How deep is micheal spinks resume at heavyweight?

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


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  1. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    He deserves full credit for overcoming the odds and outworking, outhustling, an undefeated Heavyweight world champion who held physical advantages. Larry Holmes certainly wasn't at his best, but neither was Michael Spinks, and Holmes would enjoy some success many years later, most notably against an up and coming Ray Mercer. It's a very good win, indeed. Holmes being unmotivated and not bothered is revisionist history, at the time Michael Spinks wasn't fancied.

    Larry Holmes is an infinitely more capable fighter than John Ruiz ever was. Instead of taking the win and then running back down to 175lbs, Spinks contested a rematch and got the favorable decision in what was a very close fight. The consensus has Holmes being the winner, but it doesn't degrade Spinks in any way. He fought better fighters as a Heavyweight, and he fought more fights at Heavyweight than Roy Jones Jr did. A superior stint at Heavyweight.

    I think it's unfair to say Spinks stint at Heavyweight is overrated when, if anything, it's understated. All I hear about when the Holmes victory is brought up is how Holmes was faded, unmotivated, uninterested, etc. Yawn. Credit where it's due.
     
    Addie, Mar 13, 2011
    Addie, Mar 13, 2011
    #16
  2. lora

    lora Fighting Zapata Full Member

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    Myself, i think it's possible to consider Spinks vs Holmes 1 a great win, while still not thinking too highly of Spinks as a heavyweight per se or of Holmes at that point in his career.
     
    lora, Mar 13, 2011
    lora, Mar 13, 2011
    #17
  3. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    Absolutely. Michael Spinks was not a Heavyweight. Everything he achieved above 175lbs was just a bonus as far as I'm concerned.
     
    Addie, Mar 13, 2011
    Addie, Mar 13, 2011
    #18
  4. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    Nobody can take it away from spinks, he beat holmes. It is a great win. I remember it as a big upset, spinks avenged his brother and spoiled holmes's party. Holmes is beter than ruiz, even running at 10% of what he was against mercer he was still beter than ruiz.

    Of course Holmes was beter against spinks than he was against mercer but against spinks he was trying to pin down a fast clever guy who he could not work out. Homes needed his A game but only had B game speed.

    The second fight was closer but holmes was realy where ALI was at the time he was strugling against shavers, just getting by against volentary contenders. Larry was no longer a strong champion, spinks not being a heavyweight evens it out somewhat but beating undefeated Holmes its not what it looks on paper.
     
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    #19
  5. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

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    How do you see Roy Jones doing against the Larry Holmes of the first Spinks fight?
     
    Addie, Mar 13, 2011
    Addie, Mar 13, 2011
    #20
  6. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    I see it the same roy would, roy jones would not even take it. No doubting with hindsight a smaller, fast tricky fighter would always pose holmes difficulty at that point of his career but I dont see Roy having the balls to ever take it.

    Roy jones vs ruiz has as much historical significance as any number of fights archie moore had against rated heavyweights. spinks blows roys heavyweight stint out of the water. It was a gamble that paid off.

    sugar ray leonard beat marvin hagler but it was not the same hagler who beat tony sibson. The timing was perfect but leonard is forgiven because he had a lay off before causing an upset. Should spinks be entirely forgiven for being a lightheavyweight who contiued to fight at heavyweight a further few times?
     
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    choklab, Mar 13, 2011
    #21
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