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"Sorcery at Caesars: Sugar Ray's Marvelous Fight". By Steve Marantz.
I am the author and I thank this board for allowing me to introduce myself.
I covered boxing for the Boston Globe from 1979 to 1988 - including the careers of Leonard and Hagler.
"Sorcery" is about their rivalry, their controversial 1987 bout, and its lingering effect.
Twenty-one years later, fans still debate the decision, and Hagler still is angry.
Though I covered the bout, there was much about Leonard and Hagler that was hidden from view. It took 21 years to piece the story together.
Glad to be a new member of this site - I welcome comments and questions.
Steve
Nice to have you here... I've posted a few threads over my time here about Sugar Ray... He's one of my idols and I followed his career very closely - dating back to his gold medal performance in Montreal!
Here's a funny twist about the Hagler fight... Less than two months before the fight, I was out with some friends in NYC at The Hard Rock Cafe. We were tucked away, upstairs in a dark corner of the club. Suddenly, I see Hagler and another man sit down at a table right next to us! I couldn't resist, so I walked over to shake his hand and wish him well for the upcoming battle. I quickly realized that Marvin was hammered! Bombed! He could barely utter two words together! In fact, when he reached out to shake my hand, he knocked over BOTH his drink and the drink of his friend! I couldn't believe that he would do this prior to the biggest fight of his career! I knew then that he was not taking Ray nearly as seriously as he should have been, and of course the results proved that point...
In my opinion, Ray did win the fight and the more I watch the replay, the more I am convinced Ray won. Hagler was a true warrior - one of the best of all time... However, Ray caught Marvin at just the right time in his career, when the toll of so many grueling, epic, historical battles finally began to take their toll... coupled with the fact that Hagler did not appear to take Sugar Ray as seriously as he should have, well - Hagler needs to only look at the guy in the mirror to find where the blame for the loss lies!
Nice to have you here... I've posted a few threads over my time here about Sugar Ray... He's one of my idols and I followed his career very closely - dating back to his gold medal performance in Montreal!
Here's a funny twist about the Hagler fight... Less than two months before the fight, I was out with some friends in NYC at The Hard Rock Cafe. We were tucked away, upstairs in a dark corner of the club. Suddenly, I see Hagler and another man sit down at a table right next to us! I couldn't resist, so I walked over to shake his hand and wish him well for the upcoming battle. I quickly realized that Marvin was hammered! Bombed! He could barely utter two words together! In fact, when he reached out to shake my hand, he knocked over BOTH his drink and the drink of his friend! I couldn't believe that he would do this prior to the biggest fight of his career! I knew then that he was not taking Ray nearly as seriously as he should have been, and of course the results proved that point...
In my opinion, Ray did win the fight and the more I watch the replay, the more I am convinced Ray won. Hagler was a true warrior - one of the best of all time... However, Ray caught Marvin at just the right time in his career, when the toll of so many grueling, epic, historical battles finally began to take their toll... coupled with the fact that Hagler did not appear to take Sugar Ray as seriously as he should have, well - Hagler needs to only look at the guy in the mirror to find where the blame for the loss lies!
that's an amazing anecdote. not sure why he would have been in new york two months before the bout. he went to palm spring in early january 1987. the promotional tour ended in december 86.
part of my book deals with the substance abuse problems of both fighters. cocaine, specifically. but hagler liked to drink, too. leonard used the bout as a kind of detox and rehab program.
that's an amazing anecdote. not sure why he would have been in new york two months before the bout. he went to palm spring in early january 1987. the promotional tour ended in december 86.
part of my book deals with the substance abuse problems of both fighters. cocaine, specifically. but hagler liked to drink, too. leonard used the bout as a kind of detox and rehab program.
I thought it was strange as well... Honestly, it had the feeling of being very secret... I sorta felt like he was there and nobody was supposed to know...
I ordered your book by the way!! Can't wait to dive into it!!!
I love how much impact the fight had in society. Everybody, even those not into boxing, seemed to understand what transpired. It made it into the 1988 movie Red Heat with Jim Belushi and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Belushi's character Art Ridzik busts a guy and then says to him "You look like Marvin Hagler. ... I lost money on Hagler!"
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I love how much impact the fight had in society. Everybody, even those not into boxing, seemed to understand what transpired. It made it into the 1988 movie Red Heat with Jim Belushi and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Belushi's character Art Ridzik busts a guy and then says to him "You look like Marvin Hagler. ... I lost money on Hagler!"
man, too bad i didn't see that film - i would have cited it in the book.
i agree with you about societal impact.
the book's premise is that the outcome - via subjective scoring - said more about our culture and our desires than about the fight itself. the people who saw leonard as the winner identified with his glamorous life. those who saw hagler as the winner identified with his Main Street working class personna.
the people who saw leonard as the winner identified with his glamorous life. those who saw hagler as the winner identified with his Main Street working class personna.
That sounds really interesting. Not that it'll make a difference to me reading (buying) it or not, but do you have a psych or sociology background?
Also, I commend you for taking non-traditional avenues for marketing your book. How's it working out (outside of this board, obviously...which seems to be going at least okay--I think you've probably sold a couple of books based on this thread). What else are you doing?
I have a friend who wrote a novel (a fictionalized account about how the Taj Majal was built) and he had an offer in the front of the book that he's attend (physically or by phone) anyone's book club to discuss the book. Obviously, that may not be a tact that works for you (his was a romantic themed book, women were his audience), but I find publishing marketing fascinating--particulalry when budgets dictate that the onus falls on the author.
__________________ America cannot have an empire abroad and a Republic at home.
That sounds really interesting. Not that it'll make a difference to me reading (buying) it or not, but do you have a psych or sociology background?
Also, I commend you for taking non-traditional avenues for marketing your book. How's it working out (outside of this board, obviously...which seems to be going at least okay--I think you've probably sold a couple of books based on this thread). What else are you doing?
I have a friend who wrote a novel (a fictionalized account about how the Taj Majal was built) and he had an offer in the front of the book that he's attend (physically or by phone) anyone's book club to discuss the book. Obviously, that may not be a tact that works for you (his was a romantic themed book, women were his audience), but I find publishing marketing fascinating--particulalry when budgets dictate that the onus falls on the author.
i wish i had thought of that - is he being invited to book clubs?
marketing is definitely a challenge for a small publisher - every author wants to get the word out - i finally decided to go to the boxing and sports forums - and it's been effective. a lot of people (mostly over 35) are interested in leonard and hagler - and remember the fight - but the trick is finding them and letting them know about the book.
i was a journalism major at Missouri. 30 plus years as a reporter - sports, politics, government. as a reporter you learn some psychology and sociology.
i wish i had thought of that - is he being invited to book clubs?
He is, but like I said, his is a romantic (not "romance") novel. Here's a link to a CBS news story about him and his tactic. I doubt book clubs (which are predominantly women, yes?) are going to sit around and talk about Sugar Ray and Marvin Hagler. I think you're doing the right thing, though researching mens' book clubs might not be a bad thing. I'll bet there are more men that use forums like this for their "virtual book club," though.
Are you on Facebook and other social media outlets? Those can be really effective, too.
I'm in PR. I think about this stuff way too much. Sorry for the unsolicited advice.
__________________ America cannot have an empire abroad and a Republic at home.
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