NEVER seen this before! If you fast-forward past the speeches of the Russian ambassador, Bill Cayton, Eddie Futch, and Don King, Spinks takes the podium at around the 23 min mark. Damn, anybody who watched this conference at the time should have known Tyson had this on lock. Spinks was VISIBILITY shook and intimidated even here. Mike was cool, and calm as Hell like he had no doubt whatsoever of the outcome. I think post-Douglas, and especially post-prison, Mike's confidence was a front and he doubted his ability. But at this point in time, in 88, I truly feel that he thought of himself as invincible.
o_O or perhaps even invincible:) Thanks for the interesting find. I am not sure how to read Spinks here, to me he always sounded like he didn't want to fight
LOL. Fixed dickhead. It's early in the morning. Spinks was a hard guy to read, but I had watched interviews from the early 80s with him and Saad, and he came across as pretty confident that he would whup Saad if that fight came off. He definitely didn't exihibit that same vibe here.
´Trump Plaza, where everyone can become rich...just if you´re lucky...because it just isn´t fair for Trump to have it all and you to have none. He wants to share it with you...´
Caller: ´Micheal, youre coming in at 210, the heaviest you´ve ever been, how do you fight a tactical fight with all that extra weight´´ Michael: ´Errr...´ (blah-blah-no idea what to say)´...er....stutter.....stutter´ (still no idea what to say, clearly terrified even at the fuckin Presser) (Tyson pretending to be asleep) No idea why people sw this as Tyson´s ´defining fight´ - I said it in 1988 and I´ve always held that opinion...
Here is the post fight conference. Interesting looking at Don King and Keven Rooney in the background arguing. King was being especially obnoxious that night.
Spinks was a cowardly cunt. Never seen an undefeated great fighter quit like that...quit before the fight even started. I remembered Spinks saying something to the effect of "The night of the fight will be sadly for everyone, because someone's 0 must go, mine or his". He didn't speak as someone who thought he could win or even wanted to try to win.
I wouldnt call him a cowardly cunt. He just didnt know how to beat Tyson. The man went in there throwing over hand rights and maybe like 2 jabs. He just wasnt well prepared or shook.
I wouldnt call him a cowardly cunt. He just didnt know how to beat Tyson. The man went in there throwing over hand rights and maybe like 2 jabs. He just wasnt well prepared or shook.
Love him or hate him, Mike was the last AUTHENTIC bad ass in combat sports. Not a "for the cameras, and for social media" bad ass like Floyd and McGregor. No throwing up hundred dollar bills on stage to look cool, no wearing a "fuck you" suit jacket to appear tough. Just an aura of "I can beat up any man on Earth.... and what?"
Mike was the ultimate showing money guy man. This guys spent so much money on stupid shit and threw money around like it was Candy. That is why he is so fucking broke right now.
Mike was huuuuuuuuuge! I remember the marketing for him before he became champion (most of you hear would be too young to remember). He was marketed in such a way I thought he was a movie character like Rocky. They showed his KO reel like the opening scenes of Rocky 3. When I found out that he was a real fighter and not some fiction I was hooked. Then the Berbick fight happened and he was a motherfucking superstar overnight. "That's it, that's all and we have a new era in boxing!"
Not sure Tyson had a promotional strategy. Boxing was huge in the 80s. he was the champ and was knocking people out. So naturally, people came to see him. When Floyd talks about what he will do to his opponents, he doesnt bring up money as a weapon. He talks about what he has done his whole career. The money is the reward.
Anthony owned you with his photos. Don't try to change the topic. Tyson flaunted his wealth as well. You just hate Floyd. To your point though (in your defense)...Tyson marketed himself with knockouts! Floyd doesn't generate that type of excitement inside the ring so he's forced to use other means.
The Presser was VINTAGE Spinks, Actually... He was NEVER Terribly Fond of Fighting and Even Held a 9-to-5 for the 1st Year or So After WINNING a Gold Medal @ the '76 Olympics...If he were Near as Good @ ANYTHING Else in Life, it's Doubtful he'd have EVER Turned Pro... Tyson was the Most EXPLOSIVE, Most IMPOSING Creature Spinks Ever Encountered, so Sure, he was Nervous...But it's Not Like he was in the Fetal Position, Crying, Blowing Out Snot Bubbles and Shit... Spinks Spoke Openly About Having a DEGREE of Fear Prior to EVERY Fight, Not Just the Tyson Fight... REED
1nce the Bell Rang, Spinks COMPETED, Undoubtedly...He Just Got Mowed Down by a Naturally Bigger, Stronger, Faster, More Athletic, More Powerful Man... To Suggest he Quit is Strange, Especially Considering the Shots he was Hit w/...A BRUTAL Uppercut, MEATY Bodyshot, then the KILL Shot... Tyson's ENDED Fighters w/Fewer Flushly Landed Shots... REED
I seem to be the only one who noticed footage of Spinks' dressing room before the fight (perhaps they have since destroyed the footage) but I clearly saw spinks having a meltdown and not wanting to get into the ring and the Butch Lewis and his handlers had to calm him down...then they noticed the cameras, and closed the door quickly. I'm not making this up. Spinks wanted none of it. He came in the ring and tried to fight but his heart wasn't in it. Yes, Tyson hit him with a couple hard punches...but this wasn't Spinks' first rodeo and I don't think he'd even been on teh canvas before. I'm convinced he let himself get knocked out and pretended he was more hurt than he was.
