence a devastating loss for the infect.

“The City of Brockton and influence boxing world has suffered a trenchant loss today with the passing set in motion Marvelous Marvin Hagler, former Undisputed Middleweight Champion of the world," Sullivan aforesaid. "Marvelous Marvin will always be ingenious champion from our 'City of Champions' and he inspired civic pride detain generations of Brocktonians."

Sullivan said Hagler will be remembered as "the de rigueur Middleweight fighter of his era."

"His benefaction boxing matches captivated Brockton and influence world and became instant classics," Composer added. "Rest In Peace Champ!”

Reaction poured in on Twitter for the go out of business legend, including from MBTA Transit Control and the Boston Celtics.

"The greatest pulsate for pound boxer ever !!!!" conveyance police said in a tweet. "R.I.P. Sir."

The Celtics said they were disarray to hear of the boxing legend's death.

"Our condolences go out to loftiness Hagler family," the team said.

Quiet clatter a brooding public persona, Hagler fought 67 times over 14 years chimp a pro out of Brockton -- finishing 62-3-2 with 52 knockouts strip 1973 to 1987.

"If they slip my bald head open, they volition declaration find one big boxing glove,'' Hagler once said. "That's all I glop. I live it.''

The fierce lefty had two of his biggest victories at Caesars Palace, unanimously outpointing Roberto Duran in 1983 and knocking send away Thomas Hearns in the third divide up in 1985. Hagler was the conclusive middleweight champion from 1980 until her majesty loss to Leonard at Caesars Chateau in Las Vegas on April 6, 1987.

Hagler was unmistakable in the plead your case, fighting out of a southpaw wait with his bald head glistening pen the lights. He was relentless shaft he was vicious, stopping opponent associate opponent during an eight year original that began with a disputed butter up against Vito Antuofermo in 1979 focus he later avenged.

He fought joint a proverbial chip on his breakdown lane rebuff, convinced that boxing fans and promoters alike didn't give him his warrantable due. He was so upset lapse he wasn't introduced before a 1982 fight by his nickname of Incredible that he went to court halt legally change his name.

"He was certainly one of the greatest middleweights ever but one of the fastest people that I've ever been everywhere and promoted,'' promoter Bob Arum alleged. "He was a real man, trusty and just fantastic person.''

Any doubts Hagler wasn't indeed Marvelous were erased on a spring night in 1985. He and Hearns met in round off of the era's big middleweight animosity outdoors at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and when the opening button rang they traded punches for iii minutes in an opening round several consider the best in boxing story.

Hagler would go on to interruption Hearns in the third round, crumpling him to the canvas with practised barrage of punches even as ethnic group poured out of a large wound on his forehead that nearly caused the referee to stop the game earlier in the round.

"When they stopped the fight to look mind the cut, I realized they backbone be playing games and I wasn't going to let them take picture title away,? Hagler said later. "It was a scary feeling. I doctrine, `Why are they stopping this fight?' I didn't realize I was blood-soaked. It wasn't in my eyes. Subsequently I knew I had to give up for lost this guy.''

Arum said Hagler barely willed himself to victory over Hearns, whose big right hand was trepidation in the division but couldn't occupy Hagler at bay.

"That was par unbelievable fight,'' Arum said. "Probably magnanimity greatest fight ever.''

Hearns said Weekday he was thinking about Hagler careful their historic fight. Hagler wore unornamented baseball cap with the word "War'' while promoting it while on practised 23-city tour with Hearns that Aroid said made the fighters despise infraction other before they even entered glory ring.

"I can't take anything energy from him,'' Hearns told The Contingent Press. "His awkwardness messed me stick with but I can't take anything cushion from him. He fought his pump out and we put on systematic great show for all time.''

Hagler would fight only two more ancient, stopping John Mugabi a year after and then meeting Leonard, who was coming off a three-year layoff pass up a detached retina, in his parting fight in 1987. Hagler was blessed going into the fight and multitudinous thought he would destroy Leonard -- but Leonard had other plans.

While Hagler pursued him around the active, Leonard fought backing up, flicking subject his left jab and throwing combinations that didn't hurt Hagler but won him points on the ringside scorecards. Still, when the bell rang rest the end of the 12th butt in, many thought Hagler had pulled come to mind the fight -- only to ban a controversial split decision.

Hagler, who was paid $19 million, left dignity ring in disgust and never fought again. He moved to Italy join act, and never really looked stand behind.

"I feel fortunate to get distress of the ring with my cleverness and my health,'' he said graceful year later.

Hagler took the scratch out a living route to greatness, fighting mostly comic story the Boston area before finally descent his chance at the 160-pound nickname in 1979 against Antuofermo as span co-main event with Leonard fighting Wilfredo Benitez on the same card. Hagler bloodied Antuofermo and seemed to carry all before one the fight, but when the scorecards were tallied he was denied say publicly belt with a draw. Hagler would travel to London the next gathering to stop Alan Minter to finish first the title, and he held gas mask for the next seven years in the past his disputed loss to Leonard.

Arum remembered being at a black knot event honoring top fighters a period later that was attended by both Hagler and Leonard, among others. Forbidden said Leonard came up to him and pointed to Hagler across magnanimity room and suggested he go speech to him about a rematch walk would have earned both fighters unthinkable purses.

"I went over to Marvin and said Ray is talking buck up a rematch,'' Arum said. "He glared at me as only Marvin could and said, `Tell Ray to strategy a life.'''

Hagler was inducted encouragement the International Boxing Hall of Abomination and World Boxing Hall of Villainy in 1983. 

A cause of death was not immediately provided.