Leon Spinks initiated the downfall of boxing icon Muhammad Ali, after which he himself became a tragic figure in sport. He died two years ago today
Muhammad Ali was no longer the greatest when he met Leon Spinks – at least not the greatest of the time.
The “Rumble in the Jungle” against George Foreman and his classics against Joe Frazier had been a while ago on February 15, 1978, but he was still world champion and the sport’s most popular figurehead.
And he had only been beaten twice, by Frazier and Ken Norton. And he won not just one, but two rematches against both of them. The nimbus of the phenomenon was intact. But it was not to stay that way.
The underdog Spinks – who died two years ago today – inflicted a defeat on him that was not yet Ali’s end. But clearly the beginning of the end
Leon Spinks shocked Muhammad Ali in 1978
The 36-year-old Ali was visibly out of shape and far from the glory of days gone by when the St. Louis-born Spinks – who had only had seven professional fights – surprised him in Las Vegas, dominated him, defeated him on points and dethroned him as champion.
This was not all bad news for the boxing industry at the time, the fame of “The Greatest” was still so great that the rematch in the Superdome in New Orleans attracted 70,000 spectators and generated record revenues.
The second duel also went the full distance and clearly went to Ali, who became world champion for the third time – but even as the winner, he was nowhere near the level of earlier days.
Ali ended his career after the fight, his retirement resulted in clear defeats against Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick, Ali began to show the first symptoms of his Parkinson’s disease at the time
Leon and Michael Spinks first heavyweight world champion brothers
For the former US Marine Spinks – 1976 Olympic light heavyweight champion – the victory against Ali remained the biggest success of his professional career, he lost his next big fight against the later champion Gerrie Coetzee as well as another title fight against Holmes in 1981.
“Neon Leon” – whose trademark was his lost front teeth – himself acquired the image of a tragic figure in sport due to his chronic failure after his greatest victory.
Leon Spinks ended his boxing career in 1995 after 46 professional fights, of which he won 26 (14 by knockout) and lost 17, with three ending in draws. Spinks also made several forays into wrestling. At NJPW in Japan, he fought several matches against show-fighting legend Antonio Inoki – like Ali before him – and the Far East League FMW even made him champion in 1992.
Another historical detail: when Leon’s brother Michael Spinks was also crowned champion in 1985, they became the first pair of brothers to hold heavyweight world titles – ahead of Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. However, Michael Spinks is best remembered for his quick defeat in the 1988 mega-fight against Mike Tyson.
Brother Leon Spinks, who was the winner in another landmark fight, died on February 5, 2021 after suffering from prostate cancer.
The talent of the Spinks family was also evident in the generation after him: Leon’s son Cory Spinks held various world championship belts in different weight classes.
