The SuperFight: Marvelous Marvin Hagler - Sugar Ray Leonard

Brian Doogan’s THE SUPERFIGHT: MARVELOUS MARVIN HAGLER VS. SUGAR RAY LEONARD belongs in your boxing library, right beside THE FOUR KINGS. As you know—you’re here—the IV Kings era will never be repeated.Today, we live in a world where the "best" fighters simply avoid those who may prove how little “best” actually means now. Thus, contemporary boxers will never attain the Mt. Olympus pantheon upon which the Kings’ Legacy dwells – the legacy of Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Hands of Stone Roberto Durán, Sugar Ray Leonard, and the one and only Motor City Cobra, or Hitman Thomas “Tommy” Hearns.These men fought each other—unafraid. (And John Mugabi, and anyone who stood in their way.)For example, Durán beat Leonard, Hearns slaughtered Durán. Leonard beat Hearns. Leonard drew with Hearns. Hagler beat Hearns—oh did he ever!—Hagler beat Durán (Marvelous nearly lost but rallied in the last two rounds in an epic battle); at last, Leonard beat Durán—the notorious “No mas” spectacle—and finally, like the coda to a magnificent symphony—Sugar Ray Leonard faced Ring Magazine’s Greatest Fighter of the 1980s—the Marvelous one—in a controversial spectacle that is as much the result of slight of hand, or as ringside veteran/writer Budd Schulberg put it: “An optical illusion.”Doogan’s fantastic book—all too rare in boxing—renders bare, for all to see, the complex forces that shaped Hagler and Leonard, from Hagler’s tough exodus from the Watts riots and seemingly eternal poverty combined with a work ethic that could push mountains out of the way—to Leonard’s sexual abuse, cocaine and alcohol problems, and ultimate penance, or rebirth, as he takes a stand to combat sexual abuse.Simply put—once upon a time, giants walked the earth.I concede—the single greatest boxing match I have ever seen is “The War.” (By the way, fight fans, a book on that very subject is due to hit the Amazon stacks in fall.) THE WAR is a notorious, highly-skilled, elite athlete slugfest that leaves NOTHING on the table. It is ROCKY III comes to life. In THE WAR, two of the greatest artists the ring has ever seen— Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns—battle for three violent, back and forth rounds. Hagler displays his incredible ambidextrous talent—a talent, I learned in the book I’m reviewing here—was taught to Hagler by the same trainers who made Rocky Marciano, another pure, hardcore slugger (although Hagler has finer science) few wanted to train or manage—a 49 and ) 0 knockout artist. Marciano's trainers felt that Joe Frazier was right when he told Hagler (paraphrase): You have three problems: You’re black, you’re good, and you’re a southpaw, knowing few want to take on southpaws. Thus, in his first three professional bouts, Hagler fought in orthodox stance, only to grow more comfortable in either mode over the years.Here, we see the fight’s origins, the personalities behind the scenes—what drove Leonard to exit retirement—and two men who could not be more different come to the fore… indeed the Olympian with the ‘White Light’ on him (Leonard), and Hagler, the common man (although both share humble backgrounds) who had to fight his first match for forty bucks, when Leonard made 50K. This is a thoughtful piece of literary sports journalism. Buy and read.

Hagler won the fight.

This is the definitive story of one of boxing’s most enduring rivalries and a captivating account of the lives of two of the greatest fighters in boxing history. From Marvin Hagler’s youth in the fiery hell of Central Ward in Newark, New Jersey, and Ray Leonard’s own experiences of racism as a boy to the respective demons that drove both men during monumental careers, we are taken on a journey which explores so many fascinating elements. It is a psychological drama incorporating issues such as the racial tension of the times, not only in America but also in Britain where Hagler won the world middleweight title. Candid testimony by Leonard of the sexual abuse he endured as a teenager at the hands of a USA boxing coach is supplemented by his admission of alcoholism and drug abuse so that a rounded picture emerges of both men as people, not just as boxers. And the drama of their biggest fights against Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran are brought to life before we reach the climax that is The SuperFight, the first $100 million boxing match. The story of how Hagler was almost trapped into accepting Leonard’s challenge is fascinating and the fight itself remains one of the most controversial and hotly-discussed in the history of the sport. Hagler could never accept the decision of the judges. Leonard cemented his legend by achieving an improbable comeback victory having previously retired because of a detached retina in his left eye. There is incredible detail, intensity and emotion on every page and it is much more than a boxing book. Fight fans will love it but so will fans of any sport or indeed fans of great writing. This is an excellent book and I could not recommend it more highly.

A great book about one of the biggest fights in boxing history. A must read for any boxing fan.#HaglerWasRobbed

A great book about one of the most talked about fights in boxing history.Doogan describes in his unique style the many levels and background stories behind this mega fight.

Brilliant book. Highly recommend.

I have read Brian Doogan’s writing for many years, in The Sunday Times and The Ring, and really looked forward to reading this book about one of the biggest fights in boxing history. It’s a fantastic read and offers perceptive insights into the personalities of Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard and the demons and challenges both men overcame in their lives and careers. How Leonard trapped Hagler into accepting his challenge was fascinating to understand. So was reading about the hard chip of ice buried deep in Leonard’s fighting heart. This book, in fact, is as much a psychological and social study as it is about boxing. Highly recommend to anyone who’s a fan of great writing as much as great fighting.

This was a fantastic book which took me back to the era of boxing I remember most whilst growing up as a kid. Hagler from when he beat Minter to this Super Fight with Sugar Ray.I liked Sugar Ray and respect him more after rewatching his fights whilst Reading this book would definitely recommend to fight fans and should be up for awards too.

Recipient is very pleased with this and is still reading it.