I wouldn't favor most versions of Mercer to even beat Mike Hunter, none the less a craftsman like Spinks.
Prime Mercer (the Lewis one) stops Spinks in 4. Ray was too much of a heavyweight for Michael. Holmes rocked the hell out of Spinks several times, in their fights, and he was both past it and didn't have close to Ray's power.
The Mercer who fought Holmes was NOT the peak Mercer who gave Lewis holy hell imo. That Mercer would probably have beat Holmes.
So PEAK Mercer existed for exactly one evening in a close loss to Lennox Lewis? You also said Holmes was finished in 1985 when he fought Spinks. So just how bad did Mercer need to be to lose to the same guy like 7 years later? "Mercer of the Lewis fight" is a mythical creature in the same vein as 'Montreal Duran'. In reality, Mercer never stopped being Mercer, he just had a great evening against a subpar Lewis. There's not a lot more to it than that. In any case, Spinks was several leagues more talented than Ray. So much so that any disparity in size wouldn't prove decisive IMO.
Just my opinion, but Spinks was a poor heavyweight who beat a past it champ (once); an alcohol-ridden, past it, and abysmally rusty Cooney, and some anonymous schlub. Never once did he beat anyone in their prime at heavyweight, and let's face it Holmes beat him solidly that second fight. That said, Michael Spinks was a GREAT light heavyweight, one of my favorites. No offense meant, and I know more than a few other members here feel similarly. If you're looking for greatness from Spinks at heavyweight, look elsewhere.
Mercer lost every round to Damiani before landing a freak uppercut on the tip of the nose. If Mercer was befuddled by Damiani he would be befuddled by Spinks aswell.
Then I respectfully disagree. Michael Spinks' only fight with a prime young heavyweight ended in 91 seconds.
What is with all the Ray Mercer overrating on this forum? You'd think he was Sonny Liston or something. Spinks schools Mercer. Mercer was one dimensional and had an extremely low ring IQ. Spinks was too intelligent and classy to lose to Mercer.