Leon Spinks(Ali 1) vs 2000 Evander Holyfield

I'm not trying to be argumentative I just think your missing some key points here.

John Ruiz is 230 pounds where as Spinks was barely 200 pounds and was more of a Cruiserweight.

I also think your overrating Spinks a tad here, Ali did nothing in their fight. And just allowed Spinks to wail away at him for 14 rounds without offering any resistance until 15th round.

If the smaller Spinks tries to swarm Holyfield or exchange punches with him he'll come off worse believe me.

 

Excellently worded.

 

I'm not overlooking or missing anything and if anything you are under rating an Olympic gold medalist that when healthy and not on drugs could fight at a pace that John Ruiz could only dream of. Again, Holyfield was not the same fighter in the 2000's and being heavy like Ruiz wouldn't help Spinks. It is his volume and combination punching that would be the factor not extra weight. In 2003 a 2017 pound James Toney landed right hand after right on a near defenseless Holyfield. He simply wasn't the same guy at that point and you could see that in the Ruiz fights. You're not changing my mind. I watched Bobby Chez and Vaugh Bean outwork Evander in the late 90's. He was slipping.

Regarding weight, Evander at that point was coming in around 220 for fights. He was naturally 200 pounds or less and I believe being bulky would not help him against Spinks. Ali was past his best but he still was beating top guys like Young, Shavers and Norton (disputed). He simply could not stop the swarming Spinks and in the rematch was allowed to hold and tie Spinks up on the inside.

 

Olympic gold medal doesn't really have any relevance to professional game, plenty of good Amateurs won a gold medal and didn't do much as a professional. Holyfield only won a bronze medal what does that prove ? not alot because Holyfield was by far a greater fighter than Spinks was in professional ranks.

Were specifically on about the year 2000 not 2003 as that's what thread asked, and Holyfield was a better fighter in 2000 than he was in 2003 when he lost to Toney. Plus Toney's style is completely different to Spinks and Toney would probably beat Spinks aswell at Cruiserweight.

Holyfield was lackluster vs Bean and Czyz but still beat them with ease without getting out of 2nd gear, and you also fail to mention that during that time Holyfield also had good performances vs Moorer 2, Lewis 2.

I mean i could just easily comeback and say what about Spinks drawing with LeDoux ? or getting blown out in 1 minute by Coetzee. Or a shot Ali beating Spinks with ease in the rematch.

Ali after Shavers fight was starting to develop early signs of Parkinson's, his speech slowing down was notable which i can quote you with experts who studied Ali's speech.

I don't know why you think Spinks beating a very lackluster Ali is that impressive, Spinks was in the right place at the right time. Fair play to him he took his chance but lets be real, Spinks never beat any other noteworthy Heavyweight apart from a lackluster Ali who was in early stages of Parkinson's.

Spinks doesn't have the physical presence or style to beat Holyfield even in 2000.

 

Move on. I don't agree with you and we can't get a time machine to bring 1977 Spinks back to life or 2000 Holyfield. We will never know which one of us is right.

P.s. I'm right

 

Never I'm gonna strap you to a chair until you see reason.

 

Holyfield by tko

 

I recall Ali tried to come on several rounds prior to that but again, I haven’t watched it for a long time.

 

Judge Art Lurie didn't think so- he thought Ali won, such was Ali's ability to fool some of the people all of the time, even when he did his best impression of a human punch bag.

 

Folks are not realizing Holyfield went 8-6-1 with one NC in the 2000's. Have to separate who he was in the 80's and 90's from what was left in the 2000. Leon was wildly inconsistent because of his substance abuse issues but the post was about Spinks from Ali 1. That guy was a sober and snarling buzzsaw of a fighter.

 

99-2000 Evander still beats Neon Leon, he wasn't that far gone yet,

 

After that fight, people would be saying: "Evander Holyfield is BACK!"

 

Let's not forget that the force ghost Ali got his redemption in their rematch. Holyfield had far more in the tank in '00 than Ali did against Spinks so even while he was slipping he had more than enough to beat Leon. Probably even stop him.