Convince me Michael Spinks won the rematch with Larry Holmes!

Holmes started strong, but faded in the later rounds, which cost him. Holmes also could've showed up in better shape, since when he rocked Spinks late in the fight he didn't show any urgency to capitalize.

Spinks also had the edge in ring generalship through the majority of the fight, so Holmes had himself to blame for the loss.

 

I refuse to sit through that sleep inducing fight, but an argument is that for some reason every fan who watches it, and they're all Holmes fans, scores the early rounds for Holmes. I have no idea why they do this because very little actually happens in these rounds other than feinting and missed jabs by each. If you score the rounds as split, use 1010s, or edge them to Spinks, it becomes a lot easier to score the fight for him.

 

Spinks lost

 

I turned it off halfway through.

 

It was a very controversial decision and easily and likely should have gone Holmes way but not the worst decision ever. Holms open strong, won the first four rounds and then the fight became more level as Holmes tilted a bit and Spinks stole rounds with his funky style ... still Holmes stunned him on multiple occasions and should have gotten it but Larry had pissed off a lot of folks with his post fight comments the first bout and I'm sure that impacted things too ..

 

I was very partial for Larry and it's been a long time since I watched it ... at the time it was a highly emotional decision to me. I felt he deserved it. I will watch it again as it's been a long time.

 

Yes, discussing the first half.

 

Holmes won the first four and stunned Spinks in a couple of later rounds, but from round five on Spinks was busier and took three of the next four. I thought he took 10-13 as well. If you think Spinks's superior workrate in the fifteenth was enough to overcome him getting buzzed at one point, you get to 8-7 Spinks. I think it's a feasible score even if I scored it the other way last time I watched the fight.

 

I am going to watch again and post my scorecard here. It's been years since I last saw it.

 

Here’s my account from a couple years ago in the What Fights Did You Watch/Score Today thread:

Michael Spinks (c) vs. Larry Holmes II on April 19, 1986, at the Las Vegas Hilton, scheduled for 15 rounds for Spinks’ IBF (and lineal) heavyweight championship.

Larry weighs 223 and is 48-1, his only loss coming to Spinks the fall before in their first match.

Spinks is 28-0 and weighs 205, up about five pounds from their first fight.

1. Holmes 10-9 — Larry comes out with a lot of aggression, pretty wild, but lands well to the body and with some jabs. Michael does very little but try to let Larry blow off some steam.

2. Holmes 10-9 — Holmes hurts Spinks in the last 45 seconds with a right hand.

3. Holmes 10-9 — He walks Spinks down, some jabs get through but mostly Spinks is fighting a negative fight trying to avoid conflict so far.

4. Holmes 10-9 — Michael lets his hands go a bit but Larry’s body work and jab take it.

5. Spinks 10-9 — Michael gets busier, ands some good hooks.

6. Spinks 10-9 — Spinks fights in spurts and works better inside. He’s awkward as hell.

7. Holmes 10-9 — Clean right hands take it.

8. Spinks 10-9 — He really gets busy and his jab gets on track late in the round.

9. Holmes 10-9 — Rocks Spinks with a right hand and works him over a bit.

10. Spinks 10-9 — Big round for Michael, lots of clean combinations.

11. Holmes 10-9 (c) — Both do good work with the jab, but I gave it to Larry on the strength of a few good rights and his body work.

12. Holmes 10-9 — Outworks Spinks, again good body work.

13. Spinks 10-9 — They’re both tired and leaning on each other; Spinks is busier.

14. Holmes 10-9 (c) — Difficult round to score. Spinks clearly wins most of it then Larry lands a right hand and comes as close to a knockdown as you can get as Michael sags and barely stops himself from crumbling to the canvas; Larry lands a few more good shots as Spinks survives.

15. Spinks 10-9: Lot of stalling but he’s busier.

My card: Holmes 144-141

Official cards: 144-141 Spinks, 144-141 Holmes, 144-142 Spinks — split decision for Spinks as he retains. AP had Holmes by a point, UPI Spinks by the same.

 

Cool. So you gave Holmes 2 close rounds if someone had it the other way they may have had it 8-7 Spinks.