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Leon Spinks Autograph
Professionally Matted & Framed signed photograph from
former Heavyweight Champion Michael Spinks brother of Leon.
Michael Spinks
SOLD
Michael Spinks became the first light heavyweight
king to move up and win the heavyweight title when he decisioned
IBF champion Larry Holmes in 1985.
Spinks captured a gold medal at the 1976 Olympics
and turned pro the following year. After just seven fights,
Spinks had already won eight-round decisions over tough
veterans Gary Summerhayes and Tom Bethea.
Michael Spinks main weapon was a lethal right
hand that was dubbed, "The Spinks Jinx." But he
was also an awkward fighter, delivering punches from various
angles. Few could figure out his style as moved close to
a title shot. Along the way he decisioned future super middleweight
champ Murray Sutherland and stopped Ramon Ranquello, Yaqui
Lopez, and Willie Taylor, rugged veterans who spent much
of their ring careers in or around the division's top 10.
In 1981, Spinks stopped former champ Marvin
Johnson in March and then won the WBA title four months
later by decisioning champ Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.
In 1983, he met WBC champion Dwight Braxton
in a unification fight. Spinks decisioned Braxton to become
the undisputed champion and made three more title defenses
before bypassing the cruiserweight division and moving to
heavyweight.
Larry Holmes was 48-0 at the time of the Spinks
fight, one win away from tying Rocky Marciano's record.
Although Holmes held a 22-pound weight advantage, Spinks
outhustled him and scored a close unanimous decision win.
In a rematch seven months later, Spinks beat Holmes again
on a split decision.
Spinks defended the heavyweight title with
a fourth-round knockout of Stefan Tangstad in 1986 but was
stripped of his IBF crown five months later. He knocked
out Gerry Cooney in June of 1987 and declared himself the
People's heavyweight champion.
That paved the way for a showdown against
unbeaten and undisputed heavyweight king Mike Tyson. The
fight lasted just 91, with Tyson scoring a knockout and
erasing all doubt as to who was the heavyweight champion.
Spinks retired after the fight.
