It really is so unfair that the great Michael Spinks, who conquered the world at both light-heavyweight and heavyweight and gave the world some truly special ring performances courtesy of his “Jinx,” is best remembered for his swift KO loss to Mike Tyson.
Admit it: whenever you hear Michael Spinks’ name, you instantly think of one fight. It’s unavoidable – you think of the demolition job an intimidated Spinks was the victim of against a peak Mike Tyson.
A fight between former heavyweight champions, Michael Spinks and James “Buster” Douglas, would have been quite interesting back in the 1990s – both men having faced Mike Tyson quite recently, with Buster pulling off THE upset, and with Spinks being parked inside the most famous (or infamous) 91-seconds in boxing.
What were you doing 35 years ago today, this when the fight dubbed “One And For All” went down at the Convention Hall in Atlantic City?
40 years ago today, two modern day greats met in a light heavyweight unification showdown that had been demanded by the fans.
Michael Spinks had an outstanding Hall of Fame career. Spinks is the former undisputed light heavyweight world champion, who also became the first light heavyweight champion in history to go on to win the heavyweight crown, when Spinks won the IBF belt and the lineal heavyweight championship from the great Larry Holmes in 1985.
Both men had been in with Larry Holmes: Michael Spinks making a piece of boxing history in defeating the ageing Holmes in 1985, Gerry Cooney making a huge piece of financial security in being defeated by a still-at-his-peak (or just about) Holmes in 1982.