Marvelous Marvin Hagler (born Marvin Nathaniel Hagler; May 23, 1954 – March 13, 2021) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 1987. He reigned as the undisputed champion of the middleweight division from 1980 to 1987, making twelve successful title defenses, all but one by knockout. Hagler also holds the highest knockout percentage of all undisputed middleweight champions at 78 percent. His undisputed middleweight championship reign of six years and seven months is the second-longest active reign of the 20th century. He holds the record for the sixth longest reign as champion in middleweight history. Nicknamed "The Marv" and annoyed that network announcers often did not refer to him as "Marvelous", Hagler legally changed his name to "Marvelous Marvin Hagler" in 1982.
Hagler is an inductee of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He was twice named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America, as well as Fighter of the Decade (1980s) by Boxing Illustrated magazine. As of May 2026, BoxRec rates him the eighth greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound. In 2001 and 2004, The Ring named him the fourth greatest middleweight of all time and in 2002 named him the 17th greatest fighter of the past 69 years. The International Boxing Research Organization rates Hagler as the sixth greatest middleweight of all time. Many analysts and boxing writers consider Hagler to have one of the most durable chins in boxing history, having been knocked down only once during his entire professional career. The lone knockdown, scored by Juan Roldán of Argentina, was debatable.
BoxRec-style profile
- Birth name: Marvin Nathaniel Hagler
- Born: May 23, 1954 — Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
- Died: March 13, 2021 — Bartlett, New Hampshire, U.S. (aged 66)
- Nationality: American
- Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
- Reach: 75 in (191 cm)
- Stance: Southpaw
- Pro debut: May 18, 1973 (Win by KO vs Terry Ryan)
- Last bout: Apr 6, 1987 (Loss by SD vs Sugar Ray Leonard)
- Total rounds boxed: 399 (summed from the bout table below)
- Divisions: Middleweight
- KO percentage: 83.9% (52 KO wins in 62 wins)
- Titles held (major, with reign dates): WBA, WBC and The Ring middleweight titles September 27, 1980 – April 6, 1987 (won from Alan Minter; a defense run including Fulgencio Obelmejias twice, Mustafa Hamsho twice, Tony Sibson, Roberto Durán, Juan Roldán, Thomas Hearns and John Mugabi; added the inaugural IBF middleweight title on May 27, 1983 against Wilford Scypion; lost all titles to Sugar Ray Leonard in his final bout) — all dates per the bout table
Record at a glance
- Total bouts: 67
- Wins: 62
- Wins by KO: 52
- Losses: 3
- Losses by KO: 0
- Draws: 2
- No contests: 0
- Born: May 23, 1954 — Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
- Nationality: American
- Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
- Reach: 75 in (191 cm)
- Stance: Southpaw
- Divisions: Middleweight
Fight-by-fight record
| No. | Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round/Time | Venue / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 18, 1973 | Terry Ryan | Win | KO | 2 (4) | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 2 | Jul 25, 1973 | Sonny Williams | Win | UD | 6 | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 3 | Aug 8, 1973 | Muhammed Smith | Win | KO | 2 (6) | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 4 | Oct 6, 1973 | Dornell Wigfall | Win | PTS | 8 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 5 | Oct 26, 1973 | Cove Green | Win | TKO | 4 (8), 1:27 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 6 | Nov 17, 1973 | Cocoa Kid | Win | KO | 2 (8) | Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 7 | Dec 6, 1973 | Manny Freitas | Win | TKO | 1 (8), 1:33 | Exposition Building, Portland, Maine, U.S. |
| 8 | Dec 18, 1973 | James Redford | Win | KO | 4 (8) | John B. Hynes Memorial Auditorium, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 9 | Feb 5, 1974 | Bob Harrington | Win | KO | 5 (10), 2:00 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 10 | Apr 5, 1974 | Tracy Morrison | Win | TKO | 8 (10), 2:04 | WNAC-TV Studio, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 11 | May 4, 1974 | James Redford | Win | TKO | 2 (10) | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 12 | May 30, 1974 | Curtis Phillips | Win | TKO | 5 (10) | Exposition Building, Portland, Maine, U.S. |
| 13 | Jul 16, 1974 | Bobby Williams | Win | TKO | 3 (10), 1:11 | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 14 | Aug 13, 1974 | Peachy Davis | Win | KO | 1 (10), 1:00 | Sargent Field, New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 15 | Aug 30, 1974 | Sugar Ray Seales | Win | UD | 10 | WNAC-TV Studio, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 16 | Oct 29, 1974 | Morris Jordan | Win | TKO | 4 (10), 2:20 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 17 | Nov 16, 1974 | George Green | Win | KO | 1 (10), 0:30 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 18 | Nov 26, 1974 | Sugar Ray Seales | Draw | MD | 10 | Center Coliseum, Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| 19 | Dec 20, 1974 | DC Walker | Win | TKO | 2 (10), 2:58 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 20 | Feb 15, 1975 | Dornell Wigfall | Win | KO | 6 (10), 1:25 | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 21 | Mar 31, 1975 | Joey Blair | Win | KO | 2 (10), 2:22 | Harvard Club, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 22 | Apr 14, 1975 | Jimmy Owens | Win | SD | 10 | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 23 | May 24, 1975 | Jimmy Owens | Win | DQ | 6 (10) | Brockton High School Gymnasium, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. — Owens disqualified for repeated clinching |
| 24 | Aug 7, 1975 | Jesse Bender | Win | KO | 1 (10), 1:38 | Exposition Building, Portland, Maine, U.S. |
| 25 | Sep 30, 1975 | Lamont Lovelady | Win | TKO | 7 (10) | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 26 | Dec 20, 1975 | Johnny Baldwin | Win | UD | 10 | John B. Hynes Memorial Auditorium, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 27 | Jan 13, 1976 | Bobby Watts | Loss | MD | 10 | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 28 | Feb 7, 1976 | Matt Donovan | Win | TKO | 2 (10), 2:40 | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 29 | Mar 9, 1976 | Willie Monroe | Loss | UD | 10 | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 30 | Jun 2, 1976 | Bob Smith | Win | TKO | 5 (10), 2:05 | Roseland Ballroom, Taunton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 31 | Aug 3, 1976 | DC Walker | Win | TKO | 6 (10) | Schneider Arena, North Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| 32 | Sep 14, 1976 | Eugene Hart | Win | RTD | 8 (10) | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 33 | Dec 21, 1976 | George Davis | Win | TKO | 6 (10), 2:56 | John B. Hynes Memorial Auditorium, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 34 | Feb 15, 1977 | Willie Monroe | Win | TKO | 12 (12), 1:20 | John B. Hynes Memorial Auditorium, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 35 | Mar 16, 1977 | Reggie Ford | Win | KO | 3 (10), 2:14 | Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 36 | Jun 10, 1977 | Roy Jones Sr. | Win | TKO | 3 (10), 2:10 | Civic Center, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| 37 | Aug 23, 1977 | Willie Monroe | Win | TKO | 2 (10), 1:46 | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won vacant North American middleweight title |
| 38 | Sep 24, 1977 | Ray Phillips | Win | TKO | 7 (10), 1:11 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 39 | Oct 15, 1977 | Jim Henry | Win | UD | 10 | Marvel Gymnasium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| 40 | Nov 26, 1977 | Mike Colbert | Win | TKO | 12 (15) | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won vacant Massachusetts middleweight title |
| 41 | Mar 4, 1978 | Kevin Finnegan | Win | TKO | 9 (10) | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 42 | Apr 7, 1978 | Doug Demmings | Win | TKO | 8 (10) | Grand Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| 43 | May 13, 1978 | Kevin Finnegan | Win | TKO | 7 (10) | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 44 | Aug 24, 1978 | Bennie Briscoe | Win | UD | 10 | Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 45 | Nov 11, 1978 | Willie Warren | Win | TKO | 7 (10) | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 46 | Feb 3, 1979 | Sugar Ray Seales | Win | TKO | 1 (10), 1:26 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 47 | Mar 12, 1979 | Bob Patterson | Win | TKO | 3 (10), 1:00 | Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| 48 | May 26, 1979 | Jamie Thomas | Win | TKO | 3 (10), 2:38 | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine, U.S. |
| 49 | Jun 30, 1979 | Norberto Rufino Cabrera | Win | TKO | 8 (10) | Esplanade de Fontvieille, Monte Carlo, Monaco |
| 50 | Nov 30, 1979 | Vito Antuofermo | Draw | SD | 15 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — For WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 51 | Feb 16, 1980 | Loucif Hamani | Win | KO | 2 (10), 1:42 | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine, U.S. |
| 52 | Apr 19, 1980 | Bobby Watts | Win | TKO | 2 (10) | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine, U.S. |
| 53 | May 17, 1980 | Marcos Geraldo | Win | UD | 10 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 54 | Sep 27, 1980 | Alan Minter | Win | TKO | 3 (15), 1:45 | Wembley Arena, London, England — ★ Title fight — Won WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 55 | Jan 17, 1981 | Fulgencio Obelmejias | Win | TKO | 8 (15), 0:20 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 56 | Jun 13, 1981 | Vito Antuofermo | Win | RTD | 4 (15), 3:00 | Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 57 | Oct 3, 1981 | Mustafa Hamsho | Win | TKO | 11 (15), 2:09 | Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 58 | Mar 7, 1982 | William Lee | Win | TKO | 1 (15), 1:07 | Bally's Park Place, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 59 | Oct 30, 1982 | Fulgencio Obelmejias | Win | TKO | 5 (15), 2:35 | Teatro Ariston, Sanremo, Italy — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 60 | Feb 11, 1983 | Tony Sibson | Win | TKO | 6 (15), 2:40 | Centrum, Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 61 | May 27, 1983 | Wilford Scypion | Win | KO | 4 (15), 2:47 | Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained The Ring middleweight title; Won inaugural IBF middleweight title |
| 62 | Nov 10, 1983 | Roberto Durán | Win | UD | 15 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 63 | Mar 30, 1984 | Juan Roldán | Win | TKO | 10 (15), 0:39 | Riviera, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 64 | Oct 19, 1984 | Mustafa Hamsho | Win | TKO | 3 (15), 2:31 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 65 | Apr 15, 1985 | Thomas Hearns | Win | TKO | 3 (12), 1:52 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 66 | Mar 10, 1986 | John Mugabi | Win | KO | 11 (12), 1:29 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 67 | Apr 6, 1987 | Sugar Ray Leonard | Loss | SD | 12 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Lost WBC and The Ring middleweight titles |
Titles & notes
Major title reigns (start–end): WBA, WBC and The Ring middleweight titles September 27, 1980 – April 6, 1987 (won from Alan Minter; a defense run including Fulgencio Obelmejias twice, Mustafa Hamsho twice, Tony Sibson, Roberto Durán, Juan Roldán, Thomas Hearns and John Mugabi; added the inaugural IBF middleweight title on May 27, 1983 against Wilford Scypion; lost all titles to Sugar Ray Leonard in his final bout) — all dates per the bout table
- Aug 23, 1977 vs Willie Monroe: Won vacant North American middleweight title
- Nov 26, 1977 vs Mike Colbert: Won vacant Massachusetts middleweight title
- Nov 30, 1979 vs Vito Antuofermo: For WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Sep 27, 1980 vs Alan Minter: Won WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Jan 17, 1981 vs Fulgencio Obelmejias: Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Jun 13, 1981 vs Vito Antuofermo: Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Oct 3, 1981 vs Mustafa Hamsho: Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Mar 7, 1982 vs William Lee: Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Oct 30, 1982 vs Fulgencio Obelmejias: Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Feb 11, 1983 vs Tony Sibson: Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
- May 27, 1983 vs Wilford Scypion: Retained The Ring middleweight title; Won inaugural IBF middleweight title
- Nov 10, 1983 vs Roberto Durán: Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Mar 30, 1984 vs Juan Roldán: Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Oct 19, 1984 vs Mustafa Hamsho: Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Apr 15, 1985 vs Thomas Hearns: Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Mar 10, 1986 vs John Mugabi: Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring middleweight titles
- Apr 6, 1987 vs Sugar Ray Leonard: Lost WBC and The Ring middleweight titles
Photo: Unknown author via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Featured image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Hagler_elgrafico.jpg
Record source: Wikipedia professional boxing record table (cross-checked against the bout list), retrieved 2026-11-04.
