Spinks-Braxton, Underrated?

[Rocky Balboa]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JglSJNOlQY

That's a link to rounds one & two. I can't seem to find a link for hte whole fight. :(

Braxton was short for LHW at not even 5'7, while Spinks is listed at just over 6'2. I think this is one fight that is underrated. Its a testament to the defensive skills of both men that there wasn't a stoppage because heavy shots are consistantly thrown by both guys.

Spinks makes excellent use of the jab & shows good head movement. Spinks is one of the all-time greats at LHW!

[My2Sense]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JglSJNOlQY

That's a link to rounds one & two. I can't seem to find a link for hte whole fight. :(

Try the guy's channel. He has the whole fight uploaded now.

http://www.youtube.com/user/wayneBedfre

I think this is one fight that is underrated.

I agree. It was seen as a "disappointment" at the time because it didn't turn out to be the all-out war that most people were anticipating, but I still felt it was an interesting match nonetheless. It was fought at a fairly lively pace, with Qawi applying constant pressure and Spinks throwing a lot of punches. There were a few dramatic moments too, with Qawi being rocked onto his heels in the first round and Spinks dropped (for the first time in his career) later in the fight.

Spinks is one of the all-time greats at LHW!

I agree. He's a definite all-time top 5 LHW IMO (I usually rate him at #4, behind Charles, Tunney, and Moore, and above Foster), and he's a legitimate candidate for the all-time #1 spot.

[Grimm]

I always felt this was a great fight.

[Robinson]

I have always enjoyed Qawi's fights against both Spinks brothers.
In fact I seldom get bored watching Qawi.

[Ezzard]

Watched and scored this last night. I had it 143-141 for Spinks...

Braxton/Qawi
Buchanan
DeJesus
Rodrigo Valdez
Harold Johnson

were all amazing fighters thwarted by guys who were legends in their division.

[Seamus]

I'll try and score it tomorrow. I actually thought that at there best, Qawi was a better fighter. Great head movement and he sure could hammer the body. He was one of those guy like Tony Sibson, who got strong from working construction.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I'm a fan of both fighters. I'll have to be in the minority and say that while it was a fine performance from Michael, I didn't particularly enjoy the fight. It wasn't Page/Tubbs or anything totally putrid. But Qawi seemed sluggish to me and it lacked drama.

I think I had it 145-140, but I'm not gonna watch it again.

[King Carlos]

I've always thought of it as a brilliant tactical performance from Spinks's end. His use of lateral movement, consistently moving clockwise, dipping his head off to the left at the same instant he threw the jab to off-set Qawi's counter. Spinks actually looked graceful for stretches in there, which was a rarity.

[Ezzard]

I think there were some really big momentum swings in this fight. Both men were hurt at various points.

I miss 15 rounders so much…

There are a few moments where Braxton has Spinks in trouble but he can never quite capitalise. Spinks jab and movement pile on the points though.

[Seamus]

Fight appears to have been removed from Youtube. So instead I watched the two Qawi vs Saad Muhammad. Hadn't watched either in awhile. I remember in the first bout, how everyone was watching for MSM to start his comeback in the later rds, but Qawi never faded.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I haven't watched those since they aired live and I never will. That's like watching Holmes/Ali or Marciano/Louis for me.

[Ezzard]

I've seen the first fight once and seem to remember it should have been stopped much earlier.

[Seamus]

The second fight was even more one sided. MSM won a few flurries in the first fight, but the second time around, I think he got dropped in the 2nd and was already bleeding as Qawi just beat him around the ring, until it was stopped.

Anyone know what the odds were on the first fight ?

[Syntax Error]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JglSJNOlQY

That's a link to rounds one & two. I can't seem to find a link for hte whole fight. :(

Try the guy's channel. He has the whole fight uploaded now.

http://www.youtube.com/user/wayneBedfre

I think this is one fight that is underrated.

I agree. It was seen as a "disappointment" at the time because it didn't turn out to be the all-out war that most people were anticipating, but I still felt it was an interesting match nonetheless. It was fought at a fairly lively pace, with Qawi applying constant pressure and Spinks throwing a lot of punches. There were a few dramatic moments too, with Qawi being rocked onto his heels in the first round and Spinks dropped (for the first time in his career) later in the fight.

Spinks is one of the all-time greats at LHW!

I agree. He's a definite all-time top 5 LHW IMO (I usually rate him at #4, behind Charles, Tunney, and Moore, and above Foster), and he's a legitimate candidate for the all-time #1 spot.

Was Spinks dropped in that fight?

I thought Tyson was the only guy ever to floor Spinks as a pro?

[giacomino]

The thing with Qawi/Braxton-Saad Muhammad I is, at that point in their careers, you almost assumed Saad Muhammad would come back at some point. He had done it fight after fight. The problem for him was that Qawi was an absolute rock and couldn't be moved. Nothing Saad-Muhammad did could hurt him and Saad-Muhammad just took more and more punishment as the fight went on. He was finished as a top fighter by that fight.

I haven't watched Spinks-Braxton since I watched it live, and I remember it being pretty interesting but not quite the slugfest I expected. I thought Eddie Mustafa Muhammad had the style to outpoint Spinks in 1981, but he seemed to lose heart after he got thumbed

[Seamus]

Even though I gave MSM 2 rds in the first fight, he was never going to beat Braxton. The comination of his constant pressure, body punching, head movement, solid chin. and stamina insured there would be no late innings rally by MSM. Braxton-Qawi was one of the most exciting fighters of the 80's.

I thought EMM won the first 5 rds against Spinks, but then faded and barely survived. I remember him having an eye closed, but I didn't know it was from a thumb. If my memory serves me correctly, Spinks dropped EMM late with a beautiful 3 punch combination.

[Ezzard]

Even though I gave MSM 2 rds in the first fight, he was never going to beat Braxton. The comination of his constant pressure, body punching, head movement, solid chin. and stamina insured there would be no late innings rally by MSM. Braxton-Qawi was one of the most exciting fighters of the 80's.

I thought EMM won the first 5 rds against Spinks, but then faded and barely survived. I remember him having an eye closed, but I didn't know it was from a thumb. If my memory serves me correctly, Spinks dropped EMM late with a beautiful 3 punch combination.

Never seen that fight but I seem to remember that were was an issue with EMM making the weight? Spinks and his team refused to give ground and Eddie’s fans swear that he was weight weakened which is why he dropped off as the fight went on. They also bemoan that Spinks never gave him a rematch.

EMM falls into that 1980s waste of talent bracket. He really was an excellent fighter.

[Autobarn]

not a great fight. spinks effective but so ungainly. just far too tall for the little qawi. never really caught fire, due to the styles and height differences.

[dempseyfire]

not a great fight. spinks effective but so ungainly. just far too tall for the little qawi. never really caught fire, due to the styles and height differences.

Agreed. I don't see it as some under-rated classic. Not an awful fight but nothing I'd want to rewatch. Pretty one-sided besides Qawi having some limited success early and then late (doesn't he knock Spinks down in the 14th?)

[Ezzard]

I thought it was a good tactical battle. Spinks jab and strategic movement (see King Carlos's description) win him the fight. But Braxton puts the pressure on and wins many rounds and obviously has Spinks in trouble at various parts of the fight.

Spinks hits the canvas 3 times in the 9th (or 10th?) and one is called a a knockdown. He's tired and stumbling over Braxton's feet but I always thought that if you get hit by any punch (however innocuous) and go down then it's a KD.

Certainly saw it as a better fight than the recent Bradley-Alexander fight.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Even though I gave MSM 2 rds in the first fight, he was never going to beat Braxton. The comination of his constant pressure, body punching, head movement, solid chin. and stamina insured there would be no late innings rally by MSM. Braxton-Qawi was one of the most exciting fighters of the 80's.

I thought EMM won the first 5 rds against Spinks, but then faded and barely survived. I remember him having an eye closed, but I didn't know it was from a thumb. If my memory serves me correctly, Spinks dropped EMM late with a beautiful 3 punch combination.

Never seen that fight but I seem to remember that were was an issue with EMM making the weight? Spinks and his team refused to give ground and Eddie’s fans swear that he was weight weakened which is why he dropped off as the fight went on. They also bemoan that Spinks never gave him a rematch.

EMM falls into that 1980s waste of talent bracket. He really was an excellent fighter.

Eddie got schooled. He also was given a rematch and he missed weight and the fight got scrapped.

[Ezzard]

Even though I gave MSM 2 rds in the first fight, he was never going to beat Braxton. The comination of his constant pressure, body punching, head movement, solid chin. and stamina insured there would be no late innings rally by MSM. Braxton-Qawi was one of the most exciting fighters of the 80's.

I thought EMM won the first 5 rds against Spinks, but then faded and barely survived. I remember him having an eye closed, but I didn't know it was from a thumb. If my memory serves me correctly, Spinks dropped EMM late with a beautiful 3 punch combination.

Never seen that fight but I seem to remember that were was an issue with EMM making the weight? Spinks and his team refused to give ground and Eddie’s fans swear that he was weight weakened which is why he dropped off as the fight went on. They also bemoan that Spinks never gave him a rematch.

EMM falls into that 1980s waste of talent bracket. He really was an excellent fighter.

Eddie got schooled. He also was given a rematch and he missed weight and the fight got scrapped.

Sounds like I got myself confused on the facts... Knew there was a weigh in problem though.

What are your thoughts on Eddie?

[King Carlos]

I don't know if Gregory would've ever beaten Spinks, despite being the more talented fighter in my estimation. Spinks was just so well organised and consistent a performer over 15. A larger Arguello type, whereas Gregory was so often just a lazy bastard by comparison. He wasn't exactly a typical case, though. You'd think his lackadaisical work ethic would've possibly contributed to embarassing stoppage losses somewhere down the line, but he just never seemed to allow it to happen, regardless of whatever shape or mental condition he was in. Supremely arrogant guy, but not one of those bullies you'd back down by standing up to.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Never seen that fight but I seem to remember that were was an issue with EMM making the weight? Spinks and his team refused to give ground and Eddie’s fans swear that he was weight weakened which is why he dropped off as the fight went on. They also bemoan that Spinks never gave him a rematch.

EMM falls into that 1980s waste of talent bracket. He really was an excellent fighter.

Eddie got schooled. He also was given a rematch and he missed weight and the fight got scrapped.

Sounds like I got myself confused on the facts... Knew there was a weigh in problem though.

What are your thoughts on Eddie?

Very talented, tremendous chin. His beat down of marvin Johnson was like an instructional video on body punching. Susceptible to boxers and speed. He reminds me a lot of Toney in style and in mannerisms.

[Ambling Alp]

He was a great fighter. Arguably the best fighter not in the Hall of Fame. Besides the win over Johnson, he beat Saad Muhammad. Saad has been in the HOF since since 1998 and somehow Eddie still is not in. You could make a decent arguement for Johnson for that matter.

Mustapha Muhammad also beat Jerry Martin who was a very good fighter. Martin would have been the champion in many eras.