Irish Examiner view: A Truly Marvellous sportsman

Marvin Hagler, 1954-2021

Marvin Hagler sends sweat flying as he pounds challenger Roberto Duran in the ninth round of a 1983 boxing bout in Las Vegas. Picture:AP Photo

The universal perception of professional boxing has darkened in recent decades. Whether this is because its brutalities, inside and outside the ring, have been relentlessly exposed or whether societies' appetite for such a primal code has faded is an open question. It may well be both. Yet, even in that darkening atmosphere, there can still be some bright inspiring lights.

One of those lights went out yesterday when it was announced that former undisputed world middleweight champion ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler had died unexpectedly at the age of 66. The New Jersey southpaw was only knocked down once during his professional career and defended his middleweight crown 12 times.