Leon Spinks (26-17-3) has had a wild ride during his boxing career. Ranging from toppling Muhammad Ali to fighting in the cruiserweight division, Spinks is etched in boxing history as a unique fighter. But he should be remembered more than just a “unique fighter.”
Instead, he should be defined as a former WBC world heavyweight champion. After all, taking down “The Greatest” should warrant such a title. However, the St. Louis native’s career is similarly defined in the same vein as Buster Douglas: What if?
What if he successfully defended his title against Ali on September 15, 1978, in New Orleans? What if Spinks didn’t go 19-17-2 after beating “The Greatest?” Many “what ifs” have gripped the late boxer’s career, leaving fans to wonder about the former champion’s potential.
Leon Spinks Takes Down Ali
On February 15, 1978, at the Las Vegas Hilton, Leon Spinks was set to face off against Muhammad Ali. The WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight titles were on the line, with the stakes raised to astronomical levels. Spinks, 6-0-1 at the time, would also have his biggest test to date, taking on “The Greatest.”
No pressure, right? Fortunately for the St. Louis native, that wasn’t the case as he defeated Ali via split decision. Consequently, Spinks became the only fighter to take the title away from Ali in the ring. The fight was also named “Fight of the Year” by The Ring Magazine. For “Neon,” life was good.
However, the downturn would start on March 18, 1978, when he was stripped of the WBC heavyweight title. The reason, he refused to fight then-No. 1 contender Ken Norton. Instead, he agreed to a rematch with Ali in New Orleans, where he’d lose via unanimous decision.
The Aftermath
After his victory over Ali, Leon Spinks would go 19-17-2, essentially reduced to fighting in musical halls. “Neon” did have another heavyweight title fight against Larry Holmes in Detroit on June 12, 1981. However, he lost via TKO in the third round of that fight, ending his presence in the heavyweight scene.
Spinks did have some success in the cruiserweight division, where he won the NABF cruiserweight title. In fact, he also won the WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title twice. However, his cold streak did his boxing career in.
The Wrestling Career of Leon Spinks
In turn, the St. Louis native turned to other ventures, including professional wrestling. He was best known for his match with Antonio Inoki in 1986. He also competed in different promotions including Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling. Spinks won the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship in 1992 before retiring the next year.
A legendary feud with Terry Funk capped off his career, which preceded another boxing comeback. However, his short tenure in professional wrestling was another chapter in the sport’s mixture with wrestling.
Leon Spinks’s Career
Leon Spinks died on February 5, 2021, in Henderson, Nevada. He was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017 and had a son named Cory. Cory Spinks was the undisputed welterweight champion and the IBF junior middleweight champion twice. Spinks was also inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.
Spinks will be known for his uprising and immediate fall. However, his career is more defined as a wild ride in boxing, with some title reigns and surprising losses thrown in. Spinks will forever be known as boxing’s biggest enigma.
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