‘They could have had it in a phone box and the toughest man won ...Hagler’
HE changed his name to ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler – but there are so many adjectives with which to describe one of the greatest middleweights of all time.
Fearsome and ferocious are two of the many others which convey the brilliance of the man (inset) who heard the final bell at the weekend at the age of 66.
Or, as hall-of-fame promoter Frank Warren put it, simply outstanding.
“He is one of the standout fighters from one of the greatest generations of fighters in an era when the best fought the best,” said Warren.
“He was outstanding inside and outside of the ring. He was a tremendous boxer.”
Hagler reigned as world middleweight champion from 1980 until 1987. But the record books simply don’t tell the whole story of the right-handed US southpaw who electrified the sport for a decade.
“He was avoided for so long,” said Warren. “He was beyond his mid-20s when he got his shot.”
It was against British opposition when he finally became world champion. Alan
Minter’s face was sliced open by the brutal hands of Hagler in a bout that lasted just seven minutes and 45 seconds at Wembley Arena in 1980.
Some of the boozed-up crowd caused a riot and forced Hagler’s celebrations to be cut short as he needed a police escort out of the venue as beer cans and bottles rained
down on him.
“I was there that night, and we got out lively,” said Warren, who was also present at another of Hagler’s big nights, a far more special one, in 1985.
After outpointing Roberto Duran in a big but not thrilling clash, he took on Thomas Hearns in the bout billed as ‘The Fight’ – then later changed to ‘The War’ – at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
“It took your breath away. The old adage was they could have had it in a phone box,” said Warren about the three-round classic. “The bell went and they just went at it until the tougher fighter won, which was Hagler.” Hearns posted on Instagram his tribute to a “King” and passed his “love and respect” on to Hagler’s family.
CRAIG DAWSON suffered a hapless homecoming after gifting Manchester United all three points at Old Trafford.
Dawson’s second-half own goal was enough to separate the two sides in what could be a significant result for both clubs in their bids to secure Champions League qualification.
Dawson, who was born in Greater Manchester, has been a tower of strength for the Hammers this season, but this blunder punches a huge dent into his team’s ambition of finishing in the top four.
United, meanwhile, are now 13 games unbeaten in all competitions and continue to dig out results without being at their best to remain the closest challengers to Manchester City.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was handed a boost before kick-off with the return to fitness of Marcus Rashford, who had been nursing an ankle problem.
He came straight back in as part of the four changes to the team that drew with AC Milan last time out.
Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw also returned, while Fred replaced Nemanja Matic in midfield as United looked to leapfrog Leicester in the table and return to second place again.
Having ended City’s 21-game winning streak to cut their lead to 11 points last weekend, United went into this game 17 points adrift, albeit with two games in hand.
But they knew a win here would leave them nine points clear of fifth place and in pole position to go on and secure Champions League qualification. David
MAN UTD WEST HAM
Moyes (above left), whose failed reign at Old Trafford lasted just 11 months, was without the rejuvenated Jesse Lingard due to the terms of his loan move from United.
Mark Noble made his first start in midfield since the middle of last month and was one of three changes, with Jarrod Bowen and Ben Johnson also returning at the expense of Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals.
This ground had continued to give Moyes nightmares since he was sacked in 2014, with the Scot failing to win here in 14 attempts as an opposing manager.
The Hammers set out their stall from the start, with a bank of seven defenders waiting for United when the hosts had the ball.
The onus was on Solskjaer’s men to open them up, but chances were few and far between, to leave people wondering if games between these two should start to come with a government health warning.
It was turgid stuff and United created nothing until the 25th minute, when Mason Greenwood picked out Rashford with a superb cross, but the England ace failed to hit the target with a weak header.
Then, moments later, Greenwood popped up on the opposite side and fizzed over a cross which
Lukasz Fabianski almost spilled into the path of
Dan James, before
Rashford produced another poor header when he should have done better. Greenwood was United’s most dangerous threat and he was denied by a world class save from Fabianski before half time, when the Polish international got down superbly to tip wide a shot that looked destined to break the deadlock.
The eventual breakthrough was harsh on the Hammers when it arrived on 53 minutes, with Dawson (inset) attempting to clear Bruno Fernandes’s corner but getting it all wrong and heading into his own net. Fabianski was at his brilliant best again to keep out a low shot from Fernandes, before Greenwood hit the post as United limped towards an uninspiring but crucial win.
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PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG took a seat. Erik Lamela took a bow. But Arsenal took the points.
Arsenal skipper Aubameyang was late to the pre-match meeting and dropped to the bench for this dramatic, eventful North London derby as punishment.
Lamela was late to the party too, coming on for the injured Heung-min Son to score a sublime, outrageous nutmeg rabona that gave Tottenham the lead.
It was a ridiculously brilliant goal-of -the-season contender, and even better than his rabona against Asteras in the Europa League back in 2014.
It will be shown over and over again, whenever this fixture comes around.
But the Gunners equalised through Martin Odegaard’s deflected effort – and then went in front with an Alexandre Lacazette penalty.
And when Lamela was later sent off for two bookable offences, there was no way back for Jose Mourinho’s men. Harry
From Back Page after he was late for a team meeting.
Erik Lamela, who was later sent off, scored a nutmeg rabona to open the scoring for Tottenham.
But Martin Odegaard equalised before Alexandre Lacazette won it for Arsenal with a controversial penalty.
But Mourinho blasted his players for going missing, saying: “We played really bad in the first half. We were poor. No intensity or pressing. Some important players hiding. Really bad. It’s
ARSENAL TOTTENHAM 2 1
Kane (inset) did hit the post as the 10 men rallied, but this victory was well deserved by Arsenal, who also hit the woodwork twice in the first half.
What a mess they were in going into this game, though. The captain dropped after turning up late, but only to the bench.
Teams who once trailed in their wake riding high above them in the table. Their hopes of a top-four finish all but disappeared.
And just two wins on the board in their previous seven league games, a run which has made them look so, so ordinary.
Anyone would have thought the Gunners were there for the taking. Not Spurs, though. Oh, no. Not when you