Marvin Hagler : "Today's boxers don't sacrifice enough"
Posted: 30 Jun 2016, 06:15
Marvelous Marvin Hagler believes today’s boxers don’t sacrifice as much as the old-timers
http://www.foxsports.com.au/boxing/marv ... 3ccf16515b
For a boxing fan, an introduction to Marvelous Marvin Hagler — the undisputed middleweight world champion for most of the 1980s — is gold because there is more to him than just another weary old pug from a long-gone era.
Hagler, originally from New Jersey, gets involved in other “sport for good” projects from his home in Italy, where he worked as an actor and, still, as a boxing commentator after his last fight in 1987.
It was a stunning career — with 62 wins from 67 fights, 52 by knockout, two draws and only three defeats, one of those a highly-controversial split decision against the great Sugar Ray Leonard in the last fight for both of them.
It was a great era for boxing in general but especially for his division, with Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran among his victims.
Like many fans, he believes the fight game is in decline, partly because the participants don’t go at it as hard as he and his contemporaries did and because there are too many meaningless titles being handed out.
“It’s easier to become a champion today because they basically are giving away belts like candy,” he told me.
“Fighters today don’t sacrifice as much as the old-timers.”
Hagler did roadwork in heavy army boots rather than running shoes, but said: “Even before me, in the old Jack Dempsey days, there were guys who trained by chopping down trees.
“It’s totally different now. Fighters are always trying to find the easy way of doing things but there is no easy way.
“It’s got to be from the old school, the hard way.”
Asked if it was feasible for boxers to continue on into their late thirties and forties, as several have been and still are doing in Australia — Danny Green and Anthony Mundine are well into their fourth decade — Hagler was ambivalent.
“George Foreman came back at 42 and won the heavyweight title and now a lot of fighters believe they can do that too. But they have to understand it’s a young man’s game, although it probably depends on how you condition your body, if you can keep in tip-top shape.”
Hagler is in good nick himself. He is about to turn 62.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/boxing/marv ... 3ccf16515b
For a boxing fan, an introduction to Marvelous Marvin Hagler — the undisputed middleweight world champion for most of the 1980s — is gold because there is more to him than just another weary old pug from a long-gone era.
Hagler, originally from New Jersey, gets involved in other “sport for good” projects from his home in Italy, where he worked as an actor and, still, as a boxing commentator after his last fight in 1987.
It was a stunning career — with 62 wins from 67 fights, 52 by knockout, two draws and only three defeats, one of those a highly-controversial split decision against the great Sugar Ray Leonard in the last fight for both of them.
It was a great era for boxing in general but especially for his division, with Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran among his victims.
Like many fans, he believes the fight game is in decline, partly because the participants don’t go at it as hard as he and his contemporaries did and because there are too many meaningless titles being handed out.
“It’s easier to become a champion today because they basically are giving away belts like candy,” he told me.
“Fighters today don’t sacrifice as much as the old-timers.”
Hagler did roadwork in heavy army boots rather than running shoes, but said: “Even before me, in the old Jack Dempsey days, there were guys who trained by chopping down trees.
“It’s totally different now. Fighters are always trying to find the easy way of doing things but there is no easy way.
“It’s got to be from the old school, the hard way.”
Asked if it was feasible for boxers to continue on into their late thirties and forties, as several have been and still are doing in Australia — Danny Green and Anthony Mundine are well into their fourth decade — Hagler was ambivalent.
“George Foreman came back at 42 and won the heavyweight title and now a lot of fighters believe they can do that too. But they have to understand it’s a young man’s game, although it probably depends on how you condition your body, if you can keep in tip-top shape.”
Hagler is in good nick himself. He is about to turn 62.
