"Leon Spinks vs. Renaldo Snipes" from circa--1982... Who wins?

I remember a post fight scuffle between Holmes, Cosell, and Gerry Cooney after Holmes had KOed Spinks. I think ole Howard ended up getting a bloody lip in the melee. It was pure comedy.

 

It's a good match up. Spinks was a handful when he was in shape and had some decent wins post-Ali. Snipes was tough and could bang but also blew hot and cold. I like Spinks on points in a scrappy affair.

 

Had this fight taken place between 1980-1981 I would have favored Spinks to take a decision in a 10 or 12 round match. He probably had the better skills and like some have already said, was actually a force when in good physical and mental shape. Post 1981, however I would have to go with snipes. Leon fizzeled too badly after the Holmes fight in '81, and was basically easy pickings for just about anyone, including some of the division's low end journeyman.. The training habits and the desire to fight just wasn't there anymore and would never really be rejuvenated.

 

The devastating loss to Coetzee was something Spinks could not overcome. There were plenty of guys around in that 78-80 timeframe that were capable of beating Leon & somehow he won that Ali sweepstakes. His biggest victory > Ali was probably the Mercado fight but his stock had already dropped a ton itself.

Spinks had that Ledoux draw. Righetti bout was not all that impressive. Ancient Ali. Look at the other guys around--Holmes. Norton. Shavers. Tate. Then the guys at the bottom of the top 10 like Weaver. Jones. Coetzee. Knoetze. And that pedigreed crowd of up and comers from 76 olympics and 78 had a few as well. Lots of tough hombres just getting 10 round fights.

Leon was in deep waters back then and was not going to be a guy beating top 10 competition very long.

 

Yes.

If nothing else, Snipes had whiskers and a big heart. By 82, the best days of Spinks were long since in the rear view mirror. That was a huge and devastating loss to Coetzee. And that was right after blowing the 2nd Ali fight by coming into the ring in terrible condition. That's one hell of a rebuilding project to do at the time and Leon knew it & that's why all the crying after that loss. It really did blow out the candles and now you have an undisciplined guy with 10 fights and 2 consecutive losses.

 

Snipes would probably Kayo Leon late.Leon by this time, was beginning to be a cruiserweight anyway.

 

By 82 Spinks was past it. Id take Snipes in this one ko6.
the 1978 version of Spinks might outhustle Snipes but it would be an even matchup,82 version gets kod.

 

Snipes. There weren't many decent heavyweights back then who couldn't KO Leon.

 

Yeah, Snipes hit the skids big time ..... a very erratic performer, and quickly declined in the mid-80s.

He dropped a close one to Rickey Parkey (in 1984) as well !

Some reports suggest that Snipes was robbed against a young Tim Witherspoon in 1982, but i dont know about the draw with Scott Frank.

Snipes was never a skillful fighter but by the late 1980s he was having wars with club-fighters in Felt Forum fights.
at his best, he showed against Berbick what he was capable of.