Got Michael Spinks autograph today. I have a question.

**_Rexy_** · 02-26-2019, 12:16 AM

That really is a shame because Spinks had an incredible career at LHW. I thought Holmes deserved the win, but the Spinks Jynx is a top LHW in my books.

Ironically I watched Spinks/Tyson this morning for the first time in years, and the fight actually lasted a lot longer than my memory seemed to think.

**richardt** · 02-26-2019, 12:53 AM

The Tyson loss did nothing to hurt Spink's legend. He made 10 defenses of the 175 pound title beating some serious names along the way and clearly one of the top 175 pound fighters of all time. People who were casual fans and followed Tyson or werent boxing fans when Spinks ruled would not know how great he was. I think he lost the Holmes rematch be he defeated Holmes and Cooney and they were outside of his best division.

**Robbie Barrett** · 02-26-2019, 12:54 AM

Your son is a disrespectful little shit. Take the belt to him.

**A-Wolf** · 02-26-2019, 12:59 AM

Originally posted by HitmanTommy

Me and my son met him today. Very down to earth guy. My son is only a kid and sometimes they don't think before speaking, but he asked why did he lose so quickly to Tyson. Spinks smiled and told him that his mind thought he could take Tysons punches, but his body was telling him the exact opposite. He told him he tried the best he could to hang in there and if his body would have held up longer he would have given him a tough fight.

Now again, my son is only a kid, but unfortunately it seems that when a lot of people think of Spinks, they only think about the Tyson fight.

How damaging is the Tyson loss to his career/legacy?

The few people who know who he is only know him as the guy with the goofy looking socks who got put to sleep by Tyson.

**HitmanTommy** · 02-26-2019, 10:12 AM

Originally posted by A-Wolf

The few people who know who he is only know him as the guy with the goofy looking socks who got put to sleep by Tyson.

Very sad....

**GhostofDempsey** · 02-26-2019, 10:15 AM

Spinks is still one of the greatest LHW of all time, so I don't think it hurt his legacy at all. Now a win over Tyson, would have launched him into the stratosphere.

**chrisJS** · 02-26-2019, 10:39 AM

To casual fans it's damaging because it's all they know him for. For boxing fans and those with at least a decent grasp of history it isn't that bad. His resume at 175 is excellent and it's deep. He was the man in a stacked era and was mostly dominant. The Eddie Davis fight could have gone against him but dominant wins over Mustafa Muhammad, Qawi and Johnson (before Johnson went on another great run) solidify him as a top 4-8 all-time at 175 IMO and 175 is stacked. IMO Spinks is a clear top 50 all-time fighter pound for pound.

I am a big Holmes fan and felt Holmes deserved the re-match clearly but Spinks IMO clearly deserved the first decision so that's an incredible accomplishment perhaps not given the credit it deserves maybe because the fight ****** or there's wrongly a controversy or maybe because of the Tyson debacle. The Cooney win and performance were impressive as hell too.

**Dr Rumack** · 02-26-2019, 10:45 AM

Originally posted by chrisJS

To casual fans it's damaging because it's all they know him for. For boxing fans and those with at least a decent grasp of history it isn't that bad. His resume at 175 is excellent and it's deep.

The casual fans don't matter in the long run. They don't care enough to influence how a fighter is thought of 10-20 years after he retires. It's a fighter's reputation with hardcore fans and writers that shapes how they're seen in the long run.

**soul_survivor** · 02-26-2019, 11:02 AM

Great light heavyweight and very good heavyweight, the type of fighter that should rank highly on almost all ATG lists. Yes Tyson annihilated him and yes that is the lasting memory but for true boxing fans ,we should know better.

Got Michael Spinks autograph today. I have a question.