SPORT: BOXING

COMPETITIVE ERA: 1973 - 1987

Marvelous Marvin Hagler (born Marvin Nathaniel Hagler in Newark, New Jersey May 23, 1954), a native of Brockton, Massachusetts, was one of the most successful Middleweight Boxing Champions of all-time.

Total Fights 67 Wins 62 Wins by KO 52 Losses 3 Draws 2

Hagler started his professional boxing career in 1973, and soon began working his way up through the Middleweight rankings. He often had to travel to his opponents' hometowns to get fights, often boxing against the best that the city of Philadelphia had to offer (and beating them).

Hagler took on all challengers, and by 1976 had chalked up a 26-0 record. However, during the same year he lost controversial decisions to Willie Monroe and Bobby 'Boogaloo' Watts, and had to suffer while watching less-deserving challengers receive title shots against Carlos Monzon and Hugo Corro.

This served for Hagler to build upon a character that was as tough as steel, but with a soft spot in his heart toward his fans. Hagler soon avenged his 2 defeats by knocking out Monroe and Watts in rematches, and won a 10-round decision over Bennie Briscoe in a 1978 classic Philadelphia confrontation. By this time, he had made fans in both Massachusetts and Philadelphia, two of boxing’s legendary hot-beds.

By then, promoter Bob Arum, a lawyer who had helped in the White House during President John F. Kennedy's tenure, took notice and signed him. Arum raised Hagler’s public profile and finally, in November 1979, Hagler was in the ring with a world Middleweight champion.

Vito Antuofermo gave Hagler a shot, and the fight turned into a Middleweight classic. One of the greatest championship bouts in Middleweight history was unfortunately marred by controversy, and Hagler had to settle for a draw or tie. This only added to Hagler's frustrations.