You could make one, but it'd be hard to do it in good judgement without immense research. I have a top 25, I feel it's very good and most people agreed and that took some research and consideration. If anyone can do a top 100, it would be Janitor.
I don't know. I suppose any career with a title win over even a washed up Ali has a reasonable degree of substance. Tack on his gold medal and wins over at least 3 or 4 fringe ranked contenders, and I'd say you have if nothing else a candidate for a #95-100 spot. That said, I guess I'll concur with the majority by saying that he definately is not top 50 nor 75.
It's not out of the question. He did defeat a number of contenders, some of whom were fairly respectable. He also drew with Scott Ledoux in only his sixth pro bout (LeDoux, of course would also hold Ken Norton to a draw two years later.) So, he did have talent. He wasn't amazing, but he did better work than a lot of people are willing to give him credit for doing during the course of his best years.
as far as accomplishments, i deffinetly place leon among the top 100 heavy weights of all time. leon was never great... i dont even know if he was very good, but he did what did with alot of heart. beat very very very very old but still tough champion and beat a cuban amature to get the gold in the olympics. im sure the arugment is alot closer then i would like to admit but as far as accomplishments go, i think he deserves to be in... he did win the title in around his 8th fight.
This is actually a very good point. I'm not sure if there was ever a fighter who won the crown with fewer bouts. What's more, is that even though Ali was well past his prime at 36, I can't help but think that other contenders took titles away from lesser champions than even an aging Ali. Christ, Louis won the belt against James Braddock who hadn't fought in over two years, and wasn't even remotely in Ali's league. Floyd Patterson won his first title in vacant fashion by decisioning 40 year old ex-lightheavy Archie Moore. Frazier won the vacant WBC title by beating ex-middleweight Jimmy Ellis, who hadn't fought in 17 months. The list continues. I think Leon's career may be a little bit better than we are giving it credit for.
Leon at best barely makes the top 100.He did beat a couple of decent heavyweights in addtion to Ali, but beyond that, his career falls dramatically.
In assembling a top 100 list (which I will never have time to do), the name Leon Spinks would never enter my mind.
No. He would n't finish in my top 100 for sure. Too many other more deserving cases. Like Buster Douglas,after him,he was very much a 'for one night only' fighter.