Floyd Patterson fought braver than Michael Spinks

Patterson was a short fighter who fought like a small fighter, he had no option to stay on the outside, he had to go for it, Spinks was trying to use his reach albeit unsuccessfully

 

It makes me cringe to think what Spinks did in his career before that match and how he was interpreted in the Tyson fight. The absence of benefit of the doubt in intention and action is almost beyond belief itself. Part of the Tyson aura in that time was because Mike was a phenomenal performer, but part of it was the deliberate devaluing of the character and skill of his opponents in order to fit a narrative of a scary man instead of a masterful athlete. I remember when I was a twelve-year-old boy, I got on the phone with Michael and told him I would beat Mike for him one day. Now, here I am, praised on a daily basis for doing just that. Even though he tried to bite my nipple, I still did it. You're welcome, Michael. You're welcome.

 

Spinks, to his credit, did not bring a disguise in hopes no one would recognize him after the fight.

Patterson, well you can’t say that for him.

 

100%. Mike even called himself an aggressive counterpuncher in his younger days.

 

For the record according to Eddie Futch the way Spinks fought was completely contrary to the game plan they had mapped out.

Futch comments leading into the fight -

OK, Eddie, how can Spinks pull this one off?

“I can see Michael winning,” he said. “He’s obviously going to have to box very well, and avoid getting hit with Tyson’s best shots.

“He’s going to have to use his very good counter-punching ability and his very respectable power. Many people don’t consider Michael a power puncher, but he has respectable power. Michael is also a good finisher. If he hurts you, he can finish you.

“So while we’re looking for a decision victory here, Michael will take advantage of any mistakes Tyson makes in the fight.

“Above all, he must remember to never trade power for power with this guy." Spinks himself said ""I will have to move a lot," Spinks conceded. "Because I don't like getting hit by anyone."

After the fight -

For weeks, the trainer Eddie Futch had told Michael Spinks to box and move in the early rounds against Mike Tyson, but tonight Spinks tried to ''get respect'' from the undisputed heavyweight champion. And that preference resulted in Spinks being knocked out after only 91 seconds of the first round.

''I didn't expect him to try to go out and get respect right off the reel,'' the 76-year-old trainer said of the previously undefeated 31-year-old challenger. ''I had planned on strategy that entailed more boxing and moving.''

https://www.nytimes.com/1988/06/28/sports/spinks-didn-t-fight-according-to-plan.html

Personally no matter what he says i think Spinks was a bit intimidated and this put him out of whack once things became real hence the lack of tactical sense. I'm not convinced he thought he could win.

 

Another heavy not properly sweated up. And spinks did nothing pre-fight to try staying loose. But this is what pressure can and sometimes does to fighters.

And Tyson came tooling into the ring all sweated up and ready to go. Chomping at the bit. spinks had not fought a guy that comes out winging from the opening bell since he fought old pops. And this was a much younger opponent bringing a lot more to the table

 

The man brought a disguise so he could slink out of the stadium. Both get the gutless disgrace award.