James Hagler was born in Brockton, Massachusetts. He is the son of Marvelous Marvin Hagler, who reigned as the undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987. He is the eldest out of the Hagler 5 (children). He has three kids of his own (James Jr is a pro fighter who is 3.1ko. with no losses and 1 default). His brother, Rockin’ Robbie Sims, who is James’s uncle KO’d an inexperienced Iran Barkley, fought an exhilarating fight against Bobby Chaz, and rose to prominence as a middleweight contender by defeating Roberto Duran in 1986. Both brothers were trained by the famous Brockton-based trainers Pat and Goody Petronelli.
James Hagler’s family always had a special relationship with boxing, with his father, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, and Uncle Robbie Sims achieving great success in the sport. As a child, James was always closely involved with boxing, and it wasn’t long before he began developing a passion for it himself.
James Hagler had always dreamed of becoming a fighter and making it to the Olympics. He worked hard and trained diligently to achieve his goal, but he never had the support of his father. Despite this, James was determined to succeed and make a name for himself in the boxing world.
At the age of 21, James moved to Atlanta to start his boxing career. He entered several amateur tournaments and quickly made a name for himself as a talented and skilled fighter. James made the Evander Holyfield Boxing team as an amateur boxer and won numerous championships, including the 3x Georgia State champ and the ABF Championship. Throughout his career, James was an avid follower of the sport and dreamed of one day making his mark on the industry.
In 1995, he entered the PAL Police Athletic League tournament, which was one of the biggest events of its time. The tournament winners would receive a free pass all the way to the Olympic box-off and trials without worrying about being ranked.
He was overjoyed and excited at the prospect of fighting alongside other legendary fighters and sons. The night before the semi-finals, James called his father and asked him to come to see him fight. He hoped that his father would finally give him his blessing and support his career. However, to James’ dismay, his father declined his request and said he would only be there in spirit. James was heartbroken and realized he would never have his father’s support. He wanted his father’s blessing more than anything else, even more than becoming an Olympic champion. Despite his disappointment, James still hoped his father would come to see him fight. However, his father never did. James felt depressed and down and didn’t want to fight anymore. He decided to pull out of the fight and never fight again. During this challenging time, James conversed with the legendary Aaron Pryor, who was concerned about James’ well-being. Pryor was disappointed to hear that James’ father wasn’t supportive and offered words of encouragement.
Although James never achieved his dream of becoming an Olympic champion, he knew he had done everything he could to make it happen. He realized that he didn’t need his father’s approval to pursue his passion and succeed in life. The experience was a sad moment in James’ life, but it also taught him a valuable lesson about the importance of self-belief and determination.
In 2016, he joined the American Boxing Association, where he quickly made a name for himself by contributing to their mission of unifying the boxing industry. His dedication earned him the Vice President of the American Boxing Association (ABA) position.
After years of working in various capacities in the boxing industry, James founded James Hagler Promotions in 2017 with the goal of bringing together the best boxers, judges, and announcers to create the best possible events. Thanks to strong partnerships with national television stations and a deep understanding of the industry. As James looks to the future, he is excited to continue growing James Hagler Promotions and to provide fans with unforgettable boxing and MMA experiences. With his deep roots in the industry, passion for the sport, and commitment to excellence, there’s no doubt that James will continue to be a major player in the boxing world for years to come. More recently, James decided to expand his influence by becoming the owner of Hands Boxing Gloves and Equipment. This company is dedicated to manufacturing high-quality boxing gear in the USA, focusing on providing boxers with the best equipment possible.
Since he has learned the business side of boxing promotions and marketing, he has partnered up with Jason Wilson, a co-host for a podcast called “Living On Purpose.” He has partnered up with Athletes TV, which is a platform for all athletes at all levels to post only sports videos of their content as a co-host for their podcast, where he is also in the mix of putting on live boxing events.
In addition, James created a channel network called. “Cre8tive Visions Production” on Traverse TV, https://watch.traversetv.com, an Over-The-Top (OTT) Streaming Platform with a global content delivery network creating live linear broadcasts & TV shows where he will be hosting all his boxing events. He has inherited his father’s love for the sport. He intends to continue his father’s legacy by organizing with Traverse TV, which will donate $100,000 to the “Marvelous Marvin Hagler Massasoit College Scholarship Funding Event” on May 13th, 2023. This event aims to raise funds to support college education for students in need.
One of his most significant projects is Celebrity Making Of A Champion boxing reality show document series. The show is designed to help aspiring boxers achieve their dreams of becoming champions. With James Hagler’s expertise in the sport, he can guide and bring awareness to all the proteges not only to become better boxers. But Businessmen & Women. Also, he is involved with Celebrity Making Of A Champion Boxing reality franchise show consulting, mentoring, fight panel, etc.
Aside from producing his show, James also works as a producer for his mother’s docuseries called “The Bertha Hagler Story.” This show tells the inspiring story of his mother’s life, including her struggles and triumphs.
