Marvelous: Finally a World Champion!

[elmersalsa]

On this date 40 years ago, September 27, 1980, Marvelous Marvin Hagler became finally Undisputed World Middleweight Champion.

It wasn't easy. It was never easy for this marvelous bald middleweight that went through hell almost all his life.

In the 70s decade, nobody wanted to fight him. Ignored by the top men at middleweight, he had to go to over venues like Philadelphia Spectrum to fight guys that NOBODY, absolutely nobody wanted to fight. He fought guys like Sugar Ray Seals, who was a former Olympic gold medalist. He also fought risky fighters like Earl Hargrove, Willie "The Worm" Monroe, who beat Hagler in the first fight of their trilogy. Bobby ""Boogaloo" Watts, a Philly fighter that could have been champion in any other era, also fought Hagler 3 times in which also Boogaloo won the first encounter. Marvelous went after dangerous Mexican top contender Marcos Geraldo. Hagler whupped his idol, Bennie Briscoe also from Philly.

Marvelous did it the hard way. He had to wait after 40 fights to finally get a title shot. Did the great middleweight champion Carlos Monzon of Argentina ignored him? How about the next champion, Rodrigo Valdez of Colombia? Was Marvelous in the middleweight ranks when they were champions?

I don't know. But, when world champion Hugo Corro of Argentina lost his title to Vito Antuofermo of Brooklyn, NY, Corro was glad that he lost. Why? Because his next title defense was against Marvelous who was the #1 contender.

Then, Hagler fought Antuofermo for the crown on November 30, 1979 and he got a dubious draw. A fight that he clearly won. Don't get me wrong, Vito fought the fight of his life, but he didn't win nor even deserved to keep his title.

Former great heavyweight world champion Joe Frazier once told Marvelous that he had 3 strikes against him: 1. You're a black. 2. You're good. 3. And you're a southpaw. And it was all true. Marvelous was one of the most complete boxers ever. He could do it all. And after 3 more fights with top contenders, the chance again for the world title came and this time Marvelous said that he will kill and win by knockout this time. It won't go the distance.

The ONLY distance Marvelous did was to travel to London, England to take Antuofermo's conqueror and champion Alan Minter. It was a massacre. Poor Minter. He had to pay for everything that Marvelous suffered all these years as a 7-year professional boxer. He just obliterated Minter in front of his hometown fans in only 3 rounds. Minter's face was a mess and the referee had to stop the fight.

Instead of being a dream come true for the new champ, It was a nightmare. A freakish moment in which the hometown crowd started throwing all kinds of beer bottles into the ring. The Petronelli brothers, Marvelous' handlers, had to cover him up. It was a wild scene. It was a savage behavior by the British fans. But, Marvelous did not care. He is now the new Undisputed Middleweight Boxing World Champion and he held the crown for 7 years and 13 title defenses, fighting and ducking no one that wanted his crown.

[f read]

Thanks for the historical reminder. Yes for several years Hagler was the uncrowned middleweight champ. I agree he should have won the title November 30 1979 against Vito. He stopped Vito and became champ after he became champ. Yes it was a destruction. Minter was clearly outclassed and overmatched by a superior all around boxer.