May 23rd Becomes Marvelous Marvin Hagler Day For Brockton Boxer

BROCKTON — Gov. Charlie Baker, visited Brockton on Wednesday and, officially proclaimed May 23, 2021, as Marvelous Marvin Hagler Day.

On what would have been his 67th birthday, Massachusetts will commemorate the life of Brockton boxing legend Marvelous Marvin Hagler this May. Massachusetts residents are encouraged to "take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance," it states.

He was trained and managed by the Petronelli brothers, Guerino "Goody" and Pasquale "Pat," at the downtown Brockton Petronelli Gym. In his career, which spanned from 1973 to 1987, Hagler was 62-3-2 with 52 knockouts. He was the undisputed middleweight champion from 1980, when he defeated Alan Minter, to his loss on April 6, 1987, to Sugar Ray Leonard in a split decision at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan claimed Hagler's death as "a devastating loss" for Brockton and the boxing world. Furthermore, In 1993, Hagler was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and World Boxing Hall of Fame.

Governor Baker states, "I couldn't help but think how much Marvin Hagler would have loved what you all are doing here on behalf of the City of Champions, because he certainly was a champion, parallel to no other,"

The proclamation calls Hagler a "trailblazing force" in the middleweight division in the 1980s.

According to Sullivan, "Marvelous Marvin will always be a champion from our 'City of Champions' and he inspired civic pride in generations of Brocktonians," and "He will be remembered as the dominant middleweight fighter of his era.

Hagler was originally from Newark New Jersey, but since moved with his family to Brockton in the late 1960s. Some of his family members still live in Brockton today and haven't left.