Marvin Hagler’s former boxing rival Tommy Hearns made, and then blasted, COVID-19 vaccine claims relating to Hagler’s cause of death, which has not been officially revealed.
An initial Instagram post by Hearns himself started the Hagler vaccine controversy in the first place. On March 13, 2021, the day that Hagler’s wife announced his unexpected death in a Facebook post, Hearns wrote on Instagram, “A real true warrior Pray for the king and his family.. he’s in ICU fighting the after effects of the vaccine! He’ll be just fine but we could use the positive energy and Prayer for his Full Recovery.”
Hagler, the boxing middleweight champion, died suddenly at the age of 66.
Here’s that initial post:
That sparked a round of speculation on social media from anti-vaxxers about the champ’s cause of death, which wasn’t released. That prompted Hearns to release a new statement.
He later wrote, according to Daily Mail, “Our love and respect to Marvin and his family, this is not an anti vaccine campaign.. it’s outrageous to have that in mind during the passing of a King, Legend, Father, Husband and so much more.” However, his original post is still up on his Instagram page.
To be clear, the cause of death for the boxing champ is not known, and it’s not known whether he actually ever received a COVID-19 vaccine.
Here’s what you need to know:
Hagler Was Rushed to the Hospital With Chest Pains & Breathing Trouble, Reports Say
GettyMarvin Hagler attends a fundraising dinner in 2015 in Hong Kong.
Hagler’s wife, Kay, announced his death on Facebook, saying it was not expected. “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.”
Here’s that post:
His family has made no mention whatsoever of Hagler receiving a COVID-19 vaccine or one having anything to do with his death. Despite Hearns claiming that he was in the ICU, Hagler’s son told TMZ that his father “was taken to a hospital in New Hampshire earlier on Saturday after experiencing trouble breathing and chest pains at home.” TMZ reported that it was unclear whether the death was related to COVID.
He died four hours after being taken to the hospital, according to TMZ, and the cause of death was unclear.
Hearns & Hagler Were Great Rivals
Marvelous Marvin Hagler was one of the best boxers in history.
Hearns and Hagler were not only rivals, but they met in some of the greatest boxing bouts the country has ever seen.
According to Bad Left Hook, “the April 15, 1985 middleweight championship fight between Marvelous Marvin Hagler and ‘Thomas Hitman’ Hearns” is considered a legendary bout.
The site says that the first round of that fight may be the best in boxing history, and calls the bout “The War.”
It lasted seven minutes and 52 seconds.
Hagler is survived by his wife and five children. According to the Boston Globe, his boxing record was 62-3-2 with 52 knockouts. He’s a member of the Boxing Hall of Fame.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that most side effects from COVID-19 vaccines go away in a few days and some people never have them.
“COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Some people have no side effects,” the site explains.
READ NEXT: English Police Officer Wayne Couzens Accused in the Murder of Sarah Everard.