Boxing legend Marvelous Marvin Hagler is dead at age 66, and the combat sports world has been busy sharing touching tributes about the former middleweight champion ever since the news broke on Saturday. But maybe one of the most emotionally charged shares on social media was done by popular podcaster and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan. Rogan posted his thoughts and feelings about Hagler, and he shared a picture he drew of the boxing champ when he was just 15 years old.
Rogan posted, “I drew this piece of Marvin Hagler way back in 1983 when I was 15. I remember watching a TV profile on him where he was running on the beach in the dead of winter shadow boxing and screaming ‘WAR!’ They showed his maniacal dedication to training and fight preparation, and it had a massive influence on me. I would think of him when I was tired and was considering stopping. I would imagine what he would do and it would always fill me with energy. When I heard he died yesterday I was stunned. I was such a massive fan all my life, and every now and then I’ll go to YouTube and watch some of his classic fights. The other day I watched his victory over Mugabi, and it was every bit as epic as I remembered. They don’t make many human beings as incredible as Marvin Hagler. He was truly one of the greats. RIP”.
You can see Rogan’s artwork below.
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Rogan’s Post Referenced 2 Hagler Fights
Rogan’s drawing depicts Hagler’s 1983 victory over Tony Sibson. That night, Hagler defended his WBA and WBC middleweight championships by sixth-round TKO.
You can watch that fight below courtesy of Top Rank, Inc.
Additionally, the text of Rogan’s post referenced Hagler’s second-to-last professional prizefight vs. John Mugabi in 1986.
In his last victory inside a boxing ring, Hagler stopped Mugabi in the 11th round to defend his undisputed middleweight championship.
The following year, Hagler retired after losing a controversial split-decision to “Sugar” Ray Leonard.
Hagler finished his boxing career with an overall record of 62-3-2. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993, and he’s frequently hailed by boxing historians as one of the best boxing champions of all-time.
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Rogan Impressed by Hagler’s Dedication
In Rogan’s post, he referenced how impressed he was with Hagler’s “maniacal dedication” and admitted the boxing champ “had a massive influence” on him as a human being.
Hagler was one of the most decorated champions in boxing history.
Hager reigned as boxing’s undisputed middleweight champ from 1980 to 1987. During those seven years, the American defended his championship 12 times. At six years and seven months, Hagler was one of the longest-reigning undisputed middleweight champs in history.
In 1982, Hagler legally changed his name from Marvin Hagler to Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
According to NPR, the reason he changed his name was that he was miffed because announcers wouldn’t introduce him by that nickname.
You can watch more highlights of Hagler’s boxing career below.
READ NEXT: Marvelous Marvin Hagler Dead: One of Boxing’s ‘Four Kings’
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Joe Rogan’s Touching Tribute: ‘I Drew This’ [LOOK]