Would Spinks have lasted longer if he was not scared shitless against Tyson?

Spinks may not have had the strongest punch nor was he the fastest but I think if he was not so intimidated by Tyson he would probably have lasted more rounds. Any thoughts?

 

No. His durability was questionable at heavyweight. An aged Holmes, never a big puncher, hurt him a few times in their bouts despite struggling to land that many clean punches. Tyson's speed, power and explosive starts make the early stoppage almost mandatory here against a guy with limited firepower in this particlular H2H.

 

No, he would've be out of there In no time anyway. Tyson, on this day was Ready for anything, he wanted this win badly!

 

Correct. He had two bad knees and hadn't fought in sometime. I don't think he was scared shitless. He just was overwhelmed by a great heavyweight in his prime. Spinks was never a great heavyweight. He was one of the best lightheavyweight's of all time and was fighting Tyson for a payday.

 

He was scared shitless. This is a fact. Watch the entire broadcast and 2 yrs leading up to the debacle. But he was also by that time as mobile as a pile of turds and all used up. Doesn't matter though, because like John Lewis vs Louis. Matthews vs Marciano. Carpentier vs Dempsey and Foster vs Frazier, the natural order continued. He was a ltheavyweight!!!!!! No different than the others mentioned .

 

Spinx was already past his best days but yes if he hadn't been absolutely pissing himself on the way to the ring he could've seen the 2nd round

Dunno about the 3rd round but definitely the 2nd

 

Don't tell Larry Holmes about that order though or else he'll start screaming about how he was robbed and how Marciano was a bum again

 

Possible but I doubt it. Prime Tyson was an exceptionally quick starter, and a lethal finisher. To diffuse him you needed either (and preferably both) physical strength and movement.

A more mobile Spinks may have been able to stay away from Tyson for a bit longer, but the fundamental problems would still arise; he wasn't physically strong enough to push Tyson back and mess up his rhythm, and he didn't hit hard enough to give him reason to be wary. Spinks was successful against Holmes because old Larry needed to get set to land his power punches. Tyson didn't, and was able to march forward and let his punches go.

When Tyson fought Spinks it wasn't like he just landed a single bomb. He closed the distance at will, and did damage in every exchange. A lot of things would have to go different for this fight to go long.

 

Great post, Momus. Cheers. I would like to add that it is quite possible that no lightheavy in history gets out of the 1st round against that version of Tyson, although I believe James Toney might.

 

It wouldn't have mattered. Tyson had just as good mobility back then as Spinks did in his prime. No Spinks could ever stop Tyson from running through him.

 

This. Spinks went into the fight with Tyson with two shot knees, so he was pretty much helpless and just there for the payday.

 

Though Michael Spinks was a great Light Heavyweight Champion. He won the IBF World Heavyweight Title by defeating a great, but past his prime in champion Larry Holmes, in 1985, repeating that feat, in a much closer contest in 1986. Mike was not built to take a true heavyweights punches. I really believe Iron Mike's brutal body punches to Spinks lanky ribs, would have spelled doom for Michael, in the very next round, almost breaking him in half.

 

He wasnt scared shitless. He always looked like that when he got into the ring. He was an experienced, battle tested, all time great, those guys dont get scared shitless to go to work. Once the bell rings its business as usual.

 

I agree with Klompton. There's an expertly picked apart breakdown by a guy named Lee on youtube stating Spinks did exactly what he was trained by Futch to do.

Edit: It's broken down by Reemus.

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No.