Michael Spinks vs Matthew Franklin

I'm gonna go with the one that beat Qawi

 

What a fight. I'm to partial to Franklin to give an unbiased pick

 

I love MSM, but lean towards Spinks in a late TKO.

 

It's a good fight. Saad's jab could be a big factor here if he doesn't neglect it. I see him starting well, or at least faster than Spinks, who will be cautious at first. Then as he's pressed a little more he'll begin opening up and keeping Saad at bay to a degree. Spinks boxes the rest of the way and withstands a furious late-round rally to win a close decision.

 

Spinks would have taken Saad apart.

 

When the fight was talked about happening, Saad had just been in way too many wars. How many wars was Spinks in? And yet he deteriorated without ever having to absorb about 20% of the punishment /Saad did.

As for the bout, Spinks. Sooner or later Saad will get caught clean. Everyone landed punches on Saad and so would Mike Spinks.

 

Spinks way to smart in there ..hes not gonna go wild and start flailing away when he hurts saad which usually allowed saad to bomb his way back into the fight...hes just the total package at 175

 

When would you say Spinks deteriorated Zad? The only thing that ever deteriorated was his knee. Spinks wasn't in wars so to speak at 175 because he was such a great fighter. Remember he did make the move to Heavyweight and fought Holmes twice. The Tyson loss tells us nothing really except that Michael was never going to bother a very good prime heavyweight. He was in way over his head.

Agree Spinks would catch Saad and stop him. It would take a while as Spinks started slow but when push came to shove he would have got those bombs in and he never needed too many. He was a terrifying puncher at 175. He was also extremely versatile.

 

Spinks had some wear and tear from the holmes fights. Those quick twitch reflexes of his were not as fast anymore. He sure did not look good in the beginning of the cooney fight either---and that guy was right in front of him to avoid or to land punches on. And yep, those legs went. Like lots of guys, when his legs went it meant very selective matchmaking. Which Butch Lewis did.

But I did not like those reflexes in the 2nd Holmes fight---there were openings and for some reason Michael just was not throwing. He'd just move away but it was like he was at 2/3 speed to do anything. Never did pull the trigger with that sneaky right hand of his. Now Larry had lost quite a bit by that point in time, so the faults were not magnified. They sure got magnified stepping in the ring with a youthful and hungry fighter in Tyson. Before that, it was always Michael as the youth & now it was his turn for the role reversal.

 

What in the world does that have to do with him as a light-heavy?

 

I read on one of these forums from a Philly insider who noted that even a young, inexperienced Spinks gave contender/future champ Franklin lots of problems sparring in Philadelphia gyms (circa late 70's).

 

I love Saad but you can't see him beating Spinks, he'll have some rough moments but Spinks stops him in a bloody late beatdown

 

I love Saad but Spinks was a higher caliber of fighter .. too fast, too hard hitting .. Saad even at his best got hit too much .. he would make a war of it and certainly had a shot but I see Spinks outboxing him and hitting him at some point enough for a possible stoppage or if not a decision ..

 

MSM is probably my favorite all time light-heavyweight. But Michael within 12 rounds.

I always felt Spinks might have ended up the greatest light heavy of all time had he stayed there, instead of dubiously beating a heavier champ four years past his prime and then getting his head kicked in a couple of years later. But hey, he saw the money! Good for him.