BoxRec

For some reason I always liked Leon Spinks, even as a kid seeing him on TV with Ali, Coetzee, Holmes, he just came off as a good person, real. And he also shows a gentlemanly side in this interview. Say what you want about how he may have mishandled his fame and fortune but Leon Spinks was Heavyweight Champion of the World.

http://thebiofile.com/2010/10/biofile-c ... on-spinks/

montrealsuper wrote:For some reason I always liked Leon Spinks, even as a kid seeing him on TV with Ali, Coetzee, Holmes, he just came off as a good person, real. And he also shows a gentlemanly side in this interview. Say what you want about how he may have mishandled his fame and fortune but Leon Spinks was Heavyweight Champion of the World.

http://thebiofile.com/2010/10/biofile-c ... on-spinks/

A good person? Really!?

You have pretty low standards.

Goodnight, Irene wrote:

montrealsuper wrote:For some reason I always liked Leon Spinks, even as a kid seeing him on TV with Ali, Coetzee, Holmes, he just came off as a good person, real. And he also shows a gentlemanly side in this interview. Say what you want about how he may have mishandled his fame and fortune but Leon Spinks was Heavyweight Champion of the World.

http://thebiofile.com/2010/10/biofile-c ... on-spinks/

A good person? Really!?

You have pretty low standards.

It's a sliding scale in boxing.

Well GI sets the standards I suppose.

Leon dropped in the Club Mai Kai on several occasions when I performed there. Him and his brother both seemed like good people with demonstrated humility. They both were hard working for much of their lives and dedicated to the sport. They grew up in a poor neighborhood in East St Louis. And as can be the case when success struck for both of them they faced some serious challenges. Mike seemed to fare a bit better than his brother. I'm not sure saying that Leon is good guy is setting your standards low. I was told from those who knew him better than me, that he demonstrated a lot of generosity and was likely to lend a hand to those he came in contact with, that were in need. IN fact I hear that's why he doesn't have a lot left....AND I hear he is not a bitter man. Something that rings true from the few times I was in his presence. He seemed to have a forgiving and sensible nature about him.

Yep he made some bad choices, and perhaps his personal compass didn't always lead him to true north. But I'm not sure he was a bad guy in any way shape or form.

jrc26 wrote:

Goodnight, Irene wrote:

montrealsuper wrote:For some reason I always liked Leon Spinks, even as a kid seeing him on TV with Ali, Coetzee, Holmes, he just came off as a good person, real. And he also shows a gentlemanly side in this interview. Say what you want about how he may have mishandled his fame and fortune but Leon Spinks was Heavyweight Champion of the World.

http://thebiofile.com/2010/10/biofile-c ... on-spinks/

A good person? Really!?

You have pretty low standards.

It's a sliding scale in boxing.

Oh yeah....and Leon never missed a party.....is that the mark of a bad guy?

Leon has to be the funniest HW ever. If you ever see a copy of 'Punchlines: Berger on Boxing'...get it. There's a chapter on Leon and he's depicted as naive, generous and a sitting duck for parasites. According to the book Michael kicked him in the shins at one point to get him to see that he was pissing it all away. It almost ended in fisticuffs between the brothers. There's some seriously funny stuff in the book about Leon

p.s. Qawi taunting him in their fight was way below the belt

BoxBuzz wrote:Leon dropped in the Club Mai Kai on several occasions when I performed there.

I daren't ask...

I've mentioned before that I am a musician. Club Mai Kai was about a 4+ year, 5 night a week contract for me. Located near the St Louis Airport. I was playing there from 77 to 82.

Just down the street Nick Nixon performed for many years ( some may be aware of him, if you know anything about St Louis Club Scene.

BoxBuzz wrote:I've mentioned before that I am a musician. Club Mai Kai was about a 4+ year, 5 night a week contract for me. Located near the St Louis Airport. I was playing there from 77 to 82.

Just down the street Nick Nixon performed for many years ( some may be aware of him, if you know anything about St Louis Club Scene.

Oh, man, that is pure comedic gold.

Think so? How about a contract at the Dorsett INN in St Louis for six months before that? For my money that's even funnier. If you knew the place you'd laugh. My life is full of hilarious one liners.

During this time I caught a few of Aaron Pryors fights. And of course I have always felt it my mission to share some of the truths of which I was witness. lol.

BoxBuzz wrote:Think so? How about a contract at the Dorsett INN in St Louis for six months before that? For my money that's even funnier. If you knew the place you'd laugh. My life is full of hilarious one liners.

During this time I caught a few of Aaron Pryors fights. And of course I have always felt it my mission to share some of the truths of which I was witness. lol.

The Dorsett? I'd love to have caught your act, Buzz.