Marvin Hagler traveled to Wembley Arena in London, England on Saturday, September 27, 1980 to challenge Alan Minter for his middleweight crown. I tuned in to catch the action on ABC’s Wide World of Sports, and was glad that I did. Marvin was aggressive from the opening bell, pressured Minter and dominated the entire bout. The challenger’s desire was obvious, landing every blow with the years of frustration behind it. By the third round, Minter was wilting under the attack, and cut badly over his eye. When the referee saw the damage, he stopped the contest, and Marvin finally had the championship he had dreamed about for years. In the most pathetic response by fans I have every seen at a fight, the London crown pelted the ring with beer cans and bottles, forcing Hagler’s camp to shield him from danger. Marvin never even got to talk to Howard Cosell to celebrate his victory, but instead was escorted by London bobbies back to his dressing room to protect him from harm.
Undaunted, Marvin returned home to Brockton a hero, and was the new Middleweight Champion of the World. He could now retire from his construction job after 8 long years of toiling for long days. With the security of the title around his waist, he could now concentrate on boxing full time.
Marvin made his first title defense on January 17, 1981 against Fulgencio Obelmejias at the Boston Garden. Hagler dominated him, and scored and 8th round TKO win. Five months later on June 13, he achieved vindication in his rematch with Vito Antuofermo, this time easily knocking him out in three rounds.
After a five month break, Hagler traveled to Rosemont, Illinois to take on the rough Mustafa Hamsho. Marvin was tougher though, and finished him in 11 rounds. On March 7, 1982, Hagler made his only appearance ever in Atlantic City, and easily knocked out Caveman Lee in one round. I watched that one on break in my car at my airline job, on my little 5 inch black and white tv, which made my Monte Carlo my closed-circuit automobile. After two proposed bouts with Tommy Hearns fell through, Marvin traveled to San Remo, Italy on October 30, 1982 to face Fulgencio Obelmejias in a rematch. Hagler won easier this time, finishing his foe in just five rounds.
Marvin had been pursuing a big money fight with Sugar Ray Leonard, but when Ray announced his retirement on November 9, 1982, he had to find a different challenge. On February 11, 1983, Marvin destroyed an overwhelmed Tony Sibson in 6 rounds at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Three months later, Hagler went to Providence, Rhode Island on May 27, and easily knocked out top-contender Wilford Scypion in four rounds.
Looking for a big name to fight that would bring him a good payday, Hagler found it Roberto Duran. Duran had won the WBA middleweight title by stopping Davey Moore in June of 1983, and had achieved redemption after the shame of ‘No Mas’, in November of 1980 with Sugar Ray Leonard. Duran accepted the big bout, and a contract was signed for November 10, 1983 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. I personally saw it as a joke, and gave Duran about as much chance as I had of beating a fighter as great as Hagler was.
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