Legendary boxing trainer Goody Petronelli, a Brockton native who trained a string of professional boxers including Marvelous Marvin Hagler, has died, his son said Monday.
David Petronelli of Middleboro said his father died early Sunday morning at his home in Sagamore, presumably of natural causes. He was 88.
Having been involved in boxing for seven decades, Goody is most known for training and then working the corner for middleweight champion Hagler.
He became an amateur and professional fighter during the 1930s and 1940s, was a boxing trainer while serving in the Navy, opened a gym in downtown Brockton with his brother, Pat, in 1969, and helped Hagler rule the world middleweight division for 6 years.
His death followed a string of changes that Petronelli dealt with in recent months, his son said.
One of them was the death of his wife of 70 years, Marian J. Pat (Gorman) Petronelli, in October, he said.
“You could see it in his eyes. He was hurting. He just loved that woman,” his son said.
In September, he lost his brother, Pat Petronelli, who died at 89 following a period of failing health.