Middleweight Champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler celebrates his undisputed world middleweight Championship with his manager, Pat Petronelli, and Co-Manager, Goody Petronelli on Monday, April 15, 1985 in Las Vegas. Hagler knocked out Thomas "Hitman" Hearns in the third round to clinch the title. (AP Photo)
Marvin Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with a split-decision loss to "Sugar" Ray Leonard in 1987, died Saturday. He was 66.
Wife Kay G. Hagler confirmed the death on Facebook on the verified Marvelous Marvin Hagler Fan Club page.
"I am sorry to make a very sad announcement," she wrote. "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."
Hagler was 62-3-2 with 52 knockouts from 1973 to 1987. He was the undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to his loss to Leonard at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on April 6, 1987.
The fierce left-hander had two of his biggest victories at Caesars Palace, unanimously outpointing Roberto Duran in 1983 and knocking out Thomas Hearns in the third round in 1985.
Hagler was born in Newark, New Jersey, and moved with his family to Brockton, Massachusetts, in the late 1960s. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1983.
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Photos: Remembering Marvelous Marvin Hagler, 1954-2021
Marvin Hagler of Brockton, Mass., as he talks to newsmen Wednesday May 10, 1978 during a press luncheon in Boston. Finnegan and Hagler will meet Saturday night in a return 10-round bout at Boston Garden. (AP Photo)
Marvin Hagles, after knocking out "Sugar" Ray Seales in 1:20 of the first round in Boston, Mass., tells ringside reporters Feb. 3, 1979 he is ready for a shot at the Middleweight title. (AP Photo)
World Middleweight boxing champion Marvin Hagler of Brockton, Mass., waves the American flag Sept. 29. 1980 as he is greeted at Boston's Logan International Airport on his return to the U.S., after winning the championship from England's Alan Minter last Saturday. (AP Photo/Lewiton)
Middleweight boxer Marvin Hagler of Brockton, Mass., raises his arms in triumph after aides of opponent Norberto Carbera of Argentina threw in the towel in the eighth round of their scheduled 10-round fight, June 30, 1979 at the Fontvieille stadium in Monaco. (AP Photo)
American world middleweight champion Marvin Hagler works out at a gym in his hometown of Brockton, Mass., in July 1980. (AP Photo)
American world middleweight champion Marvin Hagler works out at a gym in his hometown of Brockton, Mass., in July 1980. (AP Photo)
Marvin Hagler, right, corners Vito Antuofermo at Boston Garden, June 13, 1981. (AP Photo)
Middleweight boxing champ Marvin Hagler poses with his wife Bertha and their 3-month-old daughter Charlee Tuesday, May 26, 1982 at the New England premiere of the movie "Rocky III" in Boston. (AP Photo/Keith Jacobson)
Marvin Hagler, middleweight champion, right, expresses himself as he goes after Wilford Scypion, May 27, 1983 at the Providence Civic Center where Hagler knockout out his opponent in the fourth round. (AP Photo)
Middleweight boxing championship Marvin Hagler meets with members of the press on January 24, 1984 in Boston to announce his upcoming bout with Argentina's Juan Roldan. This bout, scheduled for March 30 in Las Vegas, will be Hagler's ninth defense of his title. (AP Photo/ George Whitney)
Marvelous Marvin Hagler lets out a yell and throws his arms up in victory after knocking out Thomas "Hitman" Hearns in Las Vegas on April 15, 1985. Hagler knocked out Hearns in the third round of their fight to win the world middleweight championship. (AP Photo)
"Marvelous" Marvin Hagler sports a cap reading "The Beast Master," and a T-shirt reading "The Champ" during recent training session on February 21, 1986 in Palm Springs, Calif. The cap refers to John "The Best" Mugabi who will be Hagler's opponent on March 10 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/ Nick Ut)
Middleweight boxers Tommy Hearns, left, and Marvin Hagler, right, pose for this 1984 photo. (AP Photo)
Middleweight boxer, Marvelous Marvin Hagler poses while working out at a gym in his hometown of Brockton, Mass., in July 1980. (AP Photo)
Middleweight boxer, Marvelous Marvin Hagler poses in this undated photo. (AP Photo)
World middleweight boxing champion "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler is shown in 1986. (AP Photo)
Hall of Famer Marvelous Marvin Hagler at the Boxing Hall of Fame parade in Canastota, N.Y., on Sunday, June 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
Middleweight Training Champion Marvin Hagler works Saturday, Jan. 24, 1983 at his training camp in Provincetown, Massachusetts., Hagler in preparation of his upcoming title defense. Hagler will be meeting Tony Sibson in Worcester Feb.11 for the title match. (AP Photo/George Marcelonis)
Retired American professional boxer Marvin Hagler gestures before the WBA middleweight title fight between Gennady Golovkin of Kazakhstan and Nobuhiro Ishida of Japan, Saturday March 30, 2013, in Monaco. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
Middleweight champ Marvin Hagler give the "thumbs up" Friday, April 3, 1987 during an interview in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Cong Huynh)
Middleweight champion Marvin Hagler runs along the dunes on Saturday Jan. 31, 1983 in Provincetown, Massachusetts, as he continues to train for his upcoming title bout. Hagler will be meeting Tony Sibson in Worcester, Massachusetts., February 11 for the title. (AP Photo/George Marcelonis)
Marvin Hagler middle weight boxer, right, in action versus John "the Beast" Mugabe on March 10, 1986. Hagler won the bout with an 11th round knockout. (AP Photo)
Middleweight boxer, Marvelous Marvin Hagler joggs along Provincetown, Mass., beach Thursday, May 22, 1981 in preparation for his upcoming title fight against Vito Antuofermo. (AP Photo)
Middleweight champion Marvin Hagler checks out his form in front of a mirror during his training session in Provincetown, Mass., May 30, 1981 where he has been training for his title fight with Italian born Vito Antuofermo. Hagler fought Antoufermo in Las Vegas and the decision went to Antoufermo. The bout is scheduled for June 13 at Boston Garden. (AP Photo/Paul Benoit)
American champion Marvin Hagler celebrates after defeating Vito Antuofermo by TKO in the fifth round to win the world middleweight champion title at Boston Garden, Mass., on June 13, 1981. (AP Photo)
Undisputed World Middleweight Champion Marvin Hagler, Brockton, Mass., holds the Middleweight Championship belt aloft after beating challanger Mustafa Hamsho with a TKO at 2:09 into the eleventh round of their championship bout Saturday, Oct. 3, 1981 at the Horizon in Rosemont. (AP Photo)
American world middleweight world champion Marvin Hagler is seen in this March 25, 1982 photo.
Middleweight boxing champion, Marvelous Marvin Hagler of Brockton, Mass., works out Thursday, May 20, 1983 in Provicetown, Mass., where he's training for an upcoming title defense against Texas' Wilford Scypion next Friday in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Sean Kardoon)
Undisputed middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler shows off his muscle during weigh-in on March 30, 1984 in Las Vegas for his championship fight with WBA number one contender Juan Roldan of Argentina at Riviera Hotel Friday night. Hagler and Roldan both weighed 159 ? pounds. (AP Photo/ Lennox McLendon)
" Marvelous" Marvin Hagler, left, of Brockton, Mass. and Thomas Hearns of Detroit, Mich. display their fists as they pose for photographers, January 29, 1985, during a news conference in Boston at which they discussed their scheduled April 15th middleweight title bout in Las Vegas. (AP Photo)
Middleweight champ Marvin Hagler boxes himself in a mirror on March 7, 1986 in Las Vegas where he's in last minute training for his Monday night title defense against John Mugabi. On the back of Hagler's shirt is a prediction that Mugabi will fall during the fight. (AP Photo/ Ut Cong Huynh)
"Marvelous" Marvin Hagler poses during an interview with the Associated Press on May 25, 1988 in New York. Hagler will make a decision on whether to continue fighting again after his brother, Robbie Sims, fights June 12 for a piece of middleweight title he once held, Hagler said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)
