Michael Spinks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Michael Spinks |
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Spinks in 1987
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| Real name | Michael Spinks | |||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | Jinx | |||||||||||||
| Rated at |
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| Height | 6 ft 2+1/2 in | |||||||||||||
| Reach | 76 in | |||||||||||||
| Born | July 22, 1956 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S |
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| Stance | Orthodox | |||||||||||||
| Boxing record | ||||||||||||||
| Total fights | 32 | |||||||||||||
| Wins | 31 | |||||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 21 | |||||||||||||
| Losses | 1 | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Michael Spinks (born July 22, 1956) is a retired American professional boxer who was a world champion in two different weight classes. He was the undisputed light heavyweight champion from 1983 to 1985 and the lineal heavyweight champion from 1985 to 1988. Before turning pro, he won a gold medal as an amateur at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Spinks was known by the nickname "Jinx." This led to the name for his powerful right-hand punch: "the Spinks Jinx." He is the brother of another famous boxer, Leon Spinks, who was also a world heavyweight champion. This makes them one of the few pairs of brothers to both hold heavyweight titles.
Spinks had an amazing career, winning his first 31 professional fights. He became the undisputed light heavyweight champion by defeating tough opponents like Dwight Muhammad Qawi and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. After defending his title 10 times, he moved up to the heavyweight class. In a historic fight, he defeated the long-reigning champion Larry Holmes. This made Spinks the first light heavyweight champion to ever win the heavyweight title. His only loss came in his final fight against Mike Tyson.
Because of his incredible achievements, Spinks is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Many experts consider him one of the greatest light heavyweight boxers of all time.
Contents
Amateur Boxing Career
Before he became a professional, Spinks was a successful amateur boxer. In 1974, he won the Golden Gloves Light Middleweight Championship. In 1976, he won the National Golden Gloves Middleweight championship.
His biggest amateur achievement came at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. He competed in the middleweight division and won the gold medal for the United States. He only had to fight two opponents to win the gold because other fighters dropped out. He defeated Rufat Riskiyev from the Soviet Union in the final match to secure his victory. Spinks finished his amateur career with a strong record of 93 wins and only 7 losses.
Professional Boxing Career
Starting Out
Spinks became a professional boxer on April 17, 1977. He won his first fight by knockout in the first round. This was the start of a 31-fight winning streak. In his early years, he fought and defeated many skilled boxers, moving up the ranks. By 1980, he was beating top contenders and getting closer to a title shot.
Becoming a World Champion
In 1981, Spinks earned a chance to fight for the WBA light heavyweight title. On July 18, he faced champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. Spinks won the fight by a 15-round decision and became the new world champion.
In January 1983, Spinks faced a personal tragedy when his wife, Sandy Massey, died in a car accident. This left him as a single father to their two-year-old daughter, Michelle.
Unifying the Titles
Despite his personal loss, Spinks continued his career. Boxing fans wanted to see a unification fight between Spinks and the WBC champion, Dwight Muhammad Qawi. The two champions met on March 18, 1983.
Spinks controlled the fight with his smart boxing style. He won a clear decision and became the undisputed light heavyweight champion, holding both the WBA and WBC titles. He later added the IBF title in 1984. He defended his undisputed title several times, proving he was the best in his weight class.
Moving to Heavyweight
Spinks vs. Holmes
In 1985, Spinks decided to move up to the heavyweight division to challenge the champion, Larry Holmes. Holmes had an undefeated record of 48 wins and 0 losses and was hoping to tie Rocky Marciano's record of 49–0.
On September 21, 1985, Spinks made history. He won a close 15-round decision against Holmes, becoming the first light heavyweight champion to ever win the heavyweight world title. The victory was a huge upset and is remembered as one of the biggest in boxing history. Michael and his brother Leon were now the first brothers to both be heavyweight champions.
Heavyweight Champion
Spinks defended his heavyweight title in a rematch against Holmes in 1986, winning again by a split decision. He then defeated Steffen Tangstad by knockout. In 1987, he chose to fight Gerry Cooney instead of a mandatory challenger, so the IBF stripped him of their title belt. Spinks knocked out Cooney in five rounds. Many people still saw Spinks as the true champion.
Spinks vs. Tyson
Fans wanted to see a fight between Spinks and the new unified champion, Mike Tyson. The highly anticipated match took place in June 1988. The fight was very short. Tyson knocked Spinks down twice and won by knockout in just 91 seconds. This was the first and only loss of Spinks's professional career. He retired from boxing after this fight.
Legacy and Life After Boxing
Spinks is remembered as one of the greatest light heavyweight fighters in history. He was the only light heavyweight champion to stay undefeated throughout his time in that division until Joe Calzaghe did it later. His move to the heavyweight division and victory over an undefeated champion like Larry Holmes was a legendary achievement.
The Ring magazine has ranked Spinks as the third-greatest light heavyweight of all time and one of the best fighters of the last century.
After retiring, Spinks has mostly stayed out of the public eye. He lives in Delaware and is known for visiting schools to inspire children. He brings his gold medal and championship belts and encourages kids to follow their dreams. "Most of the kids don't have a clue who I am," he has said, "but they listen when they see all the gold."
Titles in Boxing
- WBA, WBC, and IBF Light Heavyweight Champion (undisputed)
- IBF Heavyweight Champion
- The Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Champion
