The "All Things Mayweather/Pacquiao" Express!!!!!!

I have great respect for this post, but the last part I've put in bold never sits well with me as a standard for rankings. Who you beat and under what circumstances are the only real way to measure "ability level", IMO. I feel if you start going by who looks more capable against certain types of opposition, you run the great risk of distorting the reality. Just my two cents though.

 

I wonder how much greater Spinks' legacy would be if he had retired after Holmes and never fought Tyson?

 

I think it's fair to say he would be held in much higher regard mate.
I have to admit,I was 11 or 12 when he first fought Larry and it was the first time I watched a fight and thought "the wrong guy got the nod" and I didn't like him at first.Then I felt a bit bad for Cooney later on but I genuinely thought and hoped he would give Mike a real stern test,so I always had mixed views on Spinks.
Then I read about his achievements at 175 and totally changed my view.
For varying reasons,I didn't really start looking at the internet until around 2006 and whilst there's not as many Spinks fights as there are of some others of his era,I made a poi ntof checking out his halcyon days at light-heavy.
The guy is a genuine top 30 lock for me,maybe higher.
I was very wrong as a misguided youngster when I didn 't like The Jinx.

 

Sorry guys,deleting double post.atsch

 

I know he had a lot of money troubles after Butch Lewis ripped him off.Does anyone know if he came out of it OK?

 

It's funny the kind of assumptions you make when you're younger! I used to hate Tyson, especially with the media circus that surrounded him, now I'm a big fan

I agree about him being held in much higher regard, retiring undefeated, having come out on top of the one the strongest era's of the LHW division, then winning the lineal HW championship from an undefeated (although past his best) Larry Holmes (even if the decision is disputed). Look at the '0' will do for Mayweather's legacy, likewise Marciano and Calzaghe

I've never tried to do an all time great list, but I agree that Spinks should be amongst the top 30 ever. Would have been interesting if Hagler had agreed to step up to 175 and fight Spinks, I think he would have made Marvin look ordinary

 

I love Hagler mate but I'm of the opinion that Jinx could probably beat almost anyone on the right night at 175,and I include the likes of Foster,Tunney and Moore in that.
I've been thinking of a thread on how history has been unkind to some of the great LHW's and how the division has always been treated like the ex-con relative no one wants around.It's quite sad how some of the great champs of that division are forgotten and many are fairly skint as far as I know.
But the bell for the 12th is looming for tonight.I'll get on it tomorrow.:thumbsup

 

Spinks. A terrific Lt. Heavy and a guy with a pretty impressive run at Heavy, which he really had no business competing in (in theory). The fact that Tyson blew him out doesn't really weigh against him in my view, because is was a mismatch physically.

 

Yeah you could well be right, Jinx had a unique style that was hard enough to figure out. Will look out for that thread :good

On that note I think it's time to call it a night as well!

 

^ This

The undefeated record has Floyd fans with Tunnel vision !

 

Don't know how Spinks can ever live down his disgraceful ass kicking by Tyson.

Imagine the ridicule Floyd would receive if something like that happened to him.

 

Spinks. Cleaned out one a great LHW era and beat an undefeated Larry Holmes at HW. Mayweather is great, I've never denied that, but despite him having a deeper resume and more titles throughout five weight classes, Spinks has the stronger resume at the top.

 

Spinks loses points for retiring after his first horrible loss. I rate Floyd higher by a good number of spots.

 

How? He was fighting with shot knees above his best weight class and fought one of the most dominant forces in boxing history at the peak of his prowess. I don't see how the Tyson loss really drops him when his legacy as an ATG with a very strong resume historically was set in stone.

 

Holmes had really lost a step by the time Spinks got to him and certainly, arguably lost the rematch to Larry, I'd add. Not that the accomplishment wasn't great, obviously. Yes, Spinks is under-appreciated, these days, but I really have to take Floyd on this one. Floyd won't really be appreciated for what he is and has done and been for years yet, I don't think. I'm not talking about by *****sculous trolls on ESB, but the rest of the boxing public.