Say after Tyson demolishes him, Spinks looks to get himself back into the title picture. So he faces Holyfield. If Spinks put up a good losing effort against Holy, or even beat him? (And then Tysons career continues as it did) How would that affect Tysons legacy (if in any way?) Holmes but up a decent effort a few years after getting destroyed by Tyson. Would Spinks have done any better?
He would not have gone anywhere and choose the perfect time to retire. There was a new sheriff on the block and he'd never come back from that brutal ko loss. How many guys do? A young undefeated machine like Holyfield is the worst guy to face. Maybe a Douglas/Carl Williams/Bruno type but I don't think he'd last through those fights. Those bad knees and a brutal ko translates to coming back at about 75%. That version is in lots of trouble.
When he was 37, noise was made about Michael coming back. On ESPN, Al Bernstein commented that it wouldn't be a good idea for him to attempt this as a heavyweight, but that he might well remain extremely viable at 175, never having had any previous difficulty coming in under that limit. He'd long since mastered the conditioning principles he'd learned from Mackie Shilstone, was a brilliantly experienced and savvy operator in competition, and may well have regained the services of Eddie Futch for any comeback attempt. It was a passing notion though, and nothing ever became of it.
