Leon Spinks went AWOL as Champion and drank and used drugs while Muhammad Ali reportedly ran more miles and spar more rounds than he had in years for his supposed last great effort. Spinks at one more opportunity for the Heavyweight Title against Larry Holmes in 1981 and then went down a weight to challenge Dwight Muhammad Qawi for the WBA Crusierweight Title in 1986 he still continued to drink and use drugs. Considering he was a United States Marine and Olympic Gold Medalist he couldn't quite hold it down to recapture his previous form. Buster Douglas after he beat Mike Tyson reportedly went up to 260-265lbs in bodyweight and had actually reduced his weight down to 246lbs so he was already trying to lose fat before that! As mentioned before he went into a depression and alcoholism resulting in a near death diabetic coma and eventual attempted comeback in 1996.
They say that amateur boxers fight for honour and professionals fight for money. Amateur boxing is a sport and Professional boxing is a business.
There’s a great line in the movie North Dallas 40 (loosely about the Dallas Cowboys football team, although they couldn’t call them that as the team/NFL did not give permission) where one rebellious player is talking to the coach/owner: “Every time we say it’s a business, you say it’s a game. Every time we say it’s a game, you say it’s a business.’ That applies to boxing. And its power structure too. ‘Just sign this’ is the beginning of any discussion to make fights. Guys like Don King and Bob Arum rarely made fights absent options on the winner should their guy lose, and if you didn’t sign over those options the fight didn’t happen.
Sonny Liston KO1 Floyd Patterson didn’t look quite as good after Sonny Liston KO1 Floyd Patterson II.
Actually, that applies to both fights. Both of these victories—Spinks' and Ali's—are devalued today. Spinks' because Ali was ill. Ali's because Spinks proved to be a brief flash. But in reality, both of these victories were of great sporting value, especially the one over Ali. Although, of course, not as significant. There's also no evidence that Ali was already ill, although he was certainly much worse than before.
Yes so many Heavyweight Champions suffered with alcoholism and substance abuse mate. John L Sullivan Gene Tunney Primo Carnera Joe Frazier Leon Spinks Mike Tyson Buster Douglas Tyson Fury
Funny thing about boxing is most victory’s over top contenders look worse shortly as the loser usually gives up on their career. The Quarry’s or Povetkins of the world are rare. Most look worse than they were after.
Tunney had this happen the most often. Jimmy Delaney. Delaney was 25-1 when he first fought Tunney. Not only did Delaney not fight for a world title hes not even the most famous Delaney from the era. Ermino Spalla. One at the time would have seen it as Tunney testing himself against the best European HW. Spalla turned out to be possibly the worst IBU champ ever. Tom Heeney. Heeney won/drawed his way into winning a tournament to fight Tunney and never had a high profile win again. These were supposed to be landmark wins for Tunney.
I would say Tysons win over Spinks (rather unfairly imo) At the time the fight of the century with huge public intrigue, both claimants to being the champion at heavyweight, Spinks only 31 years old, unbeaten gold medalist, first light heavy champion to win heavyweight gold in almost 100 years, never dropped as a pro. Tyson destroys Spinks in 1 round Over the years....Spinks was scared, Spinks was a blown up light heavy, Spinks was injured etc etc etc