I think we can all agree that he was an ATG and among top 5 best lt heavies ever, a solid case could be made for him being the best at 175 ever. Spinks isn't one of those fighters who would give you the immediate wow-factor as he didn't have Ray Leonard's speed, Mike Tyson's combinations or Ali's movement. Still, he is in the same class as them all. What do you see being as the main reasons to that? I watched his fights the other day and I'd say Spinks' main qualities are the great quick jab, fluid right cross, excellent control of distance and underrated upper body movement as he is able to defend himself with neat, small moves. He isn't exceptionally heavy-handed, his speed is B+, he had a dependable chin but he could get buzzed etc. Is there something more to him that explains his splendid career, or is it these attributes added to the solid all-around package?
Great jab, devastating power in both hands (right cross, and left uppercut), very good handspeed, and a high ring IQ. Those were his best traits.
He had serious power in that right hand, but overall I'd agree with your assessment... The description of Spinks as not "looking" great but being great is spot on... He was an awkward looking guy, he didn't look smooth while in motion but the net result was just as effective... I think basically he was a guy with a bit of everything, the whole greater than the sum, etc. He's not a guy you'd think of first if you were going to show someone "a great fighter"... he doesn't look the part, but he was
I felt his performance against Tyson was particularly impressive. The way he just gave up and didn't try at all was truly remarkable.
If you are a former Lt Heavyweight who can hang and outfight Larry Holmes.....then you are good...real GOOD.
It makes me wonder if this in any was a help in how some opponents approached him. Watched some of his fights and/or clips and thought "he doesn't look all that impressive to me, I can take him easy".
could be If I was going to show someone a great Light heavyweight as a means of trying to illustrate what a great fighter looks like, I'd probably show them Archie Moore, Bob Foster, Roy Jones, etc.... someone whose technique and/or talent has an explosive quality to it... Moore's counterpunching, Foster's effortless power, Jones' blinding speed, etc. ... Yet Spinks, who I wouldn't bother showing anybody, ranks with every one of them
To this Day, REED Never Really GOT What was Sooooo "Great" about Carlos Monzon, yet the List of Names he Vanquished Makes it IMPOSSIBLE to Label him Anything to the Contrary...As Ugo Alluded to, the SAME Can Be Said for Michael Spinks... You Had to have Watched Spinks' Bouts IN CONTEXT, to Fully Appreciate Him...He's MOST Known for Being Mike Tyson Roadkill, Being THE 1st Lightheavy Champ to Win the Heavyweight Title & the Gift Decision Over Larry Holmes in their RE, but their was SUBSTANCE to him, Undeniably... The 1 CONSTANT w/Spinks was his AWKWARDNESS...He WASN'T a Particularly Smooooooth Mover, he was KNOCK KNEED, he Frequently Fought Wearing a Fucking Ace Bandage Looking Knee Brace & Defense WASN'T a Strong Suit, Necessarily...In an Era where MOST Black Fighters Adopted an Ali or Ray Leonard (ie., Flashy) Manner of Fighting, Spinks LACKED the Physical Gifts to Consistently Pull that Off vs. World Class Opposition... So he DIDN'T Even Try...REED Can Recall Having a Sense Spinks COULD Lose Many Fights, Up Until he WON It...A Lot of his Bouts HUNG in the Balance Loooooooooooonger than is Normally Perceived for "All Time Greats"...Going into his Bouts w/Murray Sutherland & Yacqui Lopez, there was DOUBT if Spinks Would Win...His "KO4" Over Marvin Johnson was MORE Competitive than the Official Verdict Suggests...In Fact, Johnson had Spinks Backed to the Ropes, when Spinks ENDED him w/a Single Uppercut from Close Range...There was a Sense the Title Shot vs. Eddie Mustafa Muhammad was a Tad Tooooooo Soooon as Well, Until Spinks Won Fairly Convincingly, of Course... Bear in Mind, Spinks Waged Every War REED Noted, in the Span of just 14 Months!!!... Winning a World Title IMPROVED Michael Spinks & Most his Defenses Became Showcases of his HEIGHT, LENGTH, Herky-Jerky RHYTHM & 2 Fisted POWER @ 175lbs...Jab-Right Cross...Combinations Here & There...Uppercuts from Close Range...SUBTLE Movements...RELIABLE Chin... Only Reason Spinks Moved Up to Heavy was Because he LITERALLY Exhausted his Options @ 175...The Holmes Fight was Looked @ as Spinks "Cashing Out"...Make your Money, Take your Loss & Move Back Down to '75...That was the Prevailing Wisdom Leading Up...Granted, Holmes was PAST his Best, but Spinks LEGITIMATELY Beat him in their Initial Clash, via Volume and Combination Punching He was More of a NUISANCE than a Threat to Holmes, yet Spinks Pocketed Enough Rounds to Make History...It Means NATHAN to Fans Now, but @ the Time, REED was Shocked by THE WAY Spinks Defeated Gerry Cooney, as Well...Sure, Cooney was Deeeeeeeeeeeep Into Drugs & Alcohol By Then, but Spinks was a VERY Undersized Heavy, who'd Exhibited ZERO Power when he Moved Up...Until he Beat the Brakes Off Cooney, that Is... Beyond What REED's Elaborated On, Spinks was ALSO Born & Raised in St. Louis, An Immediate Stamp of GREATNESS, @ Birth... REED:elmo:
Monzon is an excellent example of an indisputably legendary fighter who doesn't really "look" that way when you watch him... yet, the results make it clear
Spinks had more natural talent than Monzon, though. Spinks had fight ending power in both hands, and very good handspeed. Monzon was more of a heavy puncher than a big puncher, but he was VERY accurate. He also wasn't as fast-handed as Spinks. But the point about them is well taken.
Monzon's greatest abilities, to me, were his skill at dictating the pace of a fight... He consistently got his opponents to fight his fight at the tempo he wanted... and his ability to fight tall...
Also Monzon seemed to have huge upper body strength bit like Vitaly. He was able to keep his opponents off balance and throw them around with his left arm. He had a granite chin too, which made it possible for him to take risks when neefed. But yeah, he was much like Spinks in the sense that he was better than he seemed
Monzon Physical Advantages and Woman Beating = Worldstar Icon. Klitschko Physical Advantages and Humane Nature = Boring, Useless. ::
What made Spinks great is that the Soviet Union had not yet crumbled and all the best Americans were boxing thus allowing Spinks to look better.
Also the one good white fighter he had to face was a drunken Irish crackhead. I'll never forget the sight of Spinks old black racist ass sat at ringside for the Vitali vs Johnson fight. He was egging Johnson on something fierce. Loved it when Vitali fucked both of them that night.
Nothing like having your ol white racist ass point that out to us. Anyway, other than the prior 3 posts this was a nice informative thread. I wasn't heavy into boxing when Spinks was around so I never really saw too much of him.
