Hagler Decides He Won’t Fight Leonard Again : Ex-Champion Retires After His Half-Brother, Sims, Loses to Kalambay in Italy

Sambu Kalambay retained his WBA middleweight title Sunday night with a unanimous decision over Robbie Sims, and shortly after the 12-round fight, former middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Sims’ older half-brother, announced his retirement from boxing.

“I think that I will leave boxing to my little brother,” Hagler said. “I have decided to dedicate myself to movies and television endorsements.”

He added that he didn’t want to wait around for a rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard.

“My heart says yes (to continue boxing), but my brain says no,” Hagler said.

“The only reason I would return would be to regain my title, but since Leonard has been playing games, it would probably take another year to work things out.”

Hagler hasn’t fought since losing a split decision to Leonard on April 6, 1987.

“I feel fortunate to get out of the ring with my faculties and my health,” he said.

Hagler, who was at ringside here, said he reached his decision after talking with his wife, his mother and his managers.

Hagler’s age has long been a matter of speculation. He says he is 34, but others claim he is older.

Hagler, who had a 62-3-2 career record with 52 knockouts, hinted he would quit Saturday.

“Everything is moving in this direction (going into movies),” he said. “I guess I’ve been an actor all my life.”

Hagler said he was pleased to have developed other interests outside of the ring, which he still called, “My life.”

“It’s nice to have something to fall back on,” he added. “And I’m happy that I have something to look forward to.”

Hagler’s first film, “Indio,” in which he plays a Green Beret sergeant, is scheduled to open later this year in Italy and the United States.

Hagler said he wants to put the same “sacrifice and devotion” into films that he did into boxing. “Maybe one day I can even win an Oscar,” he said. “This will be a new challenge for me.”

Hagler was once the undisputed middleweight champion. He was stripped of his World Boxing Assn. title shortly before the Leonard fight. Leonard won the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation belts from Hagler, but they also become vacant after Leonard announced his retirement.

Iran Barkley beat Thomas Hearns last week to win the WBC title. Frank Tate is the IBF champion, and he fights North Hollywood’s Michael Nunn July 28.

For Kalambay, a 32-year-old Italian citizen who was born in Zaire, it was the second successful title defense.

Judge Ove Owenson of Denmark scored the bout 118-110 for Kalambay, who weighed 158 3/4. The other two judges, Medardo Drake and Nicasio Villalobos both of Panama, voted 117-113 and 119-113 for the champion.

Kalambay (44-3-2) earned $320,000. Sims (29-5-2) made $50,000.

“Sims was the most difficult opponent that I have faced so far,” said Kalambay, who won the title in October by outpointing Barkley and defended it against Mike McCallum last March.

Sims, 159, came out swinging from the first bell and caught the champion by surprise.

In the second round, Sims stunned Kalambay with a hard right. But that was one of the few highlights for the challenger.

“I felt that right but I was able to recover quickly,” Kalambay said.