People who were around in 1988 who did you pick to win Tyson vs Spinks

I went to see that card on closed circuit at the Sunrise Musical Theatre in Sunrise, FL with my Brother. I hadn't previously made a prediction, but when they both got in the ring, my Brother and I both called Tyson by KO1. Something about the semi-dejected look on Spinks' face during his ring walk and entry, and knowing Tyson would come out blazing as always, made that decision for me. Spinks just looked like he didn't want to be there.

 

The consensus was Tyson would win but I think most people thought it would be much tougher and last longer than it turned out

I watched it on closed circuit on a huge screen at Charles Town Raceway in Charles Town, WVA. I had seen the Hagler/Leonard card there as well. We got there early and were near the front. It was hell getting out of there.

 

I remember it.

Not to be smug but I didn’t rate Spink’s chances and I was surprised that many people projected for it to be a competitive fight.

Sure, 91 seconds was an impossible call to make but it wasn’t as if Mike wasn’t bowling guys over in quick time.

 

We weren't far from the end of the aisle, and headed out immediately to beat the traffic when that fight was waived off.

Seemed the crowd in Sunrise was almost 100% pro-Tyson. It was deafening when Spinks went down.

Loved the atmosphere, and I miss the closed-circuit shows.

 

I was actually there in the arena in AC for this one. My father decided to take the whole family up to Jersey for it.

Also while we were in Atlantic City , USA Network televised two ‘special’ Tuesday Night Fights editions (special because they weren’t on a Tuesday, just taking advantage of peak interest in boxing in the lead up and figuring to grab fight-hungry viewers). Big George Foreman headlined one with an early KO of I think Carlos Hernandez and Hector Camacho easily outpointed some guy, but the name escapes me. Got to go to both of those. Lindell Holmes won on the Foreman undercard.

Afternoon of the day before the big event, I saw Azumah Nelson vs Lupe Suarez, which CBS televised (I want to say Tyson-Spinks was on a Monday and this was a Sunday show, with the two mentioned above maybe Friday and Saturday. Julian Jackson iced someone in one on the undercard.

As for Tyson-Spinks, I wanted to believe Spinks had a chance but I couldn’t see it … maybe at best he’d keep Tyson a bit confused and off-balance and last the distance or at least get through the early rounds. I was, of course, shocked at 91 seconds. It was and still is the most savage display of ferocity I’ve ever seen live in boxing.

Fighters I got to see on the undercard: Trevor Berbick and Carl Williams (they fought each other), Donovan Ruddock and Buster Douglas (not vs. each other). Maurice Blocker too.

 

Douglas KO'd Mike Williams on the undercard in a very impressive showing. Williams was considered a good prospect at the time, and Douglas floored him I believe on 3 different occasions with jabs, and wobbled him a couple other times with the same punch. He eventually stopped Williams in the 7th.

Had to look it up, but yes, Ruddock did KO Reggie Gross on the undercard of Tyson-Spinks. I don't believe that was shown on closed circuit though, at least where I was. I only remember C. Williams-Berbick, Douglas-M. Williams, and Tyson-Spinks.

Heavyweight Jerry Jones, who would KO Michael Bentt in one a few months later, was also on the undercard, as was Butch Lewis-promoted fighter, Glen "The Promise" Thomas.

 

Everyone picked Tyson but some of us thought Spinks would do a little better. At least I hoped.

 

I was there as well.

Thought Spinks had absolute minimal chance in there. Gambled big and even put some money down on a ko 1 result. Never had the best of luck picking exact round for the big money. Far easier picking the winners.
The fight was a gimme. Far too many people--to me anyway--were putting stock and their faith in the Spinks w15 results over Holmes. It was not like a tko6 result. that's the results I'd need to see to be backing the guy. And of course the Cooney ko. But I do not hold Cooney in that high of esteem and always thought there were 4 or 5 guys that could beat him.


A few reasons; Spinks and those knees. Right; he looked mobile against Holmes but that was hardly the 1980 version that flew around the ring. And Spinks had never fought a super aggressive combo puncher like this. Not a heavyweight in top condition with fast hands.

I did not think for a nanosecond he was going to back up quicker than Tyson coming in. Tyson was so fast back then with his first 2 steps closing the distance. And he punched from that position. He was not going to back this opponent up and his retreat game was just not going to work against the kinds of punches
Tyson threw.

I thought his chances were no better than Brian Grant---and he fought Mugabi on an undercard fight and got slaughtered. Figured Spinks to get slaughtered also & not just beaten or defeated. Slaughtered. And he was.

 

I bet on Tyson, probably like most at the time, but I expected a fight like The one with Tyrell Biggs.
Spinks starting off ok then Tyson battering away at him for a mid fight ko.
But Tyson was never gonna let someone hang around like Biggs.

 

A surprising number of people picked Spinks.

 

I was 11 years old and remember seeing every major magazine covering the fight. It was huge. The magazine racks at markets like Ralphs and Alpha Beta were flooded with Tyson vs Spinks images.

Never seen anything like it before or since.

 

I thought Spinks had a chance to compete going in, but that night sitting at an outdoor amphitheater watching the closed circuit broadcast, when I saw the looks in their respective eyes I started gathering my stuff to head to the car and beat the traffic because I knew it wasn’t going to last long.

 

I was in high school. I bought a boxing magazine but can’t remember which one. Teddy Atlas said Spinks would KO Tyson. The one thing I heard constantly was how smart Spinks was. He would figure out a game plan sometime during the fight. Naturally I picked Spinks. Ouch!

I called the “Super Fight Hotline” since I couldn’t see the fight. “The fighters are making their way to the ring. On the undercard it was James Buster Douglas defeating …click!” Had to hang up. It was $.25 per minute or something like that. I waited a few minutes & got “Tyson vs Spinks, Once & For All is now history!”

 

I like everyone else around me made Mike Tyson the overwhelming favorite. But I honestly thought Spinks would give him a better fight.