Leon Spinks(Ali 1) vs 2000 Evander Holyfield

Prime for prime I would take Holyfield without question but by 2000 he was slipping and losing decisions to John Ruiz. By 2003 he was getting beat up by James Toney and unable to get away from right hands.

Based solely on Spinks from Ali 1 and Holyfield from 2000, I have to take the swarming buzzsaw that was Leon Spinks. I think he outworks Holyfield. Now if we are talking Holyfield from the early 90's, Leon's in trouble.

 

Almost any version of Evander Holyfield easily beats Leon Spinks. The Spinks that beat Ali was raw, lacked the skills to fight at that level and was lucky enough to fight a disinterested, overconfident, aging Ali. The 2000 version of Holyfield may have been aging but he was in shape and prepared. Evander wins this by mid to late round knockout.

 

Leon was the poster child for,," the right place ,at the right time" with the Ali fight. I always thought Coetzee blasting him out was more indicative of his place among the heavyweights around that time

 

At that time in Holyfields career I think Leon would’ve outworked him.

 

The Leon Spinks who was in the ring on Feb. 15, 1978, absolutely has a chance. The Leon Spinks who was in the ring on any other night in recorded history gets whipped. Since there are lots more nights in recorded history than Feb. 15, 1978, I pick Holyfield.

 

Spinks isn't even on level of John Ruiz. Holyfield still stops him in about 5.

 

Ruiz was very physical though and despite having a lack of talent, his clinching game nullified alot of good fighters. I don't think Spinks has the physical presence to give Holyfield that kind of trouble, and if he tries to swarm Holyfield and exchange punches. Spinks would definitely come out the worst, i think even 2000 version of Holyfield has enough left to beat Spinks.

I mean literally 9 months before 1st Ruiz fight, Holyfield was giving prime Lewis a close run. I don't think people give Ruiz enough credit for giving Holyfield a tough fight just because he has an ugly style.

 

I didn't say Ruiz was a bad fighter but he is guy that Holyfield would have went right right through if the fight was 7 or 8 years earlier. As for Holyfield being significantly better 9 months earlier I could literally say the same thing about Spinks. A year or two after beating Ali and Mercardo he was losing to journeymen and pretty much shot. My issue with how Holyfield looked in the 2000's is he couldn't let his hands go anymore. He was significantly slower and fought in spurts which would be a problem against a sober and focused Spinks.

To be very clear, I am only talking about the Spinks from Ali 1 vs 2000 Holyfield. Prime for prime its Evander.

 

I haven’t watched Ali v Spinks 1 for a long time - tbh, it’s one of those fights I don’t like rewatching.

Not to take anything away from Leon but as I recall, Ali chose to do nothing for a good number of rounds. Other opponents, including Holyfield, wouldn’t allow Leon to enjoy the luxury of being the sole pitcher without having to deal with any incoming.

Ali was completely disdainful of Spinks as evidenced by the shape he came into the fight and the ridiculous strategy he employed with the view to tiring Leon out.

Even in bad shape, had Ali gone out to finish Leon or at least box it out to a wide UD, it might’ve been a different story. As it was, Ali let Leon beat on his head, arms, shoulders etc. - wherever Leon could hit him - when Ali decided to come on, - he was already in a a state of disrepair that he had invited on himself.

So yeah, I would still take Holy as per the hypothetical.

 

Yes but I think your missing the point, I don't think Holyfield suddenly become a shot fighter in that 9 month period. I just think Ruiz had an awkward style that troubled Holyfield, and people don't like to give Ruiz credit because he was an ugly fighter to watch.

Also Spinks would not be able to be as physical on the inside vs Holyfield like Ruiz was, simply because he doesn't have the physical presence nor Ruiz's clinching game.

My point is just because Holyfield struggled vs Ruiz, I don't think that has much barring on how he does vs Spinks who was really a Cruiserweight. Spinks doesn't have the size or physical presence to swarm Holyfield and exchange punches with him.

 

Ali did virtually nothing until the 15th round which was exciting, but other than that Ali just sat on the ropes and did nothing for 14 rounds.

 

You've said it all as far as I'm concerned. Spinks does it under this scenario.

 

Spinks's physicality on the inside is much different from Ruiz's. Ruiz looked to tie up and hold and hit. Spinks would let his hands fly on the inside and work. We simply see this one differently. It's Spinks's work rate and volume that would be a problem for 2000 Holyfield. He was no loner a deadly combination puncher at that point.

 

Holyfield. He had enough left in the tank to beat Leon in 2000