Mike Spinks vs. Bob Foster.

Haven't done one of these for a while...so, who takes it between these two ATG's at 175lbs?

Spinks was ridiculously dominant at light heavy, very sneaky puncher with a super fast punch release and brillient at swimming against the tide.

Foster was a huge puncher with a ATG jab, more intimidating then Mike and fought at a more consistant pace and was explosive throughout.

Tough one to call for me.

Shoot, fellas. :good

 

Funnily enough i've always thought the opposite. Because of Spinks' monstrous inside work and better technique. He was also more efficient then Bob and his own jab wasn't too bad either. As i said tough one to call. I think Michael might've eked out a decision with his bursts and more judge friendly punches. This always has a Leonard/Hearns feel about it for me, for some strange reason.

 

Spinks looked invincible at light heavy. But lets not forget Foster didn't get the same chance to establish equel dominance in his prime as he got the title at around 31?

What makes this difficult for Spinks is Fosters jab which was a top 10 all time and his power. Spinks relied on punching with his opponent and having explosive bursts, i wonder how effectively he'd able to do this being wary of Fosters power. I think this threat would discourage him from engaging when Foster was throwing. Foster also fought at a more consistent and dominating pattern even though he wasn't as efficient as Spinks, he took less breathers.

 

Poll added (for those who don't wish to comment).

 

I think that would be really tough on Gene and Roy, lol. Tunnay has a problem because his cuteness wouldn't be enough of a factor. Roy's problem is the others strengths are his biggest weakness and he didn't jab enough. The Cincinnati Cobra would come out on top if they all fought each other. He had the style and tools to cause all them problems and was the best light heavyweight ever IMHO.

Archie, Bob and Mike would all split fights. With Moore and Foster being the most exciting and intriguing. I would give Archie the edge. He was better on the inside although Foster would have brief controls from distance, Moore was more rounded. I think it would come down to who took the others shot better. Archie hit almost as hard as Foster and IMO took a better shot.

I actually think Roy's light heavyweight reign is slightly underrated. His record there is not too shabby. He dominated for almost a decade. Jones vs Spinks would be awesome. IMO Roy is probabily p4p the better fighter, but at light heavyweight Spinks was better. There's a very select few who would beat him there. Spinks was so awkward and sly with his punches, he didn't look up to much and then suddenly exploded with vicious combinations. I see a Spinks KO late with maybe Roy ahead or even on the cards. Spinks got great leverage on all his punches and i think only Charles and perhaps Moore would have a chance of beating him here. Spinks vs Jones ending would be like the 12th round of Mike's fight with Eddie Mustafa. You watch Spinks against Qawi who is a really underrated fighter and you see how good he was.

Ironically i think Roy would have his best chance with Bob Foster after Tunney. Although Foster was such a lethal puncher, he would have a problem with Roy's dynamism. If you watch Foster closely he had a bad habit of leaning to his right in a very exaggerated manner, almost James Toney-esque. But with Foster in that position if you stepped around him and forced him on the defensive his feet got stuck and he trapped himself. Roy definitely had the boxing brain to take advantage of this flaw and step to Foster blindside. It's just a matter of whether or not he would get caught with something big.

I know i've rambled on a bit, hope it made sense.

 

Go on then, Granty. :good

 

Gassy, Spinks at light heavy was a beast and absolutely required viewing. Why have you been depriving yourself all these years? lol. He was so surreptitious in there at his best it was unreal. As Ian Darke would say, like a deadly snake in the long grass...He marmalised fighters with one of my favourite punches, which only Ricardo Lopez threw better and that's a hybrid left hook. Before Donaire, Spinks and Finito were wreaking havoc with it.

Spinks had this funny style and rhythm about him, he looked like a big goof who'd got into the ring with this sort of casual approach..This actually set many of his opponents off and gave them a false sense of security, until Mike exploded with the most coup de main attack i've ever seen in a boxing ring. He also did the hardest thing to do in boxing IMO. And that's punching with your opponent and trying to get your shots inbetween theirs extremely well.

His fights with Yequi Lopez, Eddie Mustafa (although Eddie did a Roy Jones before Tarver and fancied himself as a heavyweight and was therefore perhaps having weight problems), Marvin Johnson and Qawi are a must watch. :good


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