Muhammad Ali vs Leon Spinks I...35 Years Later

[elmersalsa]

Lots of people cried when the beloved great Muhammad Ali lost his world heavyweight crown to a novice of just 7 fights, the 1976 gold medal winner, Leon Spinks in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 15th, 1978. What really happened? Did Ali understimate Leon? Or he just lost the fight on purpose? Because the first 14 rounds, he just let Leon do whatever he wanted.

[MEISINGER]

i remeber watching that fight with my dad i was 9 years old.
and yes i cried.
the black superman should never be beaten by an amateur
i was crushed

[Expug]

Ali just got out hustled. He shoulda been retired at that point anyway. That was the kind of fight Ali was gonna lose at that period of his career. Against a young motivated guy who could set a fast pace,throw punches in bunches and not fear Alis power which of course was on the decline because a lot of snap was missing from his shots. I never understood how many were shocked. Like I mentioned,he was out hustled. It happens to older shop worn fighters. Even the great ones.

[elmersalsa]

Some people say that he let himself lose the fight so that he could win the heavy crown for a third time. At the time, nobody had ever won it 3 times. Another theory was that Ken Norton was the number one contender and he ducked Norton by losing to Spinks and make a mega fight rematch.

[yancey]

Ali just got out hustled. He shoulda been retired at that point anyway. That was the kind of fight Ali was gonna lose at that period of his career. Against a young motivated guy who could set a fast pace,throw punches in bunches and not fear Alis power which of course was on the decline because a lot of snap was missing from his shots. I never understood how many were shocked. Like I mentioned,he was out hustled. It happens to older shop worn fighters. Even the great ones.

^
This

[The Great John L]

Some people say that he let himself lose the fight so that he could win the heavy crown for a third time.

Anyone who said that must not have actually watched the fight because Ali got the living hell beaten out of him that night.

He lost because he was pretty much shot and didn't properly prepare. He probably thought that Spinks would pound on him for 5 or 6 rounds and then run out of gas.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

It was really an action packed fight. I didn't cry because I liked Leon from the Olympics as well as Ali. That was actually the first fight I was torn on and Leon put on a tremendous performance. Though Muhammad was past it, that kind of non-stop punching would have beaten a lot of guys.

[The Great John L]

It was really an action packed fight. I didn't cry because I liked Leon from the Olympics as well as Ali. That was actually the first fight I was torn on and Leon put on a tremendous performance. Though Muhammad was past it, that kind of non-stop punching would have beaten a lot of guys.

I was a huge Spinks fan, mostly because of his incredible amatuer performances. He came to the fight with Ali in great condition and with an excellent game plan. I remember how he punhced Ali on the arms, shoulders and hips while he was being rope-a doped.

And yes, his high energy, non-stop punching would have worn out many top HWs. It's too bad he lost focus after that fight.

[Ambling Alp II]

That is probably what doesn't get enough attention about this fight-Leon Spinks fought a pretty good fight. If he had beter management and was better focused, he could have had a much better career. For a fighter of that little pro experience to fight as well as he did was pretty impressive.

[HomicideHenry]

I won't make a comment on the fight, because a certain poster always follows me around and trolls the living piss out of me, but I will say this the two fights with Spinks showed just how little Ali really had left in the game. All the more so, when Ali following the bout rejected the idea of facing Gerrie Coetzee (#1 WBA contender) and instead went into looking at a 'rematch' with a man Ali had faced in the amateurs. When told this man would have to get ranked first in order to do so, Ali retired. He knew down deep that he had nothing left, he knew this before even fighting Leon Spinks. He dodged Ken Norton for a fourth encounter, to face a man who only got ranked in the top ten because he had a draw with Scott LeDoux. Nothing else. And following his fights with Ali, Spinks demonstrated to the world that he arguably never was meant to be heavyweight champion; he didn't have the mental toughness, or commitment to this business, to stay consistant. When he was blown away in three by Holmes, and in one by Coetzee, it was clear he had no business in boxing. He drops weight, and gets kayoed at Cruiserweight, etc. Ali/Spinks, for what it's worth, is the tale of a man who was at the end of the line, and the tale of a man whose journey to greatness was given to him too soon.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I respond to your silly posts, Rufus, you need to toughen up. Take the opportunity to learn something along the way. Jesus, you're supposed to be a fighter. It's funny how all the stupid posters call me a troll. I can certainly be an asshole, my "trolling" is poking holes through bullshit posts. And that is all you make.

[Nile4000]

Lots of people cried when the beloved great Muhammad Ali lost his world heavyweight crown to a novice of just 7 fights, the 1976 gold medal winner, Leon Spinks in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 15th, 1978. What really happened? Did Ali understimate Leon? Or he just lost the fight on purpose? Because the first 14 rounds, he just let Leon do whatever he wanted.

Didn't want to fight and lose to Kenny boy in a fourth fight, so he takes on a fighter who just barely makes it in the top ten, and fought the fight of his life, and beats the great Muhyammad Ali.

[spudder56]

It was really an action packed fight. I didn't cry because I liked Leon from the Olympics as well as Ali. That was actually the first fight I was torn on and Leon put on a tremendous performance. Though Muhammad was past it, that kind of non-stop punching would have beaten a lot of guys.

X2 but as you say Ali was in serious decline at that stage Leon beat a shell of the fighter Ali once was but still credit to Leon on his great performance

[Rover]

Not too many people know this,

But days after Leon Spinks won the Heavyweight Title over Muhammad Ali, a promoter by the nameof
Jimmy Colotto of 'Ringside Promotions' from Fayetteville, North Carolina offered Leon $1,000,000 'CASH'
and 'Tax Free' to come to North Carolina to defend his Title.

The promoter could care less if the WBC or WBA sanctioned the bout, as both organizations
were corrupt anyway. They planned to stage the event at the Cumberland County Arena.

Ringside Promotions associate - Ed McCarthy said he had a meeting with Bob Arum of Top Rank
Promotions to discuss the venue. They wanted to stage the bout in close proximity to Fort Bragg
and Camp LeJeune where Leon had fought as a Military Amateur.

The opponent, Clayman 'Sandman' Parker.

They wanted to stage a Championship Bout soon as possible, with fear that this would be the only chance to
get a Title Fight in North Carolina.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... UqLnmfmmzw

[SaadOffTheDeck]

It was really an action packed fight. I didn't cry because I liked Leon from the Olympics as well as Ali. That was actually the first fight I was torn on and Leon put on a tremendous performance. Though Muhammad was past it, that kind of non-stop punching would have beaten a lot of guys.

X2 but as you say Ali was in serious decline at that stage Leon beat a shell of the fighter Ali once was but still credit to Leon on his great performance

I did cry when Ali won the rematch. That was a crazy moment.

[Rover]

North Carolina Promoter - Jimmy Colotto

March 1, 1978

Wanted to set up an 'annuity' for Leon, where he would have received $100,000 'Tax-Free'
a year for 20-Years, if he accepted the bout in North Carolina.

Jimmy Colotto, "Mark my words, those leaches will suck this kid dry, and he will have nothing
within 5-years. You don't give a kid like Leon all that money in one lump, otherwise he'll
spend it faster than your eyes can blink. He doesn't understand the value of a dollar.
He thinks this will go on forever, and doesn't understand that it will all end as fast as it
came. The poor bastard doesn't know what he's in for."

How True...........

[SaadOffTheDeck]

North Carolina Promoter - Jimmy Colotto

March 1, 1978

Wanted to set up an 'annuity' for Leon, where he would have received $100,000 'Tax-Free'
a year for 20-Years, if he accepted the bout in North Carolina.

Jimmy Colotto, "Mark my words, those leaches will suck this kid dry, and he will have nothing
within 5-years. You don't give a kid like Leon all that money in one lump, otherwise he'll
spend it faster than your eyes can blink. He doesn't understand the value of a dollar.
He thinks this will go on forever, and doesn't understand that it will all end as fast as it
came. The poor bastard doesn't know what he's in for."

How True...........

Your mix of informative posts with complete bullshit is odd. What's next? How the fighters ducked the bouts on Harold Smith's card?

[Rover]

North Carolina Promoter - Jimmy Colotto

March 1, 1978

Wanted to set up an 'annuity' for Leon, where he would have received $100,000 'Tax-Free'
a year for 20-Years, if he accepted the bout in North Carolina.

Jimmy Colotto, "Mark my words, those leaches will suck this kid dry, and he will have nothing
within 5-years. You don't give a kid like Leon all that money in one lump, otherwise he'll
spend it faster than your eyes can blink. He doesn't understand the value of a dollar.
He thinks this will go on forever, and doesn't understand that it will all end as fast as it
came. The poor bastard doesn't know what he's in for."

How True...........

Your mix of informative posts with complete bullshit is odd. What's next? How the fighters ducked the bouts on Harold Smith's card?

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I was ten years old little trooper, the tears came at the end when a legend redeemed himself. I wouldn't cast stones, I've watched you cry over computer hypothesis.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I was ten years old little trooper, the tears came at the end when a legend redeemed himself. I wouldn't cast stones, I've watched you cry over computer hypothesis.

You should have watched the Alfredo Evangelista bout, because you would have went into your room
and hid in the closet and not come out for 6-Months because of the embarrassment.

No way you were walking the streets of South Philly with a Muhammad Ali T-Shirt after that fiasco,
unless you liked to get beat up.

I did, Ali had many dull fights. You should probably avoid the streets of Philly with your homemade Frazier sucks shirts. It's a shame you have such a tough time dealing with corrections. Many of your posts are informative, then you turn into a pouting little girl.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

[SaadOffTheDeck]

[ThatOne]

I don't think I cried but was sorely disappointed.

Muhammad Ali was shot. He really didn't look like himself after Zaire. I don't know how much we can infer from that performance. So much of his success was predicated on his other worldly athleticism and almost unhumanly quick reflexes. When those were gone all that was left was his will.

[yancey]

What is wrong with you,,,,,,,

Who Doesn't Love 'Smokin Joe'........ All-Time Great #1 On My List.

Never question the appreciation of Smokin Joe.............

re your sentiments on Smokin Joe

[SaadOffTheDeck]

What is wrong with you,,,,,,,

Who Doesn't Love 'Smokin Joe'........ All-Time Great #1 On My List.

Never question the appreciation of Smokin Joe.............

re your sentiments on Smokin Joe

Too bad he's lying.