Here’s some news, here’s an article that isn’t Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk related (talk about overkill, with so many – indeed too many – articles on this, yeah a massive fight, but there are other things going on in the world!) Here is some great news regarding a truly great fighter, a Marvelous fighter.
Former middleweight king Marvelous Marvin Hagler, who sadly left us, far too soon, in March of 2021, will have a statue erected in his honour in Brockton, Mass this June. Hagler will be honoured with the statue of his likeness at a ceremony that will take place at Marvelous Marvin Hagler Park, this just a short distance from where the old Petronelli Gym, inside which Hagler toiled so hard, once stood. The statue will stand for all time.
The unveiling will take place on June 13th, which as Hagler’s widow Kay pints out, will mark the 43rd anniversary of Marvin’s stoppage win over Vito Antuofermo (you know, the guy Hagler was robbed of a win against in his very first crack at becoming middleweight champion, the 1979 fight scored a controversial draw). Many fight fans of all ages are expected to turn out on the special day – a special day for Hagler, for his family, for his millions of fans, and for the city of Brockton.
Hagler is of course not the first great fighter to have been immortalised with a statue, nor will the Marvelous one be the last. But for some many people, Hagler, along with Rocky Marciano and Joe Frazier, is and was a genuine, honest to goodness fighter for the people; for the so-called ‘little people.’ A true hero in every sense of the word, Hagler, like the two immensely popular heavyweight champions, overcame tremendous odds to reach the top.
Frazier actually came out with a great line about Hagler when he outlined the odds Marvin would have to overcome in order to make it to the top: “There’s three things against you – you’re black, you’re a southpaw, and you’re good,” Frazier said.
Hagler was better than good. He was great. He fully deserves the statue treatment. Now, when will the seemingly inevitable, indeed demanded movie biography of Hagler and his amazing ring career get made and who will be the film-maker to make it?
Marvelous Marvin Hagler: 1954 to 2021. Middleweight champion September 1980 to April 1987. Final record: 62-3-2(52). Successfully defended the crown 12 times. Is ranked by many as the greatest middleweight in boxing history.
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