Spinks vs. Spinks: Leon Profile 2

Almost immediately, Spinks signed to a rematch with Muhammad Ali. In a 15-round contest, Ali took advantage of his height and leaned on Spinks throughout while landing jabs and right hands, beating Spinks on points to recalim his title and become the first man to win the World Heavyweight Championship thrice.

By this point, Spinks had already received universal recognition for his incredibly fast ascent. But unfortunately, Spinks' fall from grace has overshadowed that. Following his defeat at the hands of Ali, Spinks was knocked out in the first round by Gerry Coetzee. This was the beginning of the end for him. The rest of his career was marked with mediocrity; his final record at retirement was 26 wins, 17 losses, and 3 draws.


While it's difficult to say what might have been had Spinks stayed the course, one thing that we can say for sure is that this man, Leon Spinks, rose faster than any other fighter in history, beating the legendary Ali, and earned more respect in just a few years than most people do in a lifetime. He certainly remains one our favorites here at Athletes and Eras, and who could ever forget that famous toothless grin?

Spinks currently enjoys retirement, staying out of the spotlight, and is involved in numerous charity activities. 

Questions or concerns? Comment below or email us at AthletesandEras@gmail.com!
Like us on Facebook.