Okay, we all know Michael Spinks fought as a heavyweight from 1985 to 1988; beginning with Larry Holmes and ending with Mike Tyson kayoing him in ONE round... BUT! Aside from getting smoked by Tyson in his final pro fight, how well would've Michael Spinks done with the heavyweight champions from 1887 to 1960????? You know, John L. Sullivan to Ingemar Johansson..... MR.BILL:bbb
Okay, I seriously doubt that a heavyweight Spinks could ever beat Jack Johnson or Joe Louis in a time machine, but, I think Spinks of 1986 and 205 pounds could hold is own with just about everybody else who was champ prior to 1960..... MR.BILL
Spinks is very underrated, especially at HW and he beats most of them, I only see Louis as a big favourate the others he matches up with quite well. Pre60s HW champs would be smaller or the same size and none are near the offensive force of Iron Mike.
I think Spinks was a decent heavyweight, and I dont really understand that "blown-up light-heavy" criticism. He is relatively unproven at over 175, but still a legit heavyweight size-wise, he was fairly solid at 208, and he was over 6'2". He probably fares best against slow-paced or slowish heavyweights, and big guys too. I think Tyson crushed him with speed. It's no guarntee that Foreman - or even Liston - would walk through him like that, although they certainly have the power and strength to KO him. Spinks would probably do well in today's division. He'd box rings round most of the big plodding slow guys we got today.
I think he could hold his own with anyone also. He was a lot better than a lot of people realise. I doubt many other heavyweights beat the Larry Holmes he beat, twice. I also doubt many other heavyweights get hit with the shot that Tyson landed and survive. Tyson had that knack of landing perfectly and when he did, it usually was over. Same thing happened to Old Holmes, Berbick and other fighters with good chins. I am not even totally convinced that Jeffries, Ali, or McCall would have survived those tyson shots that he landed on spinks any better than Spinks did. People will laugh at this next statement, but at the right odds, I would back Spinks to have done a Floyd Patterson on Ingemar Johansen and come back and beat an unfocused Tyson in a rematch for the world championship. I think he is a live underdog against many of the greats of the past (louis and Johnson included) and while i would expect several to KO him, some early, I think that he would make most of these fights very, very competive and would cause more than a few upsets.
Michael didn't carry his great power or chin up to heavyweight though. His power was a little above average, and his chin was about average.
Against the all time greats such as Johnson, Dempsey, Louis, Marciano, Ali,Frazier, prime Holmes and Tyson, he doesn't fare too well. Against the second tier of hw champions he would be more competitive and find a measure of success.
Willy1234, I think Spinks was still pretty powerful at 200+ pounds...... He failed to KO Holmes in 1985 and '86, but Holmes had never been KO'd at that time as a pro fighter.... As for not being able to hurt or stop Tyson's assault, well, Spinks MISSED with all his big right hands that he was trying to land early on...... Spinks did waste Stefan Tangsted and Gerry Cooney.... Point is, if Spinks was able to land the "Jinx" on the button, he could still get the job done at heavyweight...... MR.BILL
That version of Cooney was pretty much shot, and Gerry didn't have the best of chins to begin with. Michael could get the job done against guys who weren't the most durable at heavyweight, but I remain unimpressed by his power or chin at that weight.
I pretty much agree here. Possibly just above Above average power (Maybe on the level of say Ali, or just below). I think his chin is probably about average but perhaps better described as unproven.
I honestly really like Spinks. He would have faired well during this time . I agree he probably wouldnt beat Joe Louis and probably would give Marciano some problems, I am not sure if he would beat Marciano though. I do see Spinks defeating Liston,Max Schmeling,Ezzard Charles,Harry Wills,Floyd Patterson,Ingemar Johansson and other guys of this flavor. Due to the fact that Michael Spinks was a extremly good outside puncher and when I say this I mean in the terms of not just being able to punch off of his his jab but being able to fight someone else who is a good distance fighter aka Larry Holmes. Qawi would on the other hand prefer to fight on the inside, which if yall have seen this fight then you'll notice how Michael does his best work on the outside. Of course what the hell do I know. I dont think any version of Spinks beats Tyson though .
