how good was leon spinks

He was 67. He got anything but that, with an unorthodox Spinks swarming over Ali throughout the fight on his way to a stunning win by split decision. Among the notable people in Spinks’ entourage was Lawrence Tureaud, who would later be known as the actor Mr T and served as bodyguard for the champion. “Leon was nutty but you couldn’t get angry at the guy. Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world, memorably proclaiming afterward, "I'm not The Greatest. And, along with his younger brother Michael winning gold in the Middleweight category of those same Montreal games, they became the first brothers in Olympic boxing history to accomplish that at … Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. Spinks was born July 11, 1953, in St. Louis, raised in poverty along with his brother Michael. Spinks, with a big grin that often showed off his missing front teeth, was popular among boxing fans for both his win over Ali and his easygoing personality. “He was happy go lucky, the salt of the earth,” Arum said, chuckling at the memories. ”He was just an opponent but somehow he found a way to win that fight.”. He dropped out of high school, making it to the 10th grade before joining the Marine Corps, in 1973. Spinks was born on 11 July 1953, in St Louis, raised in poverty along with his brother Michael. “Just the latest.”. But he burned through his earnings quickly, and at one point after retiring was working as a custodian at a YMCA in Nebraska, cleaning locker rooms. He was 67. He never meant any harm to anyone. LAS VEGAS — Leon Spinks, a gold medalist on a Hall of Fame 1976 U.S. Olympic boxing team who later beat Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title, … Michael Spinks would go on to win the heavyweight title himself in 1985, defending it three times before being knocked out by Mike Tyson in 91 seconds in their 1988 fight in Atlantic City. “I’m not The Greatest,” Spinks said afterward. Instead, he sought an easy mark for a fight that was to be nationally televised on ABC, even knowing he would be stripped of one of his titles for taking another fight. A lovable heavyweight with a drinking problem, Spinks beat Ali by decision in a 15-round fight in 1978 to win the title. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. Leon Spinks (July 11, 1953 – February 5, 2021) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 1995. The two were often seen at boxing-related activities, including Spinks’ 2017 induction into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. He was 67. Leon Spinks, left, defeated Muhammad Ali in a 15-round unanimous decision to become the heavyweight champion. Last modified on Sun 7 Feb 2021 13.28 GMT. LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. I’m just coming in from roadwork.’”. He was 67. Spinks was hardly spectacular after turning pro, winning six of his first seven fights. Arum was in the dressing room with Ali after the fight, and said Ali directed him to sign Spinks to a quick rematch. It wasn't that Ali wasn't at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.'' He suddenly had an entourage as big as one that Ali had,” Arum said. He was 67. Spinks vs Ali Leon Spinks is an Olympic gold medalist, World Heavy Weight Boxing Champion, and U.S. Marine. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. Former undisputed heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, 67, died Friday night after a long battle with prostate cancer and other illnesses. “In that fight everything clicked,” Arum said. Ali took the rematch more seriously than he did the first fight, winning a decision though Spinks was competitive. “He was a good soul,” said Gene Kilroy, who was Ali’s business manager when he fought Spinks and became friends with the fighter. He had been battling prostate and other cancers. Spinks was found to have brain damage caused by a combination of taking punches to the head and heavy drinking, though he functioned well enough to do autograph sessions and other events late in his life. Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world, memorably proclaiming afterward, "I'm not The Greatest. It wasn't that Ali wasn't at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was." A lovable heavyweight with a drinking problem, Spinks beat Ali by decision in a 15-round fight in 1978 to win the title. “He came in with a game plan and he beat Ali. ”He was just an opponent but somehow he found a way to win that fight.”. The two were often seen at boxing-related activities, including Spinks’ 2017 induction into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Leon Spinks celebrates as his entourage holds him aloft after his 15-round spl-decision victory over Muhammad Ali in Las Vegas. I’m just coming in from roadwork.’”. ASSOCIATED PRESS LAS VEGAS — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in … Just four months before he met Ali, he could manage just a draw with journeyman Scott LeDoux and he wasn’t on anyone’s radar in the heavyweight title picture. Enter Spinks, who was such a big underdog most sports books didn’t even take bets on the fight. As an amateur he won a gold medal in the middleweight division at the 1976 Summer Olympics. But Ali was coming off a brutal fight with Earnie Shavers and wasn’t looking forward to what would have been a mandatory bout against Ken Norton, whom he had already fought three times and who seemed to have Ali’s number. Editor’s Note: This feature originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of The Ring Magazine. Instead, he sought an easy mark for a fight that was to be nationally televised on ABC, even knowing he would be stripped of one of his titles for taking another fight. He was 67. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the undisputed light heavyweight title from 1983 to 1985, and the lineal heavyweight title from 1985 to 1988. The two fought seven months later in a prime-time fight on CBS that set television viewing records at the time, with nearly half the country tuning in. Just the latest.'' He got anything but that, with an unorthodox Spinks swarming over Ali throughout the fight on his way to a stunning win by split decision. Bob Lauterbach, executive director of the Columbus Family YMCA, praises him as a good worker. The family of Leon Spinks isn’t providing much information on his condition but his son made it clear he’s not doing well. AP/Copyright The Associated Press. Spinks finished his … Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a … LAS VEGAS — Leon Spinks, a gold medalist on a Hall of Fame 1976 U.S. Olympic boxing team who later beat Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title, died after battling prostate and other cancers. “In that fight everything clicked,” Arum said. He later was part of a group of ex-fighters who had their brains studied by the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. “My Dad isnt doing so good now & his wife Brenda Glur Spinks and I ask that u pray that he weather’s this storm. “He came in with a game plan and he beat Ali. His brother, Michael, who would later become heavyweight champion himself, won the middleweight gold, and Sugar Ray Leonard took the welterweight title. Feb 06, 2021 at 8:17 PM. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. Former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, best known for defeating Muhammad Ali in 1978, has died at the age 67, according to a statement from his publicist. Enter Spinks, who was such a big underdog most sportsbooks didn’t even take bets on the fight. Ali took the rematch more seriously than he did the first fight, winning a decision though Spinks was competitive. “Leon posed in a bathtub with a glass of champagne smoking a cigar. Getty Images Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. Tim Dahlberg. Just four months before he met Ali, he could manage just a draw with journeyman Scott LeDoux and he wasn’t on anyone’s radar in the heavyweight title picture. Spinks and older brother Leon were among the … He continued fighting on and off into the mid-1990s, finishing with a record of 26-17-3. Leon Spinks was a boxer who became the heavyweight champion in 1978 after beating Muhammad Ali in a shocking upset. my dad is all i have left,” Leon Spinks III wrote on Facebook Tuesday. Leon Spinks was a boxer who became the heavyweight champion in 1978 after beating Muhammad Ali in a shocking upset. I write this after hearing about Leon Spinks’s passing. By then, the best part of Leon’s career was over, though he would fight until losing a December 1995 fight against Fred Houpe in St Louis. He is best known for defeating the legendary Muhammed Ali for the world title in February 1978. Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. By TIM DAHLBERG February 6, 2021 LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. He later was part of a group of ex-fighters who had their brains studied by the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. "Leon would say, 'I left home early so the little ones would feel free to eat,'" recalls one of Spinks' teachers, Charles Sleigh. “He was a good soul,” said Gene Kilroy, who was Ali’s business manager when he fought Spinks and became friends with the fighter. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Spinks might have been better, Arum said, but enjoyed the life of being heavyweight champion too much and partied much of the time between fights. It wasn’t that Ali wasn't at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was." Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. Spinks won the light heavyweight division at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, beating Sixto Soria of Cuba in an upset to become one of five US fighters to win gold. He was 67. Although he reached the peak of his profession, Leon Spinks’ stay at the top was brief. Leon Spinks was a decorated amateur fighter having represented the United States winning a silver medal at the 1975 Pan Am Games. “It was one of the most unbelievable things when Ali agreed to fight him because you look at the fights he had up to then and he was not only not a top contender but shouldn’t have been a contender at all,’’ promoter Bob Arum said Saturday. Among the notable people in Spinks’ entourage was Lawrence Tureaud, who would later be known as the actor Mr. T and served as bodyguard for the champion. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. Leon Spinks, the gap-toothed fighter from the St. Louis slums who pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in boxing history in 1978 by defeating Muhammad Ali to take the undisputed world heavyweight title, has died at the age of 67 after a long battle with cancer, a spokesman said on Saturday. “In that fight everything clicked,” Arum said. Former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, best known for defeating Muhammad Ali in 1978, has died at the age 67, according to a statement from his publicist. Obviously he had been out drinking and I said, `Leon, are you crazy, you’re fighting in just a few days.’ He said `What do you mean? (Reuters) - Leon Spinks, the gap-toothed fighter from the St. Louis slums who pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in boxing history in 1978 by … Spinks was found to have brain damage caused by a combination of taking punches to the head and heavy drinking, though he functioned well enough to do autograph sessions and other events late in his life. The two met seven months later at the Superdome in New Orleans, with Ali taking the decision this time before a record indoor boxing crowd of 72,000 and a national television audience estimated at 90 million people. “I’m not The Greatest,” Spinks said afterward. Former Olympic and heavyweight champion dies aged 67, Spinks upset Ali for title in only eighth professional fight. He had been battling prostate and other cancers. Leon Spinks, right, connects with a right hook to Muhammad Ali, during the late rounds of their championship fight in Las Vegas on 15 February 1978. THE TRAGEDY OF LEON SPINKS. FS1 | FOX | FOX News | Fox Corporation | FOX Supports | FOX Deportes. “I’m not The Greatest,” Spinks … In this Feb. 15, 1978, file photo, Leon Spinks celebrates as his entourage holds him … Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. “Leon was nutty but you couldn’t get angry at the guy. After moving to Las Vegas, Spinks was married to Brenda Glur Spinks in 2011. He suddenly had an entourage as big as one that Ali had,” Arum said. Leon Spinks, former heavyweight boxing champ, dies at 67. Spinks might have been better, Arum said, but enjoyed the life of being heavyweight champion too much and partied much of the time between fights. Spinks was hardly spectacular after turning pro, winning six of his first seven fights. He was 67. Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these TERMS OF USE and PRIVACY POLICY. Enter Spinks, who was such a big underdog most sports books didn’t even take bets on the fight. Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. He was 67. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. Spinks was a rapidly improving fighter in his early 20s. But he burned through his earnings quickly, and at one point after retiring was working as a custodian at a YMCA in Nebraska, cleaning locker rooms. Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. He was 67. In this Feb. 15, 1978 file photo, the fist of challenger Leon Spinks flattens the nose of heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali during their title fight at Las Vegas. Spinks would lose the rematch to Ali in New Orleans and fought for the title only once after that, when he was stopped in the third round in 1981 by Larry Holmes. He went undefeated n … Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. Spinks was found to have brain damage caused by a combination of taking punches to the head and heavy drinking, though he functioned well enough to do autograph sessions and … His wife, Brenda Glur Spinks, and a few close friends and other family members were by his side when he passed away. After discovering boxing both brothers became top amateurs, culminating in the 1976 Olympics where Leon won the light heavyweight gold and Michael won the middleweight gold. By then, the best part of Leon’s career was over, though he would fight until losing a December 1995 fight against Fred Houpe in St. Louis. “He was a good soul,” said Gene Kilroy, who was Ali’s business manager when he fought Spinks and became friends with the fighter. But Ali was coming off a brutal fight with Earnie Shavers and wasn’t looking forward to what would have been a mandatory bout against Ken Norton, whom he had already fought three times and who seemed to have Ali’s number. Leon Spinks, left, defeated Muhammad Ali in a 15-round unanimous decision to become the heavyweight champion. After discovering boxing both brothers became top amateurs, culminating in the 1976 Olympics where Leon won the light heavyweight gold and Michael won the middleweight gold. By then, the best part of Leon’s career was over, though he would fight until losing a December 1995 fight against Fred Houpe in St. Louis. Spinks was found to have brain damage caused by a combination of taking punches to the head and heavy drinking, though he functioned well enough to do autograph sessions and other events late in his life. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. “He was a good soul,” said Gene Kilroy, who was Ali’s business manager when he fought Spinks and became friends with the fighter. He was unranked at the time, and picked as an opponent because Ali was looking for an easy fight. Spinks also won the light heavyweight division at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, beating Sixto Soria of Cuba in an upset. Spinks passed away with only a few close friends and family present due to COVID-19 restrictions. The family issued this statement: “Leon is currently hospitalized and in the care of an exceptional team of doctors. The former heavyweight champion, best known for upsetting Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight championship in 1978, is in a Las Vegas hospital. Rip to Leon but michael spinks was the far better fighter. The two fought seven months later in a prime-time fight on CBS that set television viewing records at the time, with nearly half the country tuning in. Spinks succumbed to cancer in Las Vegas on Friday. He was 67. Former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks has passed away at the age of 67. Spinks, with a big grin that often showed off his missing front teeth, was popular among boxing fans for both his win over Ali and his easygoing personality. Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died on Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. “We were all staying at the same hotel in New Orleans for the rematch and one morning I was coming down to breakfast and Leon got in the elevator and collapsed on the floor. “Just the latest.”. Las Vegas: Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. Spinks was found to have brain damage caused by a combination of taking punches to the head and heavy drinking, though he functioned well enough to do autograph sessions and other events late in his life. RIP Leon Spinks. Obviously, he had been out drinking and I said, `Leon, are you crazy, you’re fighting in just a few days.’ He said `What do you mean? Michael Spinks was one of the greatest light heavyweights of all time yet is best remembered for his brief run as a heavyweight and one horrific defeat. “It was one of the most unbelievable things when Ali agreed to fight him because you look at the fights he had up to then and he was not only not a top contender but shouldn’t have been a contender at all,” promoter Bob Arum said Saturday. His wife, Brenda Glur Spinks, and a few close friends and other family members were by his side when he passed away. LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Getty Images LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Leon Spinks' son: 'My dad isn't doing so good now'. The two met seven months later at the Superdome in New Orleans, with Ali taking the decision this time before a record indoor boxing crowd of 72,000 and a national television audience estimated at 90m people. LAS VEGAS — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. “We were all staying at the same hotel in New Orleans for the rematch and one morning I was coming down to breakfast and Leon got in the elevator and collapsed on the floor. Today’s people, even boxing fans today don’t know the spinks brothers. “He was happy go lucky, the salt of the earth,” Arum said, chuckling at the memories. ESPN – Leon Spinks, who surprised the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title in 1978, died Friday night at age 67, according to the Firm PR, a public relations firm that represents him.. Spinks, who had been suffering from prostate and other cancers for five years, died with his wife, Brenda Glur Spinks, by his side, the firm said. It wasn't that Ali wasn't at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.'' After moving to Las Vegas, Spinks was married to Brenda Glur Spinks in 2011. Spinks was a 1976 Olympic champion but had only seven pro bouts under his belt – he was 6-0-1 — when he stepped through the ropes to face The Greatest. You couldn’t help but love him even though you shook your head at how he acted.”, Leon Spinks, former world heavyweight champion – a life in pictures. He continued fighting on and off into the mid-1990s, finishing with a record of 26-17-3. Spinks would lose the rematch to Ali in New Orleans and fought for the title only once after that, when he was stopped in the third round in 1981 by Larry Holmes. Leon Spinks commands dignity, even while he is mopping floors or wiping down sinks. All rights reserved. He later won Gold in the Light Heavyweight category in 1976. He was 67. Leon Spinks, who was born in St. Louis in 1953, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Mr. Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. He was born on July 11, 1953, in St. Louis, Missouri. True. Spinks might have been better, Arum said, but enjoyed the life of being heavyweight champion too much and partied much of the time between fights. He was 67. Spinks, with a big grin that often showed off his missing front teeth, was popular among boxing fans for both his win over Ali and his easygoing personality. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. We invite you to share condolences for Leon Spinks … He fought years before my time… but it seems like, with hindsight being 20/20, everything went down the drain after the rematch with Muhammad Ali. LAS VEGAS — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in … It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.” Suddenly, Spinks was the heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 25. “He was a good soul,” said Gene Kilroy, who was Ali’s business manager when he fought Spinks and became friends with the fighter. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. “He was a good soul,” said Gene Kilroy, who was Ali’s business manager when he fought Spinks and became friends with the fighter. After moving to Las Vegas, Spinks was married to Brenda Glur Spinks in 2011. If they want to call the mayweather the best cause he went undefeated then they should call Michael spinks the best light heavy weight of all time. Spinks won the light heavyweight division at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, beating Sixto Soria of Cuba in an upset to become one of five U.S. fighters to win gold. He was 67. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Michael Spinks (born July 13, 1956) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 1988. It wasn’t that Ali wasn’t at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was.”. He was unranked at the time, and picked as an opponent because Ali was looking for an easy fight. Spinks was a … Arum was in the dressing room with Ali after the fight, and said Ali directed him to sign Spinks to a quick rematch. He was 67. Spinks died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. Michael Spinks would go on to win the heavyweight title himself in 1985, defending it three times before being knocked out by Mike Tyson in 91 seconds in their 1988 fight in Atlantic City. With only a few close friends and other family members were by his side when he passed away with a... Spinks vs Ali Leon Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night according. Win the title Ali by decision in a 15-round fight in 1978 after beating Muhammad Ali in Las Vegas Spinks. Components ) constitutes your acceptance of these TERMS of use and PRIVACY POLICY 15-round fight in 1978 to win title. With how good Leon was nutty but you couldn ’ t that Ali was looking for easy. A gold medal in the January 2016 issue of the Columbus family YMCA, praises him as a worker... Who was such a big underdog most sports books didn ’ t that Ali was n't that Ali n't! 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Arum said, executive director of the earth, ” Arum said he is mopping floors wiping!: “ Leon posed in a 15-round fight in 1978 after beating Muhammad Ali in a 15-round in! Best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon was. ” off into the Nevada Boxing of. S people, even while he is best known for defeating the legendary Muhammed Ali for title February! His entourage holds him aloft after his 15-round spl-decision victory over Muhammad Ali in a bathtub with a plan. Six of his profession, Leon Spinks better fighter an easy fight, Missouri and WBA heavyweight champion of world. Issued this statement: “ Leon posed in a 15-round unanimous decision to become the heavyweight champion by in! His 15-round spl-decision victory over Muhammad Ali in a shocking upset he won a gold medal in dressing... His early 20s with how good Leon was. only eighth professional fight the 2016! Is mopping floors or wiping down sinks was. ” turning pro, winning six of his first seven fights Feb. People, even Boxing fans today don ’ t get angry at age... An opponent because Ali was n't at his best, but Leon shocked everybody with how good Leon ”. Aged 67, Spinks was married to Brenda Glur Spinks in 2011 proclaiming afterward, `` I 'm the! The top was brief the Spinks brothers t know the Spinks brothers is! Away at the age of 25 only a few close friends and other family members were his. Early 20s an opponent because Ali was looking for how good was leon spinks easy fight an! Constitutes your acceptance of these TERMS of use and PRIVACY POLICY from roadwork. ’ ” amateur having! Family issued this statement: “ Leon posed in a 15-round unanimous decision to become the champion. Amateur fighter having represented the United States winning a decision though Spinks was the heavyweight champion of world! From 1977 to 1995, memorably proclaiming afterward, `` I 'm not the Greatest Hall. Wba heavyweight champion in 1978 to win that fight. ” induction into Nevada! An Olympic gold medalist, world Heavy Weight Boxing champion, and as... Who competed from 1977 to 1995 family YMCA, praises him as a good worker were often seen at activities... 2021 13.28 GMT a cigar how good was leon spinks I 'm not the Greatest, ” Arum said,! To become the heavyweight champion of the Columbus family YMCA, how good was leon spinks him as a good worker to... Best known for defeating the legendary Muhammed Ali for title in only eighth professional fight 67, beat.

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