How deep is micheal spinks resume at heavyweight?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by choklab, Mar 13, 2011.


Page 1 of 2
  1. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

    27,676
    7,669
    Dec 31, 2009
    Micheal spinks boxed a master class against larry holmes and won the only way he could aginst a much bigger heavyeight. The first time at least, he stole the fight but he did not batter the champion. This was still historical for light heavyweights but has been blown out of proportion somewhat when assessing micheals worth against ATG heavyweights.

    Never big as a LH, After eight seasons as a profesional boxer Micheal spinks weighed 170 pounds as a fully matured athlete. He put on a furher 5 pounds for his final defence at light heavyweight then challenged Holmes for the heavyweight title.

    Spinks “developed” another 24 pounds in 3 months to take on larry holmes an old champion past his best and was awarded two close wins on points over the heavyweight champion.
    　
    Here is ring magazines top tens for the years that micheal spinks was active as a heavyweight. How many of these fighters that were rated did he fight?
    1985
    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    　
    1986
    This content is protected
    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    　
    1987
    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected


    　
    That’s right, spinks fought two of them. Holmes and Tyson.
    There is a good argument spinks’s record against these two should read 1-2 rather than 2-1 but there is a respected minority out there that could argue spinks could have been 0-3 against holmes and tyson.
     
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    #1
  2. WhataRock

    WhataRock Loyal Member Full Member

    36,574
    21,286
    Jul 29, 2004
    He wasnt really there long enough to have any kind of depth...He went for there for big time legacy fights and money.

    I really dont rate him at as a heavyweight at all.
     
    WhataRock, Mar 13, 2011
    WhataRock, Mar 13, 2011
    #2
  3. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

    27,676
    7,669
    Dec 31, 2009
    exactly, I cannot think how spinks even qualifys in head to head fantasy match ups with ATG heavyweights. He bypassed a lot of good heavyweights and outsmarted an old champion because the timing and tactics were right-that one time.
     
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    #3
  4. WhataRock

    WhataRock Loyal Member Full Member

    36,574
    21,286
    Jul 29, 2004
    Both of those fights showed he could go alright against a lot of heavies though IMO.
     
    WhataRock, Mar 13, 2011
    WhataRock, Mar 13, 2011
    #4
  5. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

    27,676
    7,669
    Dec 31, 2009

    heavys but not champions.

    spinks kind of stole the fight by staying away & holmes was about two fights too old to catch up with him like he barley managed against truth wiliams. The timing was perfect.

    If you take out the historical impact of a LH winning at HW, spinks dosnt show much more than don cockell as a heavyweight.

    on a smaller scale don cockell beat an ageing tommy farr. spinks beat an ageing holmes. cockell then beat mathews and lastarza (both rated) and spinks beat cooney and tangsted (UNRATED). cockel got marciano and spinks got Tyson.
     
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    #5
  6. gentleman jim

    gentleman jim gentleman jim Full Member

    1,640
    57
    Jan 15, 2010
    I think Spinks' reign as HW was rather unspectacular and somewhat overrated. I liken it to Roy Jones' stint at HW. Pick the right opponent at the right time to pad your resume and secure your legacy and avoid the real serious and dangerous fighters. Spinks did step in the ring with Tyson but he knew he was going to lose before the bell rang, It was a quick payday nothing more. As for beating Cooney and Tangstad? It was nice but Tangstad was a nobody and Cooney was completely shot. Again two handpicked opponents.
     
    gentleman jim, Mar 13, 2011
    gentleman jim, Mar 13, 2011
    #6
  7. goat15

    goat15 Active Member Full Member

    926
    0
    Nov 10, 2010
    jones had one fight at heavyweight. spinks beat holmes.

    and it's all very well saying spinks picked the right opponents at the right time, but then when he did the complete opposite (tyson), you invalidate it by calling it a payday.
     
    goat15, Mar 13, 2011
    goat15, Mar 13, 2011
    #7
  8. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

    27,676
    7,669
    Dec 31, 2009

    This is the way I also it.:good
     
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    #8
  9. PoliSari

    PoliSari █ Geek Chic Superstar █ ™ Full Member

    0
    2
    Mar 11, 2011
    lackluster and nothing special really.

    not worst by any means though. just not much to take note of.
     
    PoliSari, Mar 13, 2011
    PoliSari, Mar 13, 2011
    #9
  10. Vince Voltage

    Vince Voltage Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,129
    1,427
    Jan 1, 2011
    Only five fights, so no true depth, but he accounted for himself well in these fights. People don't give him enough credit. He could've beaten a lot of heavyeights at that time, just not Tyson.
     
    Vince Voltage, Mar 13, 2011
    Vince Voltage, Mar 13, 2011
    #10
  11. sirhenrycooper6

    sirhenrycooper6 Guest

    shallow .
     
    sirhenrycooper6, Mar 13, 2011
    sirhenrycooper6, Mar 13, 2011
    #11
  12. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

    27,676
    7,669
    Dec 31, 2009
    people say this but if the fights were made I dont know if spinks would have more than a 50-50 chance against any of them.

    witherspoon?
    tubbs?
    page?
    coetzee?
    Berbick?
    tucker?
    weaver?
    Thomas?
    dokes?
    bruno?
    truth wiliams?
    tyrell biggs?
     
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    #12
  13. Vysotsky

    Vysotsky Boxing Junkie banned

    12,797
    11
    Oct 14, 2009
    did not know this. So is him roiding accepted by most?
     
    Vysotsky, Mar 13, 2011
    Vysotsky, Mar 13, 2011
    #13
  14. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

    42,502
    405
    Jun 14, 2006
    No one really rates it that highly, as evidenced by this thread? Likewise, casual fans won't even be able to tell you a fight Spinks contested in outside of the Tyson demolition. I don't understand how his stint at Heavyweight can be considered overrated for these reasons.

    Roy Jones fought one fight at Heavyweight against the unspectacular John Ruiz? Michael Spinks, in contrast, fought an undefeated Larry Holmes and defeated him with rounds to spare despite being a large underdog. He even took a rematch and fought well, before getting in the ring with a mountain of a man, Gerry Cooney, who despite being badly faded, was favored by quite a few people at the time.

    Spinks stint at Heavyweight is far superior.

    That's your opinion. I think Michael Spinks trained to win the fight and he intended to win as the opening bell sounded, he was just completely outmatched in every sense of the word.
     
    Addie, Mar 13, 2011
    Addie, Mar 13, 2011
    #14
  15. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

    27,676
    7,669
    Dec 31, 2009
    I can recall Micheals entire career. After turning pro at 165lb he was an excelent lightheavyweight and dominated that division, he was magnificent against 5'7'' qwai and his spinks jinx right hander was a winner of a punch at the weight.

    The point is for spinks to be regarded at heavyweight he must be measured against the elite fighters of that division of which he did not dominate.

    Against Holmes he knew he was against a tired guy who only just caught up with truth wiliams last time, he knew with speed and movement if he kept to a strict plan he could "get away with it", and it worked - but it was not beating the best of holmes or anyway near dominating a division chock full of contenders he might not beat.


    Far superior to Jones but by how much? Did he even beat Holmes the second time? cooney at that time was a celebrity former fighter walking in off the street and tangstad was another gimmie.
     
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    #15
Page 1 of 2