September 27, 1980

Marvin Hagler vs. Alan Minter

that racism exists at all even in a woven world

where a man your weight stands inches in front of you

and pretends, with process, immortality.

but waits with watchful vim

and evil trickery for you to blink, just once. Collected

habitations you'de think to

look up when the uppercut was coming

from the opposite direction. Had we known then,

with victory

from that nightlong watch, that your fight was an

internal one. That people spoke harshly of your

dance performed and done

with counting: There would be no colors on trees.

No apple orchids, no stinging bees.

no spring bucks.

Just  a beating befitting some abominable 

villain. Powerful. Vamp. Savage. Loverman.

Heavenly champ. 

Reviews

[Vertigo Cat1111]

I'm always so happy when I find a poem against racism. We all need to read and learn about it. This was such a cool and interesting idea, I love the idea of writing a poem for a boxing match, especially one legendary like this. Why in the whole wide world should skin color matter? Why? There is no reason. None. All races are people and it's tough when the world is too blind to see that. But we need to keep telling people forever on, and your piece here did a brilliant job. Yes, what a champ Hagler was.

[h d e rushin]

thanks love. But the leadup to this fight was so different in many ways. Alan Minter had boasted that no black man could ever beat him in the ring. Among other boastful untruths. And when the referee stopped the fight because Minter was a bloody mess, the crowd showered Hagler with broken bottles and other projectiles. And you're right...Hagler was a tremendous fighter....dana

[Gee]

Was in a pub in a place called Harpenden, Minter, post career, was in there and was staggering around as drunk as a Lord. He was so far removed from the athlete he once was, he cut a sad and pathetic figure.
I remember the fight and many others of that era when there was many a champion especially at middleweight.
So sad when the heroes of our past die, the invincibles proved not so :(

[h d e rushin]

Minter, as I recalled, was undefeated when he met Marvin Hagler for the title. Old boxers! Sometimes we forget that there's a man inside....dana

[W.k.kortas]

You remain a master among us.

[h d e rushin]

I hadn't heard from Lawrence since way before his birthday last August. Even took a ride to the rough side of Detroit to pound on his door. And Donny, my high school class mate and fishing buddy, nothing, not a phone call or a text since last white bass season. Later I discovered that covid had claimed them both. Both such good, creative brothers and friendly beyond compare. So to see your name in the review section again after a poem I wrote, brought a tear to my eye. I sat on the side of bed and said to myself, "someone has made it to the other side". Thank you dearest for still being there/ and here....dana

[Tom]

A powerful poetic tribute to an iconic nite, Marvin Hagler, pound for pound had to of been one of the best if not the best in the pugilist business!!

( Any thoughts or views on the more recent heavy-weight division, ie, Wilder v Fury 1st & 2nd showdowns and perhaps still a 3rd to come as was supposed to be per contract?

[h d e rushin]

todays boxers don't carry the same 'cultural' weight as those of the 80's or 90's.. MMA, Bare knuckle, WWE, Kick boxing.....Today, paying customers want a blood sport, not technicians....But there's been a shift in the way we see boxing overall. 70% of todays public don't even know who the heavy weight champion is. And Wilder was being the verbal villain until he ran into that right hand of Fury..Gone are the good ole days when the "champ" meant you beat all those who wanted your title......thanks Tom for your insight....dana

[Phill Oz O'fee]

Great use of wordplay and stanza structure here - really brings force and imagery to a poignant poetic message! Promoter Micky Duff was as embarrassed as most Brits were on the night, apologising profusely to Hagler, and not holding back on his opinion of the perpetrators: "There were 10,000 there and there were a maximum of 15 to 20 people involved. They were animals".
Bravo my friend...:-)

[h d e rushin]

thank you Phil..I read about the madness of that night. Bottles and heavy objects being thrown in the ring. And awful names being hurled around. An ugly night for boxing, when boxing was still considered "the sweet science". RIP Marvelous Marvin Hagler..... dana

[jacob erin-cilberto]

This is quite a tribute to a great fighter....I watched most of his bouts...especially the Hearns fight...I was jumping up and down screaming at the tv...that was probably the most exciting fight ever.
And I think Marvin got ripped with the Leonard fight...
Minter got his..."I am not going to lose to a black man"---well, he did...knocked him silly.
All the damn prejudice ...it should just be about two men in the ring, regardless of color...
two pugilists exchanging fists.
Reminiscent of how little we have learned in so many years...
This is such an exquisite piece of writing...as only your slant can be, dana.
j.

[h d e rushin]

thank you brother. and you are right on about the Hearns-Hagler fight. Tommy was a local legend here in Detroit and although today too many punches to his head has made his words discombobbled, he still is. And still draws a crowd of onlookers wherever he goes. But that Minter-Hagler fight had more significance because of the braggard Minter's mean words of division and racialism. Boxing means something to the non-boxer just as poems might mean a higher sense of rationalization to the non-poet. It's so easy to put ourselves in the ring when our hero's are literally fighting for their lives.....Great review my friend for a sad hour when he lost Marvin Hagler at such a young age. ps..that Hearns-Hagler fight was one exciting slugfest from start to knockout......dana