This Match Needs No introduction. Floyd Patterson Versus Michael Spinks.

Spinks I believe. Don’t forget that if Patterson was around a couple of generations later he’d be crazy not to boil down to Light-Heavy anyway. And if Spinks was around a couple of generations earlier he could comfortably make heavy without weight training or such tactics. They were both natural cruisers really. I just think Spinks proves too problematic in his tactics for Floyd. Most probably a very close MD/SD type of fight that could go either way. I’ll go with Spinks.

 

Patterson

 

Patterson was basically Tyson-lite which is still far to much for Spinks.

 

Peek a boo aside Patterson didn’t have the sheer brute presence, power and viscousness of Tyson. Not to mention reputation. Michael ain’t going in against Patterson the way he did against Mike. That is literally petrified. That makes a whole world of difference.

 

I think Floyd has the advantages here as a heavyweight, He's fast , can box and hits harder than Spinks at this weight. I like Floyd by TKO around the 12th .

 

If Floyd lands the sort of left hook that had Ingo’s foot quivering then maybe. Just think Spinks too good to get tagged by a leaping hook. Mike just completely overpowered him. Floyd would need to use every bit of speed and timing. Not easy against Michael Spinks.

 

Taken at their best, I like Floyd Patterson to get a decision. Not a bad fight though

 

I think this is one of those styles make fights examples. Floyd has the advantage in styles. Also, I think Prime Floyd was a better fighter than Prime Michael. Adding those two factors together gives Prime Floyd Patterson the win, and in convincing fashion.

 

Only thing I disagree with you on is “in convincing fashion”. Clean points win maybe but real close I think.

 

i think patterson would struggle to land anything big. i'll go spinks on points.

good matchup.

 

Idk. Spinks was much better than Roy Harris or Tommy Jackson or even Ingemar Johansson, Johansson just had an arguably harder punch. I'm not necessarily against a Patterson win and wouldn't consider it an upset (although I wouldn't consider it an upset the other way around) but it's not going to be a Tyson 91 second blowout.

 

Had Spinks been around in the 60s and prior, he likely would have been a heavyweight as well. Just like Ezzard Charles, Archie Moore, Jimmy Bivins, Joey Maxim, Harold Johnson and others that competed at light heavyweight and heavyweight and he likely would have done well. At least as well as the above named.

 

More I think about this, more I favor Floyd.
Against Norton in a recent thread, I slightly favored Norton.
Much bigger man, naturally & actually. But it could be argued either way.

Spinks was very close to Patterson in size.
Awkwardness would mean little when Patterson was so fast & explosive.
I do not see how Spinks is likely to confound Floyd.

 

Good fight, close in parts with both men getting dropped at some point.
I like Floyd ko ing him, Spinks had that upright style about him, Floyd would eventually nail him with those fast as hell hooks.