John Henry may be a top-five ATG at 175 but as we only have the Louis footage on which to really assess him afaik, it’s difficult to say. I think Spinks is the most complete package ever at light heavyweight so I’ll go with him. As only the Brown Bomber ever stopped Lewis (and John Henry was damaged goods at that point garnering a last payday), I’ll have to say Michael by decision.
John Henry Lewis by decision. John Henry Lewis was a champ in a much tougher era, an era populated by harder men, many more fighters and different, varied styles, plus Lewis has many more fights than Spinks and didn’t have Spinks’ prima dona, red carpet treatment from amateur on. Also, Spinks looks ******ed and is grossly uncoordinated, so I’m sure if he wasn’t fighting in an anaemic modern era like the 80’s where many prospective boxers where actually playing pro basketball or gridiron, or had fallen prey to crack cocaine, we would have had a proper 175lb champion worthy of past titans. JHL schools the uncoordinated Spinks, but doesn’t stop him because he is fights half-blind like an aged alpha-Lion. If Lewis had two eyes, he’s brutalise Spinks into submission with a quit stoppage in the mid-rounds.
I haven’t see much of Lewis but his resume is pretty solid. And to fight in like 100 pro fights in such a short time was incredible. Not sure who should be favored. Both he and Spinks are awesome
Spinks would have been lucky to get a job as sparring partner in the 30's let alone being able to rise to contender status.
