Michael Spinks accomplishments

[Abstraction]

failed HW? lol?

He beat undefeated Larry Holmes, then beat him again. Albeit close decisions, he got the win anyhow.

He got KO'd by a Prime Tyson, and?

[CCobra]

failed HW? lol?

He beat undefeated Larry Holmes, then beat him again. Albeit close decisions, he got the win anyhow.

He got KO'd by a Prime Tyson, and?

You forgot to add that he TKO'd Gerry Cooney. How he can be considered a failed Heavyweight is beyond me!

[Southpaw16BF]

Michael Spinks's Accomplishments
Compiled a reported amateur record of 93-7 (35 KO)
Won the 1974 National Golden Gloves Light Middleweight Championship (156 lbs)
Won the 1976 National Golden Gloves Middleweight Championship (165 lbs) in Miami, Florida.
Won the Middleweight Gold Medal for the United States at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Alberta

10 Defences of WBA LHW Title.
2 Defences Of Unifed Crown
IBF Heavyweight Champion Making 2 Defences

Resume Of Wins
Yaqui Lopez
Marvin Johnson
Eddie Mustafa Muhammad
Dwight Muhammad Qawi
Oscar Rivadeneyra(18-0)
Larry Holmes(48-0) x2
Gerry Cooney

2 Weight Division Champion
In 2002, The Ring named Spinks the 3rd greatest light heavyweight of all-time
Ring Magazine Ranked Spinks At Number #41 Of There List 80 Greatest Fighters Of The Last 80 Years.


Now looking at Spinks's acommplishments. I think they are pretty damn impressive. From being a 2 Weight World Champion to His Resume Of Wins.

Such a shame that some people judge his career of one fight against Mike Tyson.

[StarshipTrooper]

Such a shame that some people judge his career of one fight against Mike Tyson.

No doubt! The best Light-Heavy of his era which, incidentally, is considered one of the strongest and possibly THE strongest eras in the history of the division. A great fighter and anyone who leaves him of their top-ten Light-Heavy list needs their head examined.

Poet

[GJC]

Spinks was top dog in one of the best LHW periods ever:

Dwight Muhammad Qawi
Matthew Saad Muhammad
Eddie Mustafa Muhammad
Marvin Johnson
Prince Charles Williams
Virgil "I ducked everyone that mattered till the 90s" Hill

I personally rate him #5 LHW behind:

Archie Moore
Ezzard Charles
Harold Johnson
Gene Tunney

Good post, might swap Bob Foster for Harold Johnson personally.

[Miburo]

the first light heavy to become linear heavyweight champ

Not to diminish Spinks' accomplishment at all, but Charles would almost certainly have done it if he had only been given a title shot - he was LHW champ in all but name.

[StarshipTrooper]

Not to diminish Spinks' accomplishment at all, but Charles would also have done it if he had only been given a title shot, he was LHW champ in all but name.

No dissagreement. Ezzard Charles is regarded by many boxing historians as the greatets Light-Heavy ever.

Poet

[GJC]

Think Spinks cross to bear is that Tyson bought so many new fans into the sport(maybe the majority on here?) and their memory is Spinks getting poleaxed in the 1st round.
Shame he deserves so much better. Top 10 ATG light heavy even by the most critical fan of his I would hope and one who managed to get the HW title where so many great Light Heavy's before him failed.
Was it me or did he seem to lose interest amd focus once he beat Holmes the 2nd time?

[StarshipTrooper]

Think Spinks cross to bear is that Tyson bought so many new fans into the sport(maybe the majority on here?) and their memory is Spinks getting poleaxed in the 1st round.

That's one of the reasons why I hate when I see posters say "Watching So-And-So fight got me into boxing". The cult of personality that crops up with that sort of thing warps the outlook of the fan and in my experience they are fans of particular fighters first, fans of boxing second.

Poet

[GJC]

That's one of the reasons why I hate when I see posters say "Watching So-And-So fight got me into boxing". The cult of personality that crops up with that sort of thing warps the outlook of the fan and in my experience they are fans of particular fighters first, fans of boxing second.

Poet

Thinks that's ok, Ali got a lot of fans into the sport as did Louis Dempsey etc.
Ideally someone develops an interest in boxing through a fighter then develops an interest in the sport then other fighters past and present. If I flog my memory it was that way with me and you too I'm sure? Quite a few good posters in here seem to point at Tyson as being the guy who got them interested but post well on a variety of boxers and eras.
Problem is only where fans think boxing begins and ends with the fighter that got them interested.