Bertha Hagler is the former wife of Marvelous Marvin Hagler with whom she had five kids. Berth became well-known after her marriage to Marvin who was a former middleweight boxing champion. The pair got married in 1980 and were together until 1990 when the marriage came to an end in divorce.
Since their sad divorce, Hagler remained away from the public domain, although her name continued to be mentioned in relation to her husband who went on to get married a second time to Kay Guarrera in 2000 until his death in 2021.
Profile of Bertha Hagler
- Full name: Bertha Washington Hagler
- Other names: Bertha Walker
- Date of birth: 1954
- Ethnicity: African American
- Nationality: American
Who Is Bertha Hagler?
Marvin Hagler’s former wife was born Bertha Washington Hagler to her parents Anna (Dixon) Washington and John L. Washington. She was brought up alongside some siblings including John Washington Jr, Joseph Washington, Leeanna Kirk, Kevin Washington, Leo Dixon, and James Marsh.
Although her actual date of birth is not known, there are suggestions that she was also born in 1954 just as her former husband.
As regards her education, Bertha went to Brockton High School for her high school education, but it remains unclear if she proceeded any further from there.
Marvin Hagler And Bertha Hagler Got Married In 1980
The exact point at which Bertha, formerly known as Bertha Walker, and Marvin first met is not known, but it was after Hagler moved to Brockton, Massachusetts. Before then, the boxer who was the first child in a family of seven kids and no dad was living in Newark but had to move to live with relatives in Brockton after the 1968 race riots in Newark.
This move did not only pave way for him to begin sports and earn his place as a boxer but to also meet a woman named Bertha when he was only 14 years old. Some sources indicated it was through Bertha’s sister that Bertha and Marvin got to meet. They remained together until they got married on June 21, 1980.
Not too long after their marriage, Bertha got the shock of her life when her husband fought Alan Minter. Although it was a glorious fight for her husband, it was one not to be forgotten by Bertha as the fight was filled with bad blood even before it began. By the fifth round, Marvelous grounded his opponent but the glory of the moment was almost destroyed after the fight when some thugs came banging on Hagler’s dressing room door where one of them yelled at Bertha that he hoped her husband died of cancer. It was a terrifying experience for her, but it did not wither her love or support for her husband in those early years.
Her Marriage to Her Former Husband Lasted A Decade
The beautiful union between Marvin and Bertha came to an end officially after 10 years, following their divorce in 1990. Different things were ascribed as the reasons why the marriage failed, but one of the topmost that caught the attention of the public was the issues of domestic abuse that Bertha leveled against her former husband.
Another reason that was pointed out as the likely reason for the divorce was the fallout between the duo due to his drinking problem. The drinking problem began after his career came to an end at the heels of the fight he lost against Sugar Ray Leonard, his first loss since he was defeated by Willie Monroe in 1986.
More so, it was reported that as a result of his fame and success, so many women were throwing themselves at him but he seemed to be indulging them as he was not throwing them back. This was indicated by some as another likely reason for their divorce.
At a point in their union, the couple started having so many problems which led Bertha to believe, after the loss of her mother in 1986, that the loss might likely fix their marriage. Unfortunately, things got worse and he revealed that he could no longer work on anything including his marriage until he was able to get back his belts.
She Once Sued Her Husband For Abuse
Even before their divorce, there were signs as far back as 1987 that all was not well in the couple’s marital life. Things got more heated in 1987 when Bertha shocked many by suing her husband, claiming he abused her and threw her out of their home before going on to hit the car with a boulder. Interestingly, this was the first and only time that the boxer was violent towards his then-wife even though Marvin claimed he was innocent of the accusation. He only admitted to throwing a rock at her car after an argument.
Nonetheless, she still filed the suit against the former middleweight champion, claiming that he abused her. She appeared in Hingham District Court, asking that a restraining order be granted against Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
In addition to that, she also prayed for the court to grant her custody of their children. In the papers she filed against the boxer, she revealed that the abuse happened at their home in Hanover in April 1987, shortly after he lost his WBC and The Ring middleweight titles to Sugar Ray Leonard, having won both titles in 1980 when he defeated Alan Minter.
Her request was granted by the court in July 1987 when the conditions of the temporary separation was granted between the two. Hagler was given a restraining order from his home in Hanover until the end of September of that same year.
At the time, Bertha did not file for a divorce against him as she only demanded that he sought treatment for cocaine and alcohol abuse before returning home. She revealed that his substance abuse increased greatly since he lost the aforementioned bout and he lived in seclusion at his Barlett, N.H., home.
Bertha Was Previously Married Before She Met Hagler
One aspect of Bertha’s life that was not well known is that the boxing champion was not the first man in her life. Although it was made clear that they met when they were 14, it seemed as though at a point, they went their separate ways before later coming to get married.
According to a report dating back to 1983, she was previously married to a man whose name was not revealed and they had two kids before the marriage came to an end. It was after this union that she returned to the boxing champion and the two got married.
More interesting than the fact that this was mostly kept hidden is that Hagler adopted the two kids from his ex-wife’s first marriage and made them his. Not only did he bring them up as his own, but he also gave them his name which they continue to bear many years after he parted ways with Bertha and even after his death.
Personal Profile of Bertha Hagler
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Divorced
- Ex-Husband: Marvin Hagler
- Children: James Hagler, Celeste Hagler, Marvin Hagler Jr., Gentry Hagler, Charelle Monique Hagler
- Father: John L. Washington
- Mother: Anna Washington (Mother)
- Siblings: John Washington Jr, Joseph Washington, Leeanna Kirk, Kevin Washington, Leo Dixon, and James Marsh.
Meet All Of Bertha Hagler and Marvin Hagler’s Children
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In all, Marvin Hagler had five children, three of whom were birthed to him from his marriage to Bertha Hagler while the other two were Bertha’s kids from another relationship. The former couple had three sons and two daughters; Marvin Hagler Jr., James Hagler, Gentry Hagler, Celeste Hagler, and Charelle Hagler.
1. James Hagler
James Hagler has always been considered by many to be the first child of Marvin Hagler but that is not true. He was born to Bertha from her former marriage to a man whose name was not revealed. By the time she met and married Marvin Hagler, James was already 8 years old as it was reported around 1983 that he was 11 years old. This means he was born in 1972.
Like all his other siblings, James was also born in the United States and it was likewise here that he was brought up. He decided to have a career as a boxer but that did not last very long as he only had four fights to his name, winning three and drawing one.
In 1995, he made the Evander Holyfield Boxing team as an amateur, and in 2016 as a pro, he became a member of the American Boxing Association. After he stopped boxing, James took another aspect of the sport by becoming a boxing promoter. He is known as the brain behind James Hagler Promotions as well as the Hands Boxing Gloves and Equipment which he founded.
James Hagler became a father on 28 November 1990, after his son, James Hagler Jr. was born. His son is a famous boxer.
2. Celeste Hagler
Celeste Hagler was born in Boston Massachusetts on April 23, 1974. Just like James, many are of the opinion that she was born to Marvin by Bertha. However, it has been made known that she is Bertha’s second child from her first union.
She got her education from Hanover High School in Massachusetts. A mother of one living in Atlanta Georgia, what she does for a living is not known.
3. Marvin Hagler Jr.
While Hagler Jr. is the first child of the later legendary boxing champion and his former wife, he is the third child of Bertha and the first ever for Marvin. His actual date of birth is not clear but it is known to be in the early1980s after the marriage between his parents.
Contrary to the belief of so many that he might have a career as a boxer, the younger Hagler chose a rather private life and a career path that is entirely away from the showbiz.
4. Gentry Hagler
Gentry is yet another child of the legendary boxer. He was born in the United States but his exact date of birth of Gentry is not known. He did not follow his father’s path as a boxer and has maintained a very private life. One of the few times he was heard was after the death of his father when he revealed how people always thronged out to see his father fight.
5. Charelle Hagler
Charelle Monique Hagler is the second child of the famous boxer. She was born in 1982, not too long before her father’s fight with William (Caveman) Lee. This means that she is currently 42 years old.
After she was born, her father refused to come home and see her because he wanted to remain mean as he fought Lee.
Marvin Hagler Remarried After His Divorce From Bertha Hagler
Marvin Hagler found love a second time after he met Kay Guarrera, a woman he would later marry. Details surrounding when and how they met are not clear but it is known that they dated for a while before they decided to get married in 2000, 10 years after his union with his first wife came to an end. The pair tied the knot at an event in her hometown of Milan in Italy.
After Marvin and Bertha divorced, he moved to Italy and did not fight again. It was while he was there that he met the Italian, Kay, and settled for her to become his second wife.
Kay Guarrera is very much a private person who has kept a better part of her details to herself. However, we know that she was born in 1973 which means she is currently 51 years old. She was birthed in Pioltello, Italy which was also where she was brought up. Her educational pursuits and career paths have not been revealed, meaning that her main claim to fame was thanks to her marriage to her husband.
Their union was a rather remarkable one as they maintained an enviable closeness, always attending events and spending quality time together. She was also a big support for him through his acting career, which he took to after he retired from boxing. Needless to say, the couple did not have any kids together but that did not seem to impact their relationship in a negative way.
Marvin Hagler and Kay Guarrera remained married for twenty-one years before they were finally separated by death on March 13, 2021, when the former American professional boxer passed away rather suddenly in his home at the age of 66, leaving behind his wife and five kids from his first union.
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Bertha Hagler Currently Lives in Georgia
If you are wondering where Bertha might be right now, she still lives in Georgia where she raised her kids. While as stated, she is from Massachusetts, she remained in Georgia after her divorce and continues to live there. Career-wise, she stated on her Facebook page that she works at Walmart as a Stocker.
Looking at her personal life, Bertha has not tied the knot again since her marriage ended, but it is not certain whether she has gotten into other relationships or not. In the same light, it is not clear if she is currently seeing someone or if she is still single. That said, her current relationship status on Facebook reads “In an open relationship”.
In spite of her divorce, she has always remained a very strong force in the family as she is still there for her children and grandchildren. In May 2022, James Hagler Jr. revealed that Bertha was always moving between Massachusetts and New England for the sake of her family.
