Brockton To Host Tribute To Boxer 'Marvelous Marvin Hagler'

BROCKTON, MA — The City of Brockton has announced that it will host an event to celebrate the life of professional boxing legend Marvelous Marvin Hagler on Sunday, May 23 at 2 p.m. at Rocky Marciano Stadium.

The event, which is being held on "Marvelous Marvin Hagler Day," will feature several celebrity guests and speakers, including boxing champion Bernard Hopkins, ESPN host Stephen A. Smith, Showtime Championship Boxing analyst Al Bernstein, WCVB Channel 5 sports anchor Mike Lynch, historian Ron Borges, and members of the Hagler family.

"Marvelous Marvin Hagler has been an inspiration and a source of civic pride for Brockton for generations. He is one of the primary reasons why we are known as the ‘City of Champions,’” said Mayor Robert F. Sullivan in a statement. “This public memorial will be a fitting tribute to one of our city’s favorite sons and one of boxing’s all-time greats.”

Hagler, who passed away on March 13, 2021 at the age of 66, was trained in Brockton by the Petronelli brothers and became one of the world's most dominant professional athletes of the 1980s. He defended his undisputed world middleweight titles 12 times against boxing legends including Thomas “Hitman” Hearns, Roberto Duran, and John “The Beast” Mugabi.

“Marvelous Marvin Hagler serves as a tremendous role model for the young people here in the City of Brockton,” said Todd Copeland, CEO of Copeland Toyota, the event’s lead sponsor. “He was never knocked down and he always kept charging ahead toward victory. Hagler is a symbol of what can be achieved through hard work and tireless determination."

The event will be open to the public, but may have limited seating due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More information on safety guidelines and reservations will be released in the coming days.