Marvin Hagler vs. Norberto Cabrera
Marvin Hagler 160 lbs beat Norberto Rufino Cabrera 161 lbs by TKO in round 8 of 10
- Date: 1979-06-30
- Location: Chapiteau de l'Espace Fontvieille, Fontvieille, Monaco
- Referee: Stanley Christodoulou
Marvin Hagler stopped Norberto Rufino Cabrera of Argentina in the eighth round to earn a shot at the middleweight title.
Cabrera's handlers threw in the towel after the first minute of the eighth round of the scheduled 10-rounder after Hagler unloaded a barrage of heavy punches to the head. Hagler left the ring to cries of "world champ" from Americans in the tiny crowd of 1,000 in the temporary stadium erected in a parking lot in the Riviera resort city.
Hagler dominated every round as he walked and sometimes ran backwards, counter-punching all the way. The 5'11 American was adept at fighting at range and in close, and he closed the bout by coming forward and landing a lengthy series of power punches with nothing in return.
Cabrera scored in virtually every round with big hooks, but Hagler shrugged them off and landed five punches to each one of his Argentine opponent.
Hagler spent the week before the fight claiming himself world champion and asking, "Why don't they fight me?"
Source: "Hagler earns a shot at middleweight title" (1979, Jul. 1) The Tuscaloosa News. p. 10B. Article
Notes
- Marvin Hagler 45-2-1 (37 KOs) vs. Norberto Cabrera 21-7-5 (11 KOs)
- This was Hagler's 20th consecutive win.
- This was Hagler's first professional fight outside of the United States.
- In the main event, Vito Antuofermo defeated Hugo Pastor Corro to win the World Middleweight Championship.
- In Hagler's next bout, he fought Antuofermo for the championship. The result was a 15-round draw.