Hagler vs Antuofermo: 45 Years Ago, Was Marvelous Robbed?

[elmersalsa]

On the night of Friday, November 30, 1979 at the famous Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the most avoided and feared fighter of the middleweight division, finally got his due and opportunity to fight for the World Middleweight Crown owned by champion, the rugged Vito Antuofermo of Italy, via Brooklyn NY.

It was an action-pacjef fight from start to finish. Marvelous had Antuofermo bleeding in both eyelids and the referee didn't stop the fight. Antuofermo didn't bowed out and kept fighting, giving the public a terrific performance of will, heart and determination.

But, Marvelous out boxed him No doubt about it. Maybe Marvelous didn't press the gas at the late rounds and took off some rounds. Or maybe he was tired. Or maybe Antuofermo was really good.

Whatever was the case, the fight ended as a draw. In one of the great Middleweight World Championship fights in history, Marvelous left disappointed and had to wait another year for a title shot.

That was the same night when Sugar Ray Leonard became WBC World Welterweight Champion when he stopped Wilfred Benitez in 15 rounds.

[Expug]

Watched the fight when it happened. I was a big Hagler fan. Still have loads of respect for him. He’s an all time great. At the end of that fight I remember thinking Vito climbed back in the last couple rounds and salvaged a draw. Turned out to be the case. Disappointing for Marvin. But, he would not make the mistake again of taking his foot off the gas.

[Ambling Alp II]

It was close. I had Hagler winning by a point. Agree, he should not let his foot off the gas. He let a vastly inferior opponent make it close enough that it was arguable. This fight hurt his legacy. He only has himself to blame.

[goose 5]

I watched it on television and thought Hagler won it 9-5-1. What a great card.

[Nile4000]

Thought Marvin won it, and was robbed. But he made several blips that kinda cost him in his career. Still a great one, but it is what it is.

[elmersalsa]

It was close. I had Hagler winning by a point. Agree, he should not let his foot off the gas. He let a vastly inferior opponent make it close enough that it was arguable. This fight hurt his legacy. He only has himself to blame.

How that fight hurt his legacy? Vito Antuofermo fought his ass off. But, I believe that Marvelous got robbed. Maybe he was tired in the late rounds. Or maybe he should have finished Antuofermo off much faster than not. It was a great fight, nonetheless.

[Ambling Alp II]

It hurt his legacy because he has a draw against Vito Antuofermo instead of winning, which had he fought to his ability he would have done. When rating the ATGs, every little thing counts.

[Expug]

I always liked the way Pat and Goody Petronelli ran Marvin’s corner. They were always calm and collected. Offer advice, towel off the fighter, maybe enswell , whatever was needed, they were pros. Never yelling and screaming, cussing, etc. I don’t recall in that fight if they implored Marvin to keep doing what he was doing in the previous rounds where he built a lead or not. I might’ve tried to reignite the fire in Marvin. Try to get him to push Vito. Get him back on his back foot. I don’t think they should’ve been content to protect a lead.

[elmersalsa]

It hurt his legacy because he has a draw against Vito Antuofermo instead of winning, which had he fought to his ability he would have done. When rating the ATGs, every little thing counts.

So what hurt Sugar Ray Leonard's legacy? Because you don't give Vito Antuofermo no credit for coming back the way he did again Marvelous. Vito fought his ass off. Maybe the fight of his life.

[elmersalsa]

I always liked the way Pat and Goody Petronelli ran Marvin’s corner. They were always calm and collected. Offer advice, towel off the fighter, maybe enswell , whatever was needed, they were pros. Never yelling and screaming, cussing, etc. I don’t recall in that fight if they implored Marvin to keep doing what he was doing in the previous rounds where he built a lead or not. I might’ve tried to reignite the fire in Marvin. Try to get him to push Vito. Get him back on his back foot. I don’t think they should’ve been content to protect a lead.

Marvelous turned it up again by the late rounds. The problem was that Vito Antuofermo wasn't going to be denied. Maybe Marvelous Marvin Hagler was tired? I don't know. Perhaps he was. But, Vito fought like if his life depended on it. He really fought his ass off against a superior fighter.

[witherspoon]

Tough pill to swallow for Hagler. Last time I watched the fight, I thought Vito earned the draw and he deserves all of the credit for that.

I wonder if Marvin would have been the same cold, driven, scarily determined champion that he ultimately would become if he had won the straps in his first attempt, or did this setback serve to make him the great champion that he was? Of course he was always very driven but I think this fight gave him another level of ruthlessness.

[Jaywheel]

Anyone knows if Vito fought is ass off?

[Ambling Alp II]

It hurt his legacy because he has a draw against Vito Antuofermo instead of winning, which had he fought to his ability he would have done. When rating the ATGs, every little thing counts.

So what hurt Sugar Ray Leonard's legacy? Because you don't give Vito Antuofermo no credit for coming back the way he did again Marvelous. Vito fought his ass off. Maybe the fight of his life.

I do think that Antuofermo fought to the best of his ability. Hagler did not fight to the best of his ability in their first fight.

[elmersalsa]

It hurt his legacy because he has a draw against Vito Antuofermo instead of winning, which had he fought to his ability he would have done. When rating the ATGs, every little thing counts.

So what hurt Sugar Ray Leonard's legacy? Because you don't give Vito Antuofermo no credit for coming back the way he did again Marvelous. Vito fought his ass off. Maybe the fight of his life.

I do think that Antuofermo fought to the best of his ability. Hagler did not fight to the best of his ability in their first fight.

I tend to differ. Vito Antuofermo fought his ass off. I think that Marvelous fought terrific. But, the judges probably had a fall in love with Antuofermo.

[Flump]

Anyone knows if Vito fought is ass off?

I'm not sure. I think it may have been said.

[Flump]

I had Hagler as a clear winner. But Vito put on a very gutsy performance and it was a hard fight for both.

[Ambling Alp II]

Hagler did very little in several rounds in the latter part of the fight. Antuofermo did enough to take these rounds to make it very close in my opinion..

[goose 5]

Freddie Brown's work on Vito's cuts was epic- Vito needed something like 70 stitches after the fight. Also, Vito fought with bronchitis.