 Hagler on the cover ofEl Gráfico in March 1984 | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | Marvin Nathaniel Hagler (1954-05-23)May 23, 1954 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. | |||||||||||
| Died | March 13, 2021(2021-03-13) (aged 66) Bartlett, New Hampshire, U.S. | |||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[1] | |||||||||||
| Weight | Middleweight | |||||||||||
| Boxing career | ||||||||||||
| Reach | 75 in (191 cm)[1] | |||||||||||
| Stance | Southpaw[a] | |||||||||||
| Boxing record | ||||||||||||
| Total fights | 67 | |||||||||||
| Wins | 62 | |||||||||||
| Win by KO | 52 | |||||||||||
| Losses | 3 | |||||||||||
| Draws | 2 | |||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||
Marvelous Marvin Hagler (bornMarvin Nathaniel Hagler; May 23, 1954 – March 13, 2021)[2] was an Americanprofessional boxer who competed from 1973 to 1987. He reigned as theundisputed champion of themiddleweight division from 1980 to 1987,[3] making twelve successful title defenses, all but one by knockout.[4][5][6][7][8][9] Hagler also holds the highest knockout percentage of all undisputed middleweight champions at 78 percent. His undisputed middleweight championship reign of six years and seven months is the second-longest active reign of the 20th century.[10] He holds the record for thesixth longest reign as champion in middleweight history.[11] Nicknamed "The Marv" and annoyed that network announcers often did not refer to him as "Marvelous", Hagler legally changed his name to "Marvelous Marvin Hagler" in 1982.[12]
Hagler is an inductee of theInternational Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He was twice named Fighter of the Year byThe Ring magazine and theBoxing Writers Association of America, as well as Fighter of the Decade (1980s) byBoxing Illustrated magazine. In 2001 and 2004,The Ring named him the fourth greatest middleweight of all time[13] and in 2002 named him the 17th greatest fighter of the past 69 years.[14] The International Boxing Research Organization rates Hagler as the sixth greatest middleweight of all time,[15] whileBoxRec rates him the 29th greatest boxer of all time,pound for pound.[16] Many analysts and boxing writers consider Hagler to have one of the most durablechins in boxing history, having been knocked down only once during his entire professional career. The loneknockdown, scored byJuan Roldán ofArgentina, was debatable.[17]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(March 2021) |
Hagler was the first child of Robert Sims and Ida Mae Hagler, born on May 23, 1954. His birth year publicly came to light in 1982, when he had to state his date of birth in order to legally change from Marvin Nathaniel Hagler to Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Hagler was raised by his mother in theCentral Ward ofNewark, New Jersey,United States along with five siblings: sisters Veronica, Cheryl, Genarra, and Noreen, and half brotherRobbie Sims, who, like Hagler, would also become a professional boxer. Hagler first put on gloves at the age of ten, for a social worker he knew only as Mister Joe, who taught him sports and got him involved in counseling other children. Hagler dropped out of school at the age of 14 and worked in a toy factory to help support the family. Ida Mae recalled her eldest son had always wanted to box and promised one day to buy her a home. Growing up, Hagler would pretend he wasFloyd Patterson orEmile Griffith.[18]
Following theriots of 1967 in which 26 people were killed and $11 million in property damage was caused, including the destruction of the Haglers'tenement, his family moved toBrockton, Massachusetts. Hagler said that looking down on the streets at the looters was almost like watching ants on a picnic table. Ida Mae described the riots as "really terrifying" and nobody left the Hagler apartment for three days. The family lay under Veronica's bed during this time, with a pair of bullets smashing through the bedroom window, and shattering the plaster above the bed. Hagler and his siblings were forbidden from standing up by Ida Mae, who told her children to "stay away from the windows." The family crawled about the five-room apartment, sliding around on cushions to reach the bathroom and kitchen. Once the riot was over, the nearby neighborhoods were mostly in ruin, and many cars had been stripped for parts. After another riot nearly two years later, Hagler and his family got out of Newark and moved to Brockton, Massachusetts.[18]
In 1969, Hagler began boxing after being in a street fight with a local boxer called Dornell Wigfall (Wigfall accosted Hagler at a party and took him outside)—whom he later defeated twice on official fights—with his friends watching, and Wigfall easily beat Hagler and compounded the humiliation by stealing the jacket off Hagler's back. The day after the fight, Hagler determined to become a boxer himself. He first entered Vinnie Vecchione's gym (where, unknown to him, Dornell Wigfall trained), but after one week watching, and of nobody speaking to him, Hagler decided to leave for good. He walked into a gym owned by brothers Pat andGoody Petronelli. They became his trainers and managers. As Hagler needed to be 16 in order to enter some amateur tournaments, he lied about his age, saying that he was born in 1952 instead of 1954. In May 1973, Hagler won the NationalAmateur Athletic Union (AAU) 165-pound (75 kg) title after defeating Terry Dobbs, aU.S. Marine fromAtlanta,Georgia.[19] Ahead of bothAaron Pryor andLeon Spinks, officials also voted him the 'Outstanding Boxer' of the tournament.[18] Hagler subsequently turned professional, finishing his amateur career with a 55–1 record.[20]
National Golden Gloves (Light Middleweight),Lowell, Massachusetts, March 1973:
United States National Championships (Middleweight),Boston, Massachusetts, May 1973:
Hagler was a top-ranked middleweight boxer for many years before he fought for the title. He struggled to find high-profile opponents willing to face him in his early years.Joe Frazier told Hagler, "You have three strikes against you, "You're black, you're a southpaw, and you're good."[21] He often had to travel to his opponents' hometowns to get fights. His first break came when he was offered—on two weeks' notice—a chance againstWillie "The Worm" Monroe, who was being trained by Frazier. Hagler lost the decision but the fight was close, so Monroe gave him a rematch. This time Hagler knocked out Monroe in twelve rounds. In a third fight, he defeated Monroe in two rounds.
Boston promoter Rip Valenti took an interest in Hagler and began bringing in top ranked opponents for Hagler to face. He fought1972 Olympic gold medalistSugar Ray Seales; Hagler won the first time, the second was a draw and Hagler knocked Seales out in the third fight. Number one ranked Mike Colbert was knocked out in the twelfth and also had his jaw broken by Hagler. BritonKevin Finnegan was stopped in eight and required 40 facial stitches.[22] He dropped a controversial decision toBobby 'Boogaloo' Watts preceding those victories, but knocked Watts out in two rounds in a rematch. Hagler won a ten-round decision over'Bad' Bennie Briscoe, which ultimately concluded hisSpectrum expedition. By then, promoterBob Arum took notice and signed him.
In November 1979, Hagler fought world middleweight championVito Antuofermo atCaesars Palace inLas Vegas, Nevada. When the fight was over after 15 rounds, most ringside observers thought that Hagler had won, even though Antuofermo had been closing the gap in the second half of the fight. Hagler claimed that refereeMills Lane told him he had won, but Lane later denied ever saying that. Hagler also noted that he and many others at ringside were surprised when the fight decision was announced as a draw. Judge Duane Ford scored the fight in Hagler's favor, 145–141. However, judge Dalby Shirley scored the bout for Antuofermo, 144–142, while judge Hal Miller scored the fight even, 143–143. This fight result only added to Hagler's frustrations, as Antuofermo retained his title with the draw. Hagler had the boxing skills and killer instinct to knock his opponent out, but instead he played it safe, as Antuofermo closed the gap late in the fight, and that late surge cost Hagler the title.[23]
Antuofermo later lost his title to British boxerAlan Minter, who gave Hagler his second title shot. Hagler went toWembley Arena to face Minter. The tense atmosphere was stoked further when Minter was quoted as saying that "No black man is going to take my title"[24]—Minter later insisted he meant "that black man".[25] Hagler took command and his slashing punches soon opened up the cut-prone Minter. With Hagler dominating the action, referee Carlos Berrocal halted the fight during the third round to have the four glaring cuts on Minter's face examined. Minter's manager, Doug Bidwell, almost immediately conceded defeat. Once Berrocal waved the bout off, a riot broke out among the spectators. Clive Gammon ofSports Illustrated described the scene as "a horrifying ululation of howls and boos." Hagler and his trainers had to be escorted to their locker room by a phalanx of policemen, all the while enduring a steady rain of beer bottles and glasses. After seven years and 50 fights, Hagler was the world middleweight champion.
Hagler proved a busy world champion. He defeated future world championFulgencio Obelmejias ofVenezuela by a knockout in eight rounds and then former world champ Antuofermo in a rematch byTKO in four rounds. Both matches were fought at theBoston Garden near Hagler's hometown, endearing him to Boston fight fans. Syrian bornMustafa Hamsho, who later defeated three-division world championWilfred Benítez and future world championBobby Czyz, became Hagler's next challenger, putting up a lot of resistance before finally succumbing in eleven tough rounds. Michigan fighterWilliam "Caveman" Lee lasted only one round and in a rematch inItaly, Obelmejias lasted five rounds. British champion (and mutual Alan Minter conqueror)Tony Sibson followed on Hagler's ever-growing list of unsuccessful challengers. Sibson provided one of the most entertaining (to this point) fights of Marvelous Marvin's career, but he ultimately fell short, lasting six rounds. Next cameWilford Scypion, who only lasted four. By then, Hagler was a staple onHBO, one of the first premium cable TV channels.
A fight againstRoberto Durán followed on November 10, 1983. Durán was the first challenger to last the distance with Hagler in a world-championship bout. Durán was theWBA light middleweight champion and went up in weight to challenge for Hagler's middleweight crown. Hagler won a unanimous 15-round decision, although after 13 rounds, Durán was ahead by one point on two scorecards and even on the third. Hagler, with his left eye swollen and cut, came on strong in the last two rounds to win the fight. JudgeGuy Jutras scored the bout 144–142. Judge Ove Ovesen scored it 144–143. Judge Yusaku Yoshida scored it 146–145.
Then came Juan Roldán of Argentina, who became the only man to be credited with a knockdown of Hagler, scoring one mere seconds into the fight. Hagler protested bitterly that he had been pulled/pushed to the canvas. Hagler thumbed Roldan's left eye, then brutalized him over ten rounds and finally stopped him in the middle of round ten.Sugar Ray Leonard was calling the fight ringside with HBO analystBarry Tompkins. He noted to Tompkins between rounds that Hagler looked older and slower. "Marvin might finally be slowing down, Barry," Leonard remarked. Many people believe this is the fight that gave Sugar Ray Leonard the idea that he could actually win a fight with the aging Hagler.
Hamsho was given a rematch, but the Syrian was again TKO'd, this time in only three rounds. Hamsho angered Hagler with a trio of intentional headbutts in the second round and a fourth early in the third, goading the normally patient and cautious Hagler into a full-out attack that left Hamsho battered and defenseless in a matter of seconds.
After conquering Hamsho again, Hagler metThomas Hearns on April 15, 1985, in what was billed as The Fight; it became known as "The War".
Round One: Three minutes of violence. Within the first 15 seconds, Hearns landed his best punch, a straight right, onto Hagler's chin. The champion stepped back, then came forward. At this point, Hagler began to walk through Hearns' power punches.
Round Two: Hagler was cut on his head from an unintentional elbow or headbutt. Despite the blood, the champion continued to push the fight forward. Hearns was fighting hurt as well, having suffered a broken right hand in the last minute of the first round. The pace continued as before, but now Hearns was backing up, trying to move around the ring. Hearns' trainerEmanuel Steward later revealed Hearns had a leg massage, much to Steward's dismay, before the fight. Hearns' legs by the end of the round were weakening.
Round Three: The pace slowed until refereeRichard Steele called a time out to have the ringside doctor examine the cut on Hagler's head. The crowd was on its feet for the next ten seconds, before the doctor allowed the fight to continue. Hagler charged the much taller Hearns, drilling in an overhand right behind Hearns' ear. Hearns' legs wobbled and Hagler was on him quickly. Hearns toppled to the canvas, then rose at the count of eight, but collapsed into referee Steele's arms. The fight was then halted.
The fight lasted only eight minutes and one second, but it was regarded as a classic. CommentatorAl Michaels uttered the famous line, "It didn't go very far, but it was a beauty!" The fight was named "Fight of the Year" byThe Ring.
Next was Olympic silver medalistJohn Mugabi ofUganda, who was 26–0 with 26knockouts and was ranked the number one contender by all three major bodies. The fight took place on March 10, 1986, as Hagler had hurt his back and could not fight on the first date booked in 1985. Hagler stopped Mugabi in the eleventh round of a brutal fight. Many ringside observers, including analystGil Clancy, noticed that Hagler was showing signs of advanced ring wear and age. He was much slower of hand and foot and seemed much easier to hit. He had also completely morphed his ring style from a slick, quick-fisted, boxer/puncher to a strictly flat-footed, stalking, slugger to compensate for his loss of speed and reflexes. Hagler was now said to be seriously considering retirement.[26] Hagler's promoter Bob Arum was quoted as saying he was expecting Hagler to retire in the face of being challenged by Sugar Ray Leonard.
Hagler's next challenger was Sugar Ray Leonard, who was returning to the ring after a three-year retirement (having fought just once in the previous five years). During the pre-fight negotiations, in return for granting Hagler a larger share of the purse, Leonard obtained several conditions which were crucial to his strategy: a 22-by-22-foot (6.7 m × 6.7 m) ring instead of a smaller ring, 10-ounce (280-gram) gloves instead of 8-ounce (230-gram) gloves, and the fight was to be over twelve rounds instead of the 15 rounds favoured by Hagler.[27][28] Leonard was two years younger, had half as many fights and unbeknownst to Hagler, had engaged in several 'real' (i.e. gloves, rounds, a referee, judges and no headgear) fights behind closed doors in order to shake off his ring rust. The fight took place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on April 6, 1987. Hagler was the clear betting favorite after a dominant six and a half years as the reigning undisputed middleweight champion of the world, having knocked out all opponents as champion except in winning a very close unanimous decision over 15 rounds against Roberto Durán. It was Leonard's first fight at middleweight (160 lb or 73 kg weight limit). The fight was to be for Hagler'sWBC,lineal andRing middleweight titles only, as the WBA stripped Hagler of their belt for choosing to face Leonard instead of WBAmandatory challengerHerol Graham. TheIBF, while keeping Hagler as their champion, refused to sanction his fight against Leonard and said that theIBF middleweight title would be declared vacant if Hagler lost to Leonard.
Hagler, a natural southpaw, opened the fight boxing out of an orthodox stance. After the quick and slick Leonard won the first two rounds on all three scorecards, Hagler started the third round as a southpaw. Hagler then did much better, though Leonard's superior speed and quick flurries kept him in the fight. But by the fifth, Leonard, who was moving a lot, began to tire and Hagler started to get closer. As Leonard tired he began to clinch with more frequency (in total referee Richard Steele gave him over 30 warnings for holding, although never deducted a point). Hagler buckled Leonard's knees with a right uppercut near the end of the round, which finished with Leonard on the ropes. Hagler continued to score effectively in round six. Leonard, having slowed down, was obliged to fight more and run less.[29]
In rounds seven and eight, Hagler's southpaw jab was landing solidly and Leonard's counter flurries were less frequent. Round nine was the most exciting round of the fight. Hagler hurt Leonard with a left cross and pinned him in a corner. Leonard was in trouble, then furiously tried to fight his way out of the corner. The action see-sawed for the rest of the round, with each man having his moments. Round ten was calmer even as Hagler continued to press forward and Leonard slowly got a second wind, as the pace slowed after the furious action of the previous round. Clearly tiring, Leonard boxed well in the eleventh. Every time Hagler scored, Leonard came back with something flashier, if not as effective. In the final round, Hagler continued to chase Leonard. He hit Leonard with a big left hand and backed him into a corner. Leonard responded with a flurry and danced away with Hagler in pursuit. The fight ended with Hagler and Leonard exchanging along the ropes. Hagler began dancing in celebration of his performance while Leonard collapsed to the canvas and raised both his arms in triumph.[29] Leonard threw 629 punches and landed 306, while Hagler threw 792 and landed 291.[30]
Hagler later said that, as the fighters embraced in the ring after the fight, Leonard said to him, "You beat me, man." Hagler said after the fight, "He said I beat him and I was so happy." Leonard denied making the statement and said he only told Hagler, "You're a great champion." HBO cameras and microphones supported Hagler's version of events.
Leonard was announced as the winner and new middleweight champion of the world by split decision (118–110, 115–113, 113–115), a result which remains hotly disputed to this day. The Hagler vs. Leonard fight divides fans, pundits, press and ringside observers arguably more than any other fight in boxing history, with scorecards varying as widely as 117–111 Hagler to 118–110 Leonard and everything in between. The only near universally agreed views about the fight are that Hagler was foolish for starting the fight in anorthodox stance, that Leonard won the first two rounds and that Hagler won the fifth round. Every other round in the fight divides people as to who actually won it, or if the rounds were even.
Official ringside judge JoJo Guerra, whose scorecard of 118–110 in favour of Leonard was derided in many quarters, commented that:
Leonard outpunched Hagler, outsmarted him, outboxed him. He looked just great. Sugar Ray Leonard was making him miss a lot, and thencounterpunching him. Sugar Ray Leonard was beating him to the punch. They should call him Marvelous Sugar Ray Leonard. Boxing is the art of self-defense, and Sugar Ray was in command at all times. He was very fast and he was very clever. He made Marvin Hagler come to him. He dictated the fight.[31][32]
Upon a second viewing of the fight, while maintaining his belief that Leonard won the fight, Guerra acknowledged that he made a mistake and should have scored two more rounds for Hagler.[33] Duane Ford, chairman of theNevada Athletic Commission, commented that Guerra probably would not be invited back to Las Vegas to judge a fight in the near future.[34]
Judge Dave Moretti, who scored it 115–113 for Leonard, said:
Obviously, Hagler was the aggressor, but he was not the effective aggressor. You can't chase and get hit and chase and get hit, and get credit for it. Besides, the hardest punching was by Leonard.[35]
JudgeLou Filippo, who scored it 115–113 for Hagler and felt that Hagler's bodyshots and aggression earned him the nod, said:
Hagler was doing all the work. The referee, Richard Steele, warned Leonard at least once every round about holding. Leonard fought in spurts. Leonard would run in and grab and hold. He did what he had to do. But I can't see a guy holding that much and getting points for it.[35]
Hugh McIlvanney, commenting in the BritishSunday Times andSports Illustrated:
What Ray Leonard pulled off in his split decision over Hagler was an epic illusion. He had said beforehand that the way to beat Hagler was to give him a distorted picture. But this shrewdest of fighters knew it was even more important to distort the picture for the judges. His plan was to "steal" rounds with a few flashy and carefully timed flurries and to make the rest of each three-minute session as unproductive as possible for Hagler by circling briskly away from the latter's persistent pursuit. When he made his sporadic attacking flourishes, he was happy to exaggerate hand speed at the expense of power, and neither he nor two of the scorers seemed bothered by the fact that many of the punches landed on the champion's gloves and arms.[36][37]
McIlvanney also referred toBudd Schulberg's contention about a 'compound optical illusion', namely that by being the underdog and more competitive than expected against the dominant undisputed champion in Hagler meant that Leonard appeared more effective and to be doing more than he actually was. Leonard himself had said to journalists before the fight "the reason I will win is because you don't think I can".[37]Harry Gibbs, the British judge who had been rejected by Pat Petronelli from Hagler's camp and replaced by JoJo Guerra, said he scored it 115–113 for Hagler when he watched the fight at home.
Jim Murray, long-time sports columnist for theLos Angeles Times felt that Leonard deservedly got the decision, arguing that Leonard showed better defense and ring generalship, landed more punches and writing:
It wasn't even close...He didn't just outpoint Hagler, he exposed him. He made him look like a guy chasing a bus, insnowshoes. Leonard repeatedly beat Hagler to the punch. When he did, he hit harder. He hit more often. He made Hagler into what he perceived him to be throughout his career—a brawler, a swarmer, a man who could club you to death only if you stood there and let him. If you moved, he was lost.[38]
The scorecards from the ringside press and broadcast media attest to the polarizing views and opinions of the fight (17 for Leonard, 18 for Hagler, 6 calling it a draw):
|
|
Hagler requested a rematch but Leonard chose to retire again (the third of five high-profile retirements announced by Leonard during his professional boxing career), having announced it beforehand.[39][40] Fourteen months following their fight, Hagler retired from boxing on June 13, 1988, after watching WBA middleweight championSumbu Kalambay prevail over his brother, Robbie Sims, via unanimous decision.[41] Hagler declared that he was "tired of waiting" for Leonard to grant him a rematch. Just a month succeeding Hagler's retirement, Leonard announced another boxing comeback to fight against WBClight heavyweight championDonny Lalonde at the 168-pound (76 kg)super middleweight limit. In 1990, Leonard finally offered Hagler a rematch which reportedly would have earned him $15 million, but he declined. By then, Hagler had settled down into a new life as an actor in Italy and was now uninterested in his past boxing life.[42][43] Hagler said "A while ago, yeah, I wanted him so bad, but I'm over that."[42] At the 1994Consumer Electronics Show, Hagler and Leonard had a mock rematch by playing against each other in the video gameBoxing Legends of the Ring and claimed that an actual rematch was being planned, though it never happened.[44]
After the loss to Leonard, Hagler moved to Italy, where he became a well-known star of action films. His roles included a U.S. Marine in the filmsIndio (1989) andIndio 2 (1991). In 1997, he starred alongsideTerence Hill andGiselle Blondet inVirtual Weapon. Hagler also provided boxing commentary for British television. Another foray by Hagler into the entertainment field included work on the video gameFight Night: Round 3.
Hagler had five children with his first wife, Bertha.[43] Although he owned a home inBartlett, New Hampshire, Hagler lived inMilan.[45] In May 2000, he married his second wife, Kay, an Italian, inPioltello, Italy.[46]
On March 13, 2021, Hagler's wife, Kay, announced that he had died of natural causes at his home in New Hampshire at the age of 66. His son James said his father was taken to a New Hampshire hospital after experiencing chest pains and difficulty breathing.[47][48][49]
Honoring and respecting what Hagler would have wanted, his widow, Kay, stated that his family was not thinking about organizing a funeral as ”Marvin hated funerals”.[50]
Following his death a public memorial was then held in Brockton Massachusetts atRocky Marciano Stadium, The event was kept at a capacity of 3,000 people and speeches were given by the likes ofBernard Hopkins,Stephen A. Smith,Al Bernstein, along with various members of the Hagler family.Mickey Ward andVinny Pazienza were also in attendance.[51] During the event GovernorCharlie Baker, proclaimed May 23, 2021, as Marvelous Marvin Hagler Day in the city and the entire state of Massachusetts and the proclamation was read aloud at the event.[52]
Many tributes came in from numerous celebrity’s and members of the boxing community such asOscar De La Hoya,Barry McGuigan, andSugar Ray Leonard.[53][54]
Hagler is often referred to as one of the greatest middleweights in boxing history,The Associated Press named him the 3rd greatest middleweight of the 20th century.[55][56] He is also viewed as one of the most relentless and disciplined champions, his undisputed middleweight championship reign from 1980 to 1987 was the second-longest active reign of the 20th century and the sixth-longest in middleweight history. Hagler also holds the highest knockout percentage of all undisputed middleweight champions at 78 percent. In 2002The Ring named Hagler the 17th greatest fighter of the past 80 years and In 2004 they named him the 4th greatest middleweight of all-time, also being ranked as the 35th greatest puncher of all time.[57] In 2005 his reign as middleweight champion was named the 7th greatest reign of all time byThe Ring.[58]
Hagler was a part of “the four kings of boxing” alongsideRay Leonard,Thomas Hearns andRoberto Duran a period when those 4 who represented “the last great era in boxing” and fought one another several times while crossing their paths.[59] His bout vs Hearns is often considered to be the greatest three rounds in boxing history, with the first round in particular being considered by many as one of the greatest rounds in boxing history.[60]
Teddy Atlas described Hagler as "one of the greatest middleweights ever and one of the greatest southpaws of all time."[59]
Brockton High school’s sports teams are nicknamed “the boxers” in honor of both Hagler and Rocky Marciano, the two have also led the city to develop the nickname “The City of Champions”.[61] On June 13, 2024 the city of Brockton unveiled a bronze statue in his honor, the statue is located in Marvelous Marvin Hagler Park which was also dedicated to him.[62][63]
| 67 fights | 62 wins | 3 losses |
|---|---|---|
| By knockout | 52 | 0 |
| By decision | 9 | 3 |
| By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
| Draws | 2 | |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67 | Loss | 62–3–2 | Sugar Ray Leonard | SD | 12 | Apr 6, 1987 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | Lost WBC andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 66 | Win | 62–2–2 | John Mugabi | KO | 11 (12),1:29 | Mar 10, 1986 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 65 | Win | 61–2–2 | Thomas Hearns | TKO | 3 (12),1:52 | Apr 15, 1985 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 64 | Win | 60–2–2 | Mustafa Hamsho | TKO | 3 (15),2:31 | Oct 19, 1984 | Madison Square Garden,New York City, New York, U.S. | Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 63 | Win | 59–2–2 | Juan Roldán | TKO | 10 (15),0:39 | Mar 30, 1984 | Riviera,Winchester, Nevada, U.S. | Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 62 | Win | 58–2–2 | Roberto Durán | UD | 15 | Nov 10, 1983 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 61 | Win | 57–2–2 | Wilford Scypion | KO | 4 (15),2:47 | May 27, 1983 | Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. | RetainedThe Ring middleweight title; Won inauguralIBF middleweight title |
| 60 | Win | 56–2–2 | Tony Sibson | TKO | 6 (15),2:40 | Feb 11, 1983 | Centrum,Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. | Retained WBA, WBC, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 59 | Win | 55–2–2 | Fulgencio Obelmejias | TKO | 5 (15),2:35 | Oct 30, 1982 | Teatro Ariston,Sanremo, Italy | Retained WBA, WBC, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 58 | Win | 54–2–2 | William Lee | TKO | 1 (15),1:07 | Mar 7, 1982 | Bally's Park Place,Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | Retained WBA, WBC, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 57 | Win | 53–2–2 | Mustafa Hamsho | TKO | 11 (15),2:09 | Oct 3, 1981 | Horizon,Rosemont, Illinois, U.S. | Retained WBA, WBC, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 56 | Win | 52–2–2 | Vito Antuofermo | RTD | 4 (15),3:00 | Jun 13, 1981 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | Retained WBA, WBC, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 55 | Win | 51–2–2 | Fulgencio Obelmejias | TKO | 8 (15),0:20 | Jan 17, 1981 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | Retained WBA, WBC, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 54 | Win | 50–2–2 | Alan Minter | TKO | 3 (15),1:45 | Sep 27, 1980 | Wembley Arena,London, England | Won WBA, WBC, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 53 | Win | 49–2–2 | Marcos Geraldo | UD | 10 | May 17, 1980 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 52 | Win | 48–2–2 | Bobby Watts | TKO | 2 (10) | Apr 19, 1980 | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine, U.S. | |
| 51 | Win | 47–2–2 | Loucif Hamani | KO | 2 (10),1:42 | Feb 16, 1980 | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine, U.S. | |
| 50 | Draw | 46–2–2 | Vito Antuofermo | SD | 15 | Nov 30, 1979 | Caesars Palace,Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | ForWBA,WBC, andThe Ring middleweight titles |
| 49 | Win | 46–2–1 | Norberto Rufino Cabrera | TKO | 8 (10) | Jun 30, 1979 | Esplanade deFontvieille,Monte Carlo, Monaco | |
| 48 | Win | 45–2–1 | Jamie Thomas | TKO | 3 (10),2:38 | May 26, 1979 | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine, U.S. | |
| 47 | Win | 44–2–1 | Bob Patterson | TKO | 3 (10),1:00 | Mar 12, 1979 | Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. | |
| 46 | Win | 43–2–1 | Sugar Ray Seales | TKO | 1 (10),1:26 | Feb 3, 1979 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 45 | Win | 42–2–1 | Willie Warren | TKO | 7 (10) | Nov 11, 1978 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 44 | Win | 41–2–1 | Bennie Briscoe | UD | 10 | Aug 24, 1978 | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 43 | Win | 40–2–1 | Kevin Finnegan | TKO | 7 (10) | May 13, 1978 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 42 | Win | 39–2–1 | Doug Demmings | TKO | 8 (10) | Apr 7, 1978 | Grand Olympic Auditorium,Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
| 41 | Win | 38–2–1 | Kevin Finnegan | TKO | 9 (10) | Mar 4, 1978 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 40 | Win | 37–2–1 | Mike Colbert | TKO | 12 (15) | Nov 26, 1977 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | Won vacant Massachusetts middleweight title |
| 39 | Win | 36–2–1 | Jim Henry | UD | 10 | Oct 15, 1977 | Marvel Gymnasium,Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. | |
| 38 | Win | 35–2–1 | Ray Phillips | TKO | 7 (10),1:11 | Sep 24, 1977 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 37 | Win | 34–2–1 | Willie Monroe | TKO | 2 (10),1:46 | Aug 23, 1977 | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | Won vacant North Americanmiddleweight title |
| 36 | Win | 33–2–1 | Roy Jones Sr. | TKO | 3 (10),2:10 | Jun 10, 1977 | Civic Center,Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. | |
| 35 | Win | 32–2–1 | Reggie Ford | KO | 3 (10),2:14 | Mar 16, 1977 | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 34 | Win | 31–2–1 | Willie Monroe | TKO | 12 (12),1:20 | Feb 15, 1977 | John B. Hynes Memorial Auditorium, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 33 | Win | 30–2–1 | George Davis | TKO | 6 (10),2:56 | Dec 21, 1976 | John B. Hynes Memorial Auditorium, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 32 | Win | 29–2–1 | Eugene Hart | RTD | 8 (10) | Sep 14, 1976 | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 31 | Win | 28–2–1 | DC Walker | TKO | 6 (10) | Aug 3, 1976 | Schneider Arena,North Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. | |
| 30 | Win | 27–2–1 | Bob Smith | TKO | 5 (10),2:05 | Jun 2, 1976 | Roseland Ballroom,Taunton, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 29 | Loss | 26–2–1 | Willie Monroe | UD | 10 | Mar 9, 1976 | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 28 | Win | 26–1–1 | Matt Donovan | TKO | 2 (10),2:40 | Feb 7, 1976 | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 27 | Loss | 25–1–1 | Bobby Watts | MD | 10 | Jan 13, 1976 | Spectrum,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 26 | Win | 25–0–1 | Johnny Baldwin | UD | 10 | Dec 20, 1975 | John B. Hynes Memorial Auditorium, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 25 | Win | 24–0–1 | Lamont Lovelady | TKO | 7 (10) | Sep 30, 1975 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 24 | Win | 23–0–1 | Jesse Bender | KO | 1 (10),1:38 | Aug 7, 1975 | Exposition Building, Portland, Maine, U.S. | |
| 23 | Win | 22–0–1 | Jimmy Owens | DQ | 6 (10) | May 24, 1975 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. | Owens disqualified for repeatedclinching |
| 22 | Win | 21–0–1 | Jimmy Owens | SD | 10 | Apr 14, 1975 | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 21 | Win | 20–0–1 | Joey Blair | KO | 2 (10),2:22 | Mar 31, 1975 | Harvard Club, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 20 | Win | 19–0–1 | Dornell Wigfall | KO | 6 (10),1:25 | Feb 15, 1975 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 19 | Win | 18–0–1 | DC Walker | TKO | 2 (10),2:58 | Dec 20, 1974 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 18 | Draw | 17–0–1 | Sugar Ray Seales | MD | 10 | Nov 26, 1974 | Center Coliseum,Seattle, Washington, U.S. | |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | George Green | KO | 1 (10),0:30 | Nov 16, 1974 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Morris Jordan | TKO | 4 (10),2:20 | Oct 29, 1974 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Sugar Ray Seales | UD | 10 | Aug 30, 1974 | WNAC-TV Studio, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Peachy Davis | KO | 1 (10),1:00 | Aug 13, 1974 | Sargent Field,New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Bobby Williams | TKO | 3 (10),1:11 | Jul 16, 1974 | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Curtis Phillips | TKO | 5 (10) | May 30, 1974 | Exposition Building, Portland, Maine, U.S. | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | James Redford | TKO | 2 (10) | May 4, 1974 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Tracy Morrison | TKO | 8 (10),2:04 | Apr 5, 1974 | WNAC-TV Studio, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Bob Harrington | KO | 5 (10),2:00 | Feb 5, 1974 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | James Redford | KO | 4 (8) | Dec 18, 1973 | John B. Hynes Memorial Auditorium, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Manny Freitas | TKO | 1 (8),1:33 | Dec 6, 1973 | Exposition Building,Portland, Maine, U.S. | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Cocoa Kid | KO | 2 (8) | Nov 17, 1973 | Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Cove Green | TKO | 4 (8),1:27 | Oct 26, 1973 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Dornell Wigfall | PTS | 8 | Oct 6, 1973 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Muhammed Smith | KO | 2 (6) | Aug 8, 1973 | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Sonny Williams | UD | 6 | Jul 25, 1973 | Boston Arena,Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Terry Ryan | KO | 2 (4) | May 18, 1973 | Brockton High School Gymnasium,Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Year | Film | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Indio[77] | Jake Iron | |
| 1991 | Indio 2: The Revolt[78] | ||
| Across Red Nights | Man For Cuba | ||
| 1997 | Virtual Weapon[79] | Mike | |
| 2021 | What Goes Around Comes Around | Himself |
| Year | Show | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Punky Brewster[80] | Himself | 1 episode |
| Good Morning America | Guest | ||
| Late Night with David Letterman | |||
| 1985–1987 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson[80] | 4 episodes | |
| 1986 | Saturday Night live | Himself | 1 episode |
| 1988 | 227[80] | ||
| 2001–2003 | A Question of Sport | Guest | 3 episodes |
| Year | Game | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Boxing Legends of the Ring | Playable character |
| 1998 | Knockout Kings 99 | |
| 1999 | Knockout Kings 2000[81] | |
| 2000 | Knockout Kings 2001[82] | |
| 2002 | Knockout Kings 2002[83] | |
| 2003 | Knockout kings 2003 | |
| 2006 | Fight Night Round 3[84] | |
| 2009 | Fight Night Round 4[85] |
| Year | Song | Artist | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | I'm Fighter | Van Zant | Himself |
Still, his reign as the undisputed middleweight champion for six years and seven months is the second-longest run in the last century.
| Sporting positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amateur boxing titles | ||||
| Previous: Mike Colbert | U.S. middleweight champion 1973 | Next: Vonzell Johnson | ||
| World boxing titles | ||||
| Preceded by | WBA middleweight champion September 27, 1980 – February 25, 1987 Stripped | Vacant Title next held by Sumbu Kalambay | ||
| WBC middleweight champion September 27, 1980 – April 6, 1987 | Succeeded by | |||
| The Ring middleweight champion September 27, 1980 – April 6, 1987 | ||||
| Undisputed middleweight champion September 27, 1980 – February 25, 1987 Titles fragmented | Vacant Title next held by Bernard Hopkins | |||
| Inaugural champion | IBF middleweight champion May 27, 1983 – April 6, 1987 Stripped | Vacant Title next held by Frank Tate | ||
| Awards | ||||
| Previous: Larry Holmes | The Ring Fighter of the Year 1983 | Next: Thomas Hearns | ||
| Previous: Aaron Pryor | BWAA Fighter of the Year 1983 | |||
| Previous: Thomas Hearns | The Ring Fighter of the Year 1985 With:Donald Curry | Next: Mike Tyson | ||
| BWAA Fighter of the Year 1985 | ||||
| Previous: José Luis Ramírez vs. Edwin Rosario II | The Ring Fight of the Year vs. Thomas Hearns 1985 | Next: Steve Cruz vs. Barry McGuigan | ||
| Previous: Juan Meza vs. Jaime Garza Round 1 | The Ring Round of the Year vs. Thomas Hearns Round 1 1985 | Next: Steve Cruz vs. Barry McGuigan Round 15 | ||
| Previous: Steve Cruz vs. Barry McGuigan | The Ring Fight of the Year vs. Sugar Ray Leonard 1987 | Next: Tony Lopez vs. Rocky Lockridge | ||
| Middleweight status | ||||
| Preceded by | Latest born world champion to die March 13, 2021 – May 31, 2025 | Succeeded by | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
