Why was M. Spinks so Hard to Fight?

[billeau2]

Only problem with Tunney is he only had around six fights at Heavyweight. I have a hard time justifying him as a ATG Heavyweight given how few fights he had there.

A legitimate concern for sure. A man who beat two giants (Greb and Dempsey) in a sense will always defy being on a list.

[billeau2]

The goal of a guy who wants to be on the list of elite light heavies is to remain on top of the Light Heavyweight division, what he does in other weight classes is irrelevent if we're only talking about that division and not ranking their careers as a whole. Light Heavyweight is one of the more stacked divisions in terms of the all time greats and Spinks is among the best of them. Tunney's Light Heavyweight resume and his skill are what make people rate him so high at Light Heavy, not what he did at Heavyweight.

One can certainly look at a fighter's achievement at each division, its just that sometimes that does not capture the true greatness of the fighter. Its actually do-able to look at Tunney as a great light heavy, who was so great that he beat one of the best heavyweights.

It gets a little trickier with a guy like Archie Moore: How does Moore's middle weight run affect how we judge his greatness specifically as a light heavy? it seems a little insincere to simply say we should look at him exclusively in each category...It may work for Tunney, But Moore is better than just his separate experience in each division. it works for Ray Robinson on any list because he was so dominant that he scores so high in any weight class he ever fought in.


With a fighter like Hopkins, their supposed greatness rests on how they are perceived fighting at many different weights... Was Hopkins a middle weight fighting Trinidad? or a light heavy moving to take low hanging fruit due to his size advantage?

It just seems to me that lists work when defining the greatness of some fighters, not so much with others. I do agree about Tunney.

[The Old LefHook]

"Are you trying to tell me that a boxer can be called a bum for no other reason than lack of effort? I don't buy it".

The knowledge is free you don't need to buy it!


Use the word anyway you want to!
I've tried for years to give away some of my knowledge of this sport to people with absolutely NO experience in the sport.
Yet they take it as if I'm shaming them instead of teaching.
Elroy was the worst but at least he had guts to stick to his word when I proved him wrong.

BUM on this forum has more meanings than a four legged table.

good luck sonny

As soon as anyone disagrees with anything you say, they are "Sonny." You need to knock that off. It makes you look mighty senile.

Oh, yes, give me the specialized knowledge, teach me that Bum exclusively means not trying. Geesh! This is the so-called knowledge you have been trying to give away around here for years for free by your own admission? I can see why.

Try teaching something about boxing instead of the meaning of the word Bum, daddy-o. It will go over much better. Some technical advice, something about footwork--but not the meanings of words, daddy-o, you just leave that to others.

Lef

[Ray Corso]

I offer more technical advice than anyone here. It's all good too because it's practical and proven.
Your just a argumentative jerk, been that way your entire life
isn't that true sonny?

ok thats all you get because your the type that quits instead of earns.

nite sonny boy......

[Sugar Adam Ali]

"that era was the golden era of the light heavyweight division and he ruled".........

Sorry but Spink's era was decent but no where the best.

Ray

If it's nowhere near the best era at lightheavy, what are some eras that are better..

I think the late 70s, early 80s is one of the, if not the best era of lightheavys, and probably the deepest

[TonyGe]

I think he was one of the best light heavyweights ever. Smart and powerfull. I loved watching him fight.

[Last Roman]

Coming up from LH he had mobility and defensive skill that was unusual at the time for heavyweight.
They way I understand it sluggers were big at the time.

[The Old LefHook]

Spinks moved equally well, (er..., I mean equally awkwardly) clockwise or counter clockwise. A lot of fighters can only circle effectively in one direction.

[PRINCEKOOL]

I have zero idea....

His technique look very, amateurish and physically he never really struck me as a man with any real bruit strength. (I am not sure how he beat Larry Holmes who was technically, one of the sharpness heavyweights in history! Larry Holmes arguably had the best Jab in heavyweight history, and he could throw every punch in the book!)...

[Ray Corso]

"what are some eras that are better".............




If you read this thread through you would have read my opinion of the past era's.

"From 1950 up to 1980 the Light Heavy class was strong with very good contenders and top tier champions...........from post #5.

Mike only fought for 10 years and less than 35 bouts.

Ray