So why'd Michael Spinks retire...?

Speaking of his health, does anyone know if he's punchdrunk today?

 

I don't think he is, but I know he gave up on Leon. I think he's still going along just fine, but I don't think he still has all of the millions he earned, I think he is sort of upper middle class, or lower upperclass (yes I made that last one up).

 

I think Michael is still doing OK financially. I haven't read anything in the last 20 years to suggest that he was anywhere near bankruptcy, and in fact, he made a few bucks promoting a few fighters, including his relative Cory Spinks. M. Spinks is a smart fellow who had a reputation for managing his money well and staying out of trouble.

I agree with Bill's statement however, that he has cut most of his ties with his brother Leon. Frankly, I don't blame him. In 1997, I ran into Leon Spinks at the Chicago Palmer House Hilton Hotel. He was one of maybe only 4 people ( including myself ) drinking in the bar at 12 AM. I was down there for business purposes, and enjoying a few late night spirits. I engaged in a 5 minute conversation with him, most of which was uncomprehensable, when he asked if I would buy him a few drinks. Thats when I realized how bad off he was, and just threw him a $20 dollar bill and said " later dude ".

 

How do you think michael spinks would have done against the following heavyweights from the 80s?
Tony tucker
Tim Witherspoon
John Tate
Bonecrusher Smith
Buster Douglas
Trevor Berbick
Pinklon Thomas
Gerrie Coetzee
Greg Page
Tony Tubbs
Miek Weaver

 

I'm not going to take the time to go through this whole list in its entirety, but I feel that Spinks could have faired well against a lot of these fighters, if well trained and properly motivated.

Page, Douglas, Smith, and Berbick were beaten by fighters who were of far less quality than Spinks. Berbick for example, was outboxed by St. Gordon who was a cruiserweight, and Douglas was drawn with against Tangastad and beaten by Ferguson and White. Page was defeated by so many low quality fighters its hard to even keep track.

I think Spinks would have struggled against a fighter like Tim Witherspoon, who gave even the best of natural heavyweights trouble, but on an off night? Who knows?

 

If spinks would have defeated 4-5 more heavyweights from 85-89, his legacy would be so much bigger, its a shame that he decided to leave after a 32 fight career.

 

He also comes across as a likable person with a cheerful attitude, a personality which would work well in a broadcasting medium, if he were to pursue such a career in the future. I remember him guest commentating on a few bouts, and he did an entertaining, intelligent and energetic job. (His contemporaries, Saad Muhammad and Mustafa Muhammad, would also be very good at that kind of work. Matt is extremely well-spoken, and Eddie has a wit and sense of humor which go over well on a telecast.)

At the age Michael retired at, it can be a challenge to continue for a lifetime without producing further income, no matter how much one has salted away, or how carefully it's managed. (Joltin' Jeff Chandler wasn't reckless with his earnings, yet he was down to around $40,000 left when enshrined in the IBHOF.) Without the financial arrangement which set Joe Frazier up with a guaranteed lifetime source of income while still at his peak, Smoke would almost surely be destitute today.

My understanding is that he still maintains an active partnership with Butch Lewis, and they have appeared together in the past at IBHOF Induction Weekend. The media vultures feed on sordid stories like the downfalls of Tyson, Ali and Louis. There is no such news about Michael, and in his case, I would intrepret no news as being good news. While I don't no much about his personal life since hanging up the gloves, I would imagine that he might have put his daughter through college by this time (which can be a costly venture itself, when paying cash up-front for it).

 

Why not go fOr a rematch? If he got $18 mil for the first fight, he could have easily gotten $5-10mil... maybe a bit more for a rematch. He could have built the fight by saying it was a fluke or something like that. Best case scenario he beats Tyson, worst case he gets ko'd in the first ( nothing different). Another big payday

 

I remember reading at the time that he retired to take care of his kids as his common-law wife,Sandra Massey,had been killed in an accident.Anyone?

 

Duo,I believe Butch Lewis passed away not to long ago.Again,anyone?

 

I typed that old post in October 2007. Butch died of a massive heart attack at age 65 last July 23rd, nearly four years later.

 

Cheers,man:good.Always liked Butch.Thought he was good for the sport.The shirtless tux look was hilarious !!!!!!!!

 

I'd imagine he sensed his own decline and thought he had nothing left to prove.

An amazing career, lots of money made, his faculties intact. He probably felt himself slowing in the gym and in sparring, and when he ran into Tyson, it was probably a clear indicator that his time at the top of his division was over.

Sometimes fighters don't want to continue if they can't be at the very top of the sport. Just a small decline from top 5 to something less can lead a proud champion to call it quits. Oscar De La Hoya. and Sugar Ray Leonard come to mind.

 

It speaks volumes for him that he continued the close relationship with Michael that he did throughout their lives after. Yeah, I liked Butch too. He seemed like much more of a big brother to Michael than Leon ever coulda been. I remember how hoarse his voice was when he was interviewed with Michael the morning after Holmes I, after screaming his head off. The two of them together may have been the most fun post fight interview I've ever seen. (Caller: "Mike, how's the added weight feel?" Michael, thoughtfully looking down at his body as he bounced up and down on the sofa: "It feels good!" Another caller: Mike, whoya gonna make your first defense against? Michael, looking at Butch as they're giggling together: "Uh gee, I didn't think about that! I guess now I gotta defend it, don't I Butch?")

Earlier, I remember Michael's downcast dejection when the rematch with Eddie Mustafa Muhammad fell through. Easy Eddie failed to make the 175 weight limit necessary for a title return. At first, Butch and Michael decided to go ahead with a non title bout, so Mustafa Muhammad would have no excuses for losing, but then they decided "not to dignify Eddie" in a raucous press conference. The failure of this to come off left Michael with his head bowed in dejection, while Butch was wiping tears off his face. Eddie has only himself to blame for not being in top shape when they did square off, and when the rematch fell through. Butch and Michael actually wanted a championship defense rematch for the now undisputed LHW Title worse than Mustafa Muhammad wanted a shot at it. I think they did the right thing skipping a non title return. Eddie later made 175 with ease for Mwale. Why did he fail when it really mattered?