R.I.P. Leon Spinks

Olympic Gold Medalist and former Heavyweight boxing champion Leon Spinks died in Las Vegas on February 5th, 2021. Spinks had been battling prostate cancer in recent years. He was 67 years old.

Before becoming a professional boxer, Spinks had an outstanding amateur career, compiling a record of 178-7. The pinnacle of his amateur career came in the 1976 Olympics, when he won the Gold Medal in the light heavyweight division.

Spinks began his pro career in 1977 and continued until 1995, accumulating a record of 26-17-3. One of those wins came on February 5th, 1978, when he scored a major upset, wining a 15 round split decision over Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title. Spinks didn’t have much time to savor being champion; exactly seven month later, Ali won the title back in a rematch.

Leon Spinks is the brother of Michael Spinks, who also won gold at the 1976 Olympics, in the middleweight division, before going on to a successful pro career. Leon’s son Cory is a former welterweight champion.

Here’s some highlights from Spinks and Ali’s first bout: