Original fight report from the New York Times, October 4, 1981
MARVIN HAGLER defended his undisputed world middleweight boxing championship by stopping Mustafa Hamsho, the top challenger, at 2 minutes 9 seconds of the 11th round of their bout tonight at the Horizon Arena.
The referee, Octavio Meyran of Mexico City, halted the bout while Hamsho was helpless on the ropes. Al Braverman, Hamsho’s handler, was climbing through the ropes to stop the fight, but Meyran acted first.
The victory was the 28th in succession for Hagler since he lost a 10-round decision to Willie Monroe in Philadelphia in 1976. The victory improved Hagler’s record to 53-2-2, and the knockout was his 44th. Hagler earned a million-dollar purse for the fight. The crowd was announced as 10,000.
Hamsho, as expected, charged recklessly forward. And his rushing, brawling style put him into trouble.
Hagler, much more accurate with his punches from his left-handed stance, also was accomplished at counter-punching, for which Hamsho’s wild lunges left him open.
When Meyran halted the match, Hagler was well ahead on all three cards.Meyran scored the bout 100 to 93. Judge Al Tremari scored it 100 to 85, and Judge Mike Glienna 100-91.
Hagler was impressive in every phase of the bout. He was most adept at blocking Hamsho’s blows or sliding away from his lunges and rushes.
At the end, Hamsho’s face was a mass of bruises. In the third, he butted Hagler and opened a small cut over the champion’s right eye. Before the round ended, Hagler threw a hook that drew blood from Hamsho’s right eye.
Both handlers did excellent jobs in patching cuts, and they were never a factor in the bout. Rather, it was the accumulation of Hagler’s heavier punches, his straight left hand, his right hook and his stinging jab off the hook that opened the cuts on Hamsho’s face. Hamsho did not back away. Although he was absorbing a steady stream of heavy blows, Hamsho continued to force the attack. He did score with lunging hooks of his own and his right-hand jab occasionally snapped Hagler’s head back.
But Hagler was halted only momentarily. Then he would resume his leading or counter-punching to pile up points, frequently stunning Hamsho.
