Looking at Michael Spinks career

Definitely one of the most accomplished light heavy's of all time, and a p4p giant. He fought opposition that ranged from good to great and left a career that was nothing less than brilliant. I often wonder what might have happened, had he ascended to heavyweight at a younger age and been built up properly by facing a percession of quality heavyweights the way that Evander Holyfield did. Not sure that he was ever going to beat Tyson regardless, but I think he could have had further success over 200 lbs. Cruiserweight is a class that he no doubt would have dominated. Definitely one of the greatest fighters of all time.

 

I haven't seen that fight in ages, and don't have a scorecard readily available. But I do think Michael deserved the win in the first meeting, while narrowly losing it in the rematch.

 

Spinks was a guy, who looked awkward and kind of gangly. But, he had the heavy jab and he could put you to sleep with either hand,both being the Spinks `Jinx`. He almost decapitated poor Marvin Johnson with a brutal left uppercut,and that straight right hand of his ! Good chin ,decent leg movement. A top tier lt.heavy in my book. Moved up in weight and caught Holmes just at the right time.

 

I had Spinks by 2 rounds. But Holmes clearly won the re-match by two rounds or more.

Spinks was a very good light heavy. Top 10 ATG at the weight class.

 

I had Spinks winning both Holmes fights, but each one razor close by 1 point or 2 points.

 

The Holmes vs Spinks fights were close both times. Most including myself agree with the decision the first time around, but gave Larry the second the fight. Both men were at a disadvantage as one was past his prime while the other was ascending from a lower weight class and fighting for the first time at 200 lbs.

 

144-141 for both fights.

First fight for Spinks, 2nd fight for Holmes.

 

Spinks was a great fighter.

Fought in an excellent LHW era, or at least the tail end of it. Some of his notable wins there came against fighters a bit long in the tooth, but still, look at his resume as a whole and compare it to the great LHWs in the last half-century, it's up there.

I think he had one of the all-time great jabs


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qX-9X3X8i8


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn8YRblGky8

 

I rate him in the top 5 lightheavys ever and the 1st Holmes fight shocked me in his 1st heavyweight go.Spinks won 1st fight clearly, I forget the 2nd (much closer) but Mike was an excellent light heavy....not in Ezzard Charles class as a heavyweight but a proven light heavyweight top 5

 

Spinks the better, tougher of the 2 brothers, had an awesome career, wins over Mustafa Muhammad, Qwai, Holmes, and the epic beatdown over Cooney was classic..

Too bad Spinks, is most famous for being Tysons 91 second KO victim, but it is what it is .

 

As mentioned before, that Cooney was hungover from drugs and alcohol for that fight.

 

Truthfully, Gerry was never the same since the Holmes loss.:good