| Leon Spinks | |
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| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Leon Spinks |
| Nickname(s) | Neon Leon |
| Rated at | Heavyweight Cruiserweight |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1. Heavyweight is a division or weight class, in Boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds (14 st 4 lb/91 kg are considered heavyweights by the major professional Cruiserweight is a weight class in Boxing between Light heavyweight and Heavyweight. 85 m) |
| Nationality | United States |
| Birth date | July 11, 1953 |
| Birth place | St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 46 |
| Wins | 26 |
| Wins by KO | 14 |
| Losses | 17 |
| Draws | 3 |
| No contests | 0 |
| Medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s Boxing | |||
Competitor for  United States |
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| Olympic Games | |||
| Gold | 1976 Montreal | Light Heavyweight | |
| World Amateur Championships | |||
| Bronze | Havana 1974 | Light Heavyweight | |
Leon Spinks (born July 11, 1953 in St. Louis, Missouri) is a former boxer. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An Orthodox stance in combat sports such as boxing and karate refers to someone who boxes right-handed as opposed to a left-handed fighter who is referred to as a Southpaw. Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Boxing has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since its introduction to the program at the 1904 Summer The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Montreal, Quebec There were eleven Boxing events at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The World Amateur Boxing Championships is the highest competition for boxing amateurs organised by world's governing body AIBA, which stands for the Association International The Men's 1974 World Amateur Boxing Championships were held in Havana Cuba from August 17 to 30. Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, He had an overall record of 26 wins, 17 losses and 3 draws as a professional, with 14 knockout wins. While still an amateur, he also became a member of the United States Marine Corps. Spinks went from being heavyweight champion of the world to being homeless in little more than a decade.
He won the gold medal in the light heavyweight division during the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, alongside brother Michael Spinks, who also won a gold medal in those games. The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Montreal, Quebec Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec Michael Spinks (born July 13, 1956) a native of St Louis, Missouri, is a former boxer who was champion in both the Light heavyweight Two years earlier, at the inaugural 1974 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Havana, Cuba, he captured the bronze medal. The Men's 1974 World Amateur Boxing Championships were held in Havana Cuba from August 17 to 30. Havana ( IPA: aˈβana officially Ciudad de La Habana, is the Capital city, major port and leading
Along with Michael, Sugar Ray Leonard, Leo Randolph and Howard Davis Jr., Spinks was a member of what many consider to be the finest United States national boxing team. Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956) is a retired American professional boxer. Leo Randolph (born February 27, 1958 in Tacoma Washington) was an American boxer, who won the Flyweight Gold medal at Howard Davis Jr (born February 14 1956) was a world class American amateur and professional boxer. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
Contents |
Professional career
He debuted professionally on January 15, 1977 in Las Vegas, beating Bob Smith by a knockout in five rounds. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally His next fight, his debut abroad, was in Liverpool, England where he beat Peter Freeman by a knockout in the first round. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary A couple of fights later, he saw a slight improvement in opposition quality, when he fought Pedro Agosto of Puerto Rico and knocked him out in the first. Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} He then drew with Scott LeDoux and beat Italian champion Alfio Riguetti by a decision. Alan Scott LeDoux, "The Fighting Frenchman" ( January 7, 1949) is a retired professional Heavyweight boxer Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest
Spinks then ranked number one among the world's heavyweight challengers. He made history in only his eighth fight, on February 15, 1978, when he beat an aged and out-of-shape Muhammad Ali in a 15-round decision in Las Vegas. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Biography Early life Cassius Clay Jr was born on January 17 1942 Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally Spinks became the fastest man ever to win the world heavyweight title when he became champion in only his eighth fight. Ali expected this to be an easy fight, but he was out-hustled by Spinks who never seemed to tire in the bout. The victory over Ali was the peak of Spinks's career. After it, he never again was as efficient as he was against Ali in the first time they fought.
Spinks was known to be a party animal during his period as world heavyweight champion, always enjoying the night life and in the company of multiple women. He even hired a young Mr. T to be one of his bodyguards during that time. Mr T (born Laurence Tureaud; May 21 1952) is an American Actor known for his roles as Sgt
Spinks was stripped of his world title by the WBC for refusing to defend his title against their #1 ranked contender, Ken Norton. The World Boxing Council was initially created by 11 countries the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Kenneth Howard Norton Sr (born August 9 1943, Jacksonville Illinois) is a former world champion heavyweight boxer Spinks instead agreed to fight a return bout against Ali for the WBA crown. The World Boxing Association (WBA is a Boxing organization that sanctions official matches and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level The WBC subsequently named Norton its champion, marking the first time a boxer had been awarded the heavyweight title without winning it in the ring. Because of the WBC's action, Spinks was the last undisputed heavyweight champion until the emergence of Mike Tyson.
The second Ali fight was different from the first; Spinks lost the title to Ali in New Orleans at the Louisiana Superdome on September 15, 1978 by a unanimous 15-round decision. New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana The Louisiana Superdome, often informally referred to simply as the Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) This time it was Spinks who did not train hard enough. Ali gave every ounce of himself in this fight and did everything he could to out-smart and out-box the much younger Spinks. By regaining the title, Ali became the first three-time heavyweight champion. Spinks continued to come into fights out of shape and was never as effective as he was in the first Ali fight.
In his next fight, his only bout of 1979, he went to Monte Carlo, where he was knocked out in the first round by future world heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee. Monte-Carlo ( Occitan: Montcarles, Monégasque: Monte-Carlu) is one of Monaco 's various administrative areas sometimes erroneously Gerhardus Christian Coetzee (born August 4, 1955 in Boksburg) better known as Gerrie Coetzee, is a South African former boxer In 1980, Spinks beat former world title challenger Alfredo Evangelista by a knockout in five, boxed to a draw in ten with Eddie The Animal Lopez, and beat the WBC's number one ranked challenger Bernardo Mercado by a knockout in nine. Alfredo Evangelista (born December 3, 1954) was a former Uruguayan Spanish boxer Eddie López can refer to Eddie López (journalist, journalist from Puerto Rico Eddie López (boxer, heavyweight boxer from the United States Bernardo Mercado was a Heavyweight boxer briefly ranked as the top contender for the title of champion in 1980 by the WBC. The Mercado fight took place on the night that Ali challenged Larry Holmes to try to become the first boxer to win the world heavyweight title four times. For the politician and activist see Larry Holmes (Marxist. Larry Holmes (born November 3, 1949, in Cuthbert Georgia
After the win over Mercado, Spinks challenged for the world's heavyweight championship once again. In his only fight in 1981, he faced Holmes in Detroit on June 12. Spinks was knocked out in the third round. In 1982, Spinks decided to go down in weight and competed in the Cruiserweights. He beat fringe contender Ivy Brown by a decision in ten rounds, and former and future title challenger Jesse Burnett by decision in twelve rounds. Jesse Burnett (born February 8 1946 of Los Angeles California was a light heavyweight and cruiserweight boxer.
Spinks boxed on and off from 1981 to 1985, in both heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions. Cruiserweight is a weight class in Boxing between Light heavyweight and Heavyweight. When his brother Michael beat Holmes on September 21, 1985, the Spinks became the first pair of brothers to be world Heavyweight champions. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) With this victory, Leon was vindicated by his younger brother Michael, as Michael beat Holmes and Leon had been defeated by Larry Holmes (by TKO in the third round).
Spinks performed in several boxer vs. wrestler matches in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the 1980s, including losing by submission to Antonio Inoki. is a major Professional wrestling federation in Japan and is a member of the National Wrestling Alliance, founded by Antonio Inoki in 1972 real name, born February 20, 1943) is a Professional wrestling promoter and retired Japanese Professional wrestler and mixed martial In 1986 Spinks lost to the WBA's world cruiserweight champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi by a knockout in six rounds, his second attempt at being a two-time world champion. Dwight Muhammad Qawi (born January 5, 1953 in Baltimore Maryland, U
Spinks boxed for eight more years, with mixed results. In 1994 he lost a bout by KO to John Carlo, noteworthy for being the first time a former heavyweight champion had ever lost to a boxer making his pro debut. This humiliation was increased by the fact that Spinks lost by KO and was unable to land a single punch. He retired after losing by decision in eight to Fred Houpe in 1995. He was 42 years old, ancient by the standards of boxing.
After boxing
During the 1990s, Spinks worked for Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, winning its world title in 1992. Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW was a revolutionary Japanese Professional wrestling promotion founded in 1989 by Atsushi Onita. The FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship was a premiere championship in the wrestling promotion Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, or FMW Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) In the late 1990s, Spinks was picked up by Tri Star Sports Promotions to become a headliner on their year-round, touring autographs shows. An autograph is a Document written entirely in the handwriting of its Author, as opposed to a typeset document or
As of 2005 Spinks lived in Columbus, Nebraska, worked at a local YMCA and McDonalds, and volunteered at an after-school program for youth. Columbus is a city in Platte County, Nebraska, United States, 80 miles (148 km west by north of Omaha on the Loup River, a short The Young Men's Christian Association (" YMCA " or " the Y " was founded on June 6, 1844 in London England by a young man He told a reporter his life is "comfortable", and that he keeps a low profile. [1]
His son, Cory Spinks, held the undisputed welterweight title and is currently the International Boxing Federation Junior Middleweight champion. Cory Spinks (born Cory Calvin February 20, 1978 in St Louis Missouri, U Welterweight is a Weight class division in combat sports Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in Boxing, but other combat sports like Kickboxing
Amateur career
- 1974, 1975, and 1976 National AAU Light Heavyweight champion
Olympic Results
- Defeated Abellatif Fatihi (Morocco) KO 1
- Defeated Anatoly Klimanov (Soviet Union) 5-0
- Defeated Ottomar Sachse (East Germany) 5-0
- Defeated Janusz Gortat (Poland) 5-0
- Defeated Sixto Soria (Cuba) RSC 3
See also
- List of heavyweight boxing champions
- List of male boxers
- List of WBC world champions
- Notable boxing families
References
- ^ Steve Sipple, "Ex-champ Leon Spinks cleans up in Columbus," Lincoln Journal Star, April 4, 2005. Janusz Gortat (born November 5, 1948 in Rawa Mazowiecka) is a retired boxer from Poland, who represented his native country at Sixto Soria Savigne (born April 27, 1954) is a Cuban boxer, who won the silver medal in the men's Light Heavyweight (81 kg category at the This is a chronological list of world heavyweight boxing champions since the introduction of the Marquess of Queensberry rules: Championship recognition List of WBC world champions is a table showing the world champions certificated by World Boxing Council (WBC This is a list of Boxing families with two or more notable boxers
External links
- "Riches to rags", The Boston Globe, December 21, 2005. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
| Preceded by Muhammad Ali |
WBA Heavyweight Champion February 15, 1978 – September 15, 1978 |
Succeeded by Muhammad Ali |
| WBC Heavyweight Champion February 15, 1978 – March 18, 1978 (Stripped) |
Succeeded by Ken Norton filled vacancy |
|
| Preceded by Jimmy Young W12 George Foreman (March 17, 1977) |
Ring Magazine Fight of the Year 1978 – W15 Muhammad Ali (February 15) |
Succeeded by Danny Lopez KO15 Mike Ayala (June 17, 1979) |
| Preceded by Jorge Lujan KO10 Alfonso Zamora (November 19, 1977) |
Ring Magazine Upset of the Year 1978 – W15 Muhammad Ali (February 15) |
Succeeded by Vito Antuofermo D15 Marvin Hagler (November 30, 1979) |
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