Cory Spinks: Whole Lotta’ Lateral

Published

Former World champions who sell tickets in a major media market usually have options. Not all former World champions have been as TV unfriendly as former Welterweight king, and current IBF 154 lb. titlist, Cory Spinks (36-4, 11 KO). It’s not that all have his fights have been boring for the average fan to watch; it’s that too many of them have.

That may explain why, for the second time in his last three bouts, Spinks will be competing off of U.S. television. Unlike his early 2007 mandatory against Rodney Jones, this one will have the benefit of being available to curious eyes online at www.donkingtv.com on Thursday night (8 PM EST/5 PM PST). His opponent, well worn veteran Verno Phillips (41-10-1, 21 KO), isn’t much more likely than Jones to pull the upset, but he comes forward and should make for a more interesting contest.

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For Spinks, the benefit to this bout is that, with a win, he doesn’t fall backwards. The problem is that he doesn’t move up the food chain either. A fighter with only one clear loss on his record (against Zab Judah in their 2005 rematch), Spinks is the ultimate example of the power of the market. He’s a good fighter, but not one the most fans want to see. That doesn’t make the fans wrong; they pay to be entertained after all. So the Phillips fight is another lateral move in a mystifyingly lateral division.

Jr. Middleweight is at low ebb right now. There’s no way around it. The division directly below, Welterweight, is Boxing’s hottest field. The division directly above, Middleweight, has a popular young champion in Kelly Pavlik and a shallow but entertaining field of contenders. Stuck in the middle, Jr. Middleweight has some established names but there’s little hue or cry to see any of them against each other.

Spinks most notable fellow titlist, Vernon Forrest (40-2, 29 KO, WBC), is another former World Welterweight champion. Forrest is slated for a title defense this summer against Contender Season One winner Sergio Mora is a bout that could be titled “Somebody Was Going to Cash In…Why Not Me?” A follow-up fight with Spinks would take the division a huge step in the direction of a true World champion. Would anyone pay to see them fight? I’ve yet to hear anyone even ask to see them fight.

And this stream of conscience is not to be taken as an endorsement that I’d cancel other plans to see it either.

Of course, technically also in the division is the sports most established star, Oscar De La Hoya and Oscar doesn’t have many Jr. Middles in his plans. He’s got May lined up with former Jr. Lightweight titlist Stevie Forbes and his sixth loss likely set up with Welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather. He’s not an option for anyone actually fighting 154 lb. challenges right now.

Joachim Alcine (WBA)? Sergei Dzinziruk (WBO)? These other titlists don’t turn turnstiles at the moment in the U.S. either.

So without a built in T.V. audience, and without notable opponents in his weight class, what’s a fighter like Spinks to do? The simple answer is keep winning, keep making lateral moves. It’s a living and it’s the only chance he has to pick up another sizable payday again somewhere down the road. Given the tickets he moves in St. Louis and the paychecks those can provide, there are worse fates.

For a look at the value of Spinks-Phillips as an event, click here: http://www.maxboxing.com/News/Rold032608.asp

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com

Comments

edgargFri Mar 28, 2008, 4:58 AM UTC

Not taking risks is like Wladimir Klitschko.. That's not taking risks. Spinks is a certain type of stylist. :pat: I both agree and disagree with you. Spinks definitely IS a certain kind of stylist, and I actually like to see him fight. But against a more skilled opponent than wild slugger Verno Phillips. I saw that fight tonignt, about which, more in a moment. Klitschko does not NEED to take risks, so he doesn't. If he needed to, he would. The main reason he fights the way he does today, is because he's a "method" fighter, and at his present stage in life, it suits his psyche better. Also, he's been methodically trained this way from childhood. Like actors. He does NOT have a "glass jaw". Every single loss he's had can be explained quite dispassionately, by the events and the circumstances surrounding them. He was far superior to each of his opponents. But, since he lost to so mysteriously to Brewster, whilst practically committing manslaughter against him, he HAD to, NEEDED to fight in a way which would eliminate all chance of a loss happening to him again. Strictly to "Rule of Law" by the training manual. (He's actually making himself a LEGACY). That's why he got Manny Steward, who I really don't think is that good a trainer. certainly he has had VERY mixed success with his "promising" fighters, and really made his name with Tommy Hearns, a once in a lifetime gift, a fighter with huge attractiveness and long-time popular staying power, who was that good anyway with or without Manny. But the thing which interested Klitschko and his advisers most was, that he'd trained Lennox Lewis from being a sometimes fragile-jawed very good heavyweight, into being the champion of the decade (almost). You can see Manny's deft hand in the way that K reaches, grabs and lets his weight descend on his opponent. He's also starting to hold behind the neck with one glove and uppercut with the other. THAT"S all pure Lewis, by courtesy of Manny. Also (his own idea I'm sure) he's very careful to rarely punch with full power, therefore, if he misses, doesn't leave himself off-balance and open against riposte. To get to why I'm writing in. I saw a shameful travesty tonight. Verno Phillips got the decision against Cory Spinks. Spinks wasn't very good, I'm not sure if he's on the downgrade, or if he needs a better opponent to look better himself. Phillips, was as usual, looked like a boxer for about 2 rounds and then, when missing 9 of 10 punches, started his wild, out of range and looped swinging. It looked to me as if he only had about 2 or 3 at most, winning rounds. Enough of that. Another thing I saw which interested me, but maybe not the readers. "Col." Bob Sheridan was the blow-by-blow announcer and commentator as usual for all Don King promotions, and my opinion has never changed about him in 30 odd years. He's the best by far of all, including his way of filling in the spaces left by quickly-over mismatches, with meaningless but interesting sounding comments. BUT....... I was surprised to see that this rumpled, very fat, elderly man with 3 chins, and enough for a couple more, had had his hair STYLED. YES, it was carefully arranged and glued, finished in alternate rigid blond and brown streaks, with a geometrically straight parting. In fact he had so much hair that it very likely was a wig. if so it was a damn good one. Anyway, thats all about that.....and everything else tonight.

MANGLERThu Mar 27, 2008, 9:31 PM UTC

Spinks can sometimes make a boxing match fun to watch but it don't happen nearly enough. I think the fight with Verno will be better than most people think and I give Verno a decent shot at winning. I wouldn't mind watchin Spinks-Vernon either. I really can't wait for Vernon to whomp Mora.

BetterthanSugarThu Mar 27, 2008, 8:23 PM UTC

whole lotta b.s. I am the first to rip cory spinks for running more in the ring then he fights. with this said though a jr middle weight belt holder and ring magazine no 1 desrerves to be on t.v.. Even espn 2 didn't pick this up come on. he has stunk the joint out more then once. spinks is still the top man in the division and a win hear does give him options like a vernon forrest fight which would be for the real jr middle weight tittle or late in the year he could be the fight oscar calls for to end his fighting days. even next year he's the type of fighter i can see the p4p king mayweather taking to aviod cotto. The key of coarse is spinks not just winning but entertaing that way he can still sell out in his hometown of st louis( the only barging chip other then that ibf belf he holds that he has for any big fight).

ATFsvenThu Mar 27, 2008, 10:52 AM UTC

i dont think its on the box. i am sure its free and live on www.donking.tv

SwizzyThu Mar 27, 2008, 7:17 AM UTC

does anyone know what channel is broadcasting the spinks-phillips fight tomorrow? I've searched everywhere and can't seem to find this info. Its weird for a fight to be held on a thursday and not be televised. I would be very surprised if thats the case especially that its a title match.

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