The Boxing History Blog

Sunday morning, 14th March 2021, I’m lying in bed and click open the Sky Sports App on my phone , going straight to the boxing page to look for news on Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury. I see Marvin Hagler’s face at the top of the feed and I’m wondering why he’s there! Then I read the headline, ‘Marvin Hagler dies aged 66.’  I can’t believe it! I only tweeted about Hagler the other day on the anniversary of his fight with John ‘The Beast’ Mugabi. His death was announced on The Marvelous Marvin Hagler FAN CLUB Facebook page by his wife, Kay: “I am sorry to make a very sad announcement.  Today unfortunately my beloved husband Marvelous Marvin passed away unexpectedly at his home here in New Hampshire. Our family requests that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.  With love Kay G. Hagler” Many of boxing’s stars also took to Twitter to offer their tributes and condolences: “Marvelous Marvin Hagler was among the greatest athletes that Top Rank ever promoted. He was...

In January 1977, aged twenty-one, Luigi Minchillo made his professional debut, stopping fellow Italian Silvano Bischeri in the fifth round. Minchillo went 17-0 before suffering his first defeat, a fourth-round stoppage due to cuts against Alvaro Scarpelli. In April 1979, only five months after his first setback, he challenged Clemente Gessi for the vacant Italian light-middleweight title, winning it in the maiden round. He defended his national championship four times and in July 1981 he challenged the French-Algerian Louis Acaries for the European light-middleweight title. Minchillo became champion by unanimous decision and the following month had a second-round TKO victory over America's Danny Myers, before his big date with Roberto Duran in September 1981.  Duran returned to Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, in his second bout since losing his world welterweight crown against Leonard. In the opposite corner was 'Il Guerriero Del Ring' or 'The Ring Warrior' Luigi Min...

Born in Puerto Rico on 02nd August 1951, Esteban De Jesus was a skilful boxer with a fast array of sharp punches. He turned professional in February 1969, aged eighteen, defeating fellow debutant El Tarita. De Jesus won by a second-round knockout and Tarita never boxed again. In his twentieth contest, he travelled out of his homeland for the first time to take on Venezuelan Armando Mendoza, in his home city of Caracas. Mendoza had only lost the one contest in his thirteen-fight career, but De Jesus kept his undefeated record going with a seventh-round TKO victory. He next fought six weeks later on 24th July 1971, challenging Josue Marquez for his Puerto Rican lightweight championship. Marquez had only been champion for a month, after his points win over Victor Ortiz. De Jesus was too good for the defending champion, taking the title with a twelve-round points decision. He knocked out Ortiz in the fourth round, his national title not at stake, before facing Marquez once more at ...