Well just imagine this scenario instead-----other old long reigning champs lost to an 8 fight guy. Joe Louis. Imagine the criticism if Marciano had lost to a guy like that. Or Lennox. Or Wladimir. Or Holmes. How many of those guys get the same get out of jail free cards if they got licked by a guy like Spinks?
I agree. Had he lost to someone elite like Holmes for instance, then beat him in a rematch winning a 3rd title would carry more weight. You can only give him a slight pass due to his age and parkinson's, at the end of the day spinks just wasn't a very good challenger to begin with and then immediately lost his title to the same old weakened boxer. So I'd say it slightly hurt his overall legacy, but only by a bit. What he did in the 60's and early 70's more than makes up for it.
Only trouble tho is that the Norton loss is early 73 and prior to his immediate rematch win, first win over Frazier and incredible KO of Foreman. Those are big moments particularly the win over Foreman. It's his biggest win for me. Eddie Futch said Ali should have retired straight after beating Foreman as he "didn't want to pay the price anymore". He was correct as he was the majority of the time.
I think that Eddie Futch's statement was very correct, Muhammad Ali should have left the fight game after beating George Foreman to reclaim his title.
Watch the 15th round of the first Spinks fight and tell me Ali wasn’t trying to knock Leon out with every fiber of his being. (It’s a great round btw.)
Sure, but he had enormous pride and I was responding to someone suggesting he threw the first fight with Leon. He went for broke in that 15th round and it’s hard to imagine a guy turning it on like that in the final round of a fight if he was trying to lose (especially since it wouldn’t have been shocking if the judges had leaned his way against basically a novice, albeit one with a gold medal.)
Totally agree, I was just pointing Muhammad Ali's actions in that last round out, it was a good round though.
That would have been great had Muhammad left the stage after that magnificent win. Manila at the very latest as I'm sure he was seriously considering.
He made it look good. Do you think he fought hard the first 14? If he hadn't at least put some leather out there it would have been more than obvious.
Its a fair question though isn't it? I understand Ali is a beloved figure but if it were anyone else don't you think there might have been a more honest look at it.
