FOTY 1978- Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks I 1-8 Muhammad Ali vs Leon Spinks 1
Venue: Hilton Pavillion, Las Vegas. 15th February, 1978.
The 1976 Olympic Heavyweight Champion Leon Spinks was a rookie professional with just five fights and a manager called Butch Lewis behind him.
Muhammad Ali was first cool on taking the fight but then figured out an angle to sell the fight. Ali, himself an Olympic Champion, had beaten all the other gold medalists of his era; namely Floyd Patterson (1956), Joe Frazier (1964) and George Foreman (1970). The raw and ill-disciplined Spinks offered Ali the chance to beat another olympic champion.
Ali did not really train for the fight with the rumour being that he only sparred twenty rounds in preperation. Still, Ali should have been able to handle Spinks. But, the pattern of Ali's most recent fights was repeated. Ali lay on the ropes while the challenger built up a lead.
But when Ali later went to the well he found it empty for the first time in his career. He could not erode the early lead built by Spinks and could not engineer a stopage. Adrenaline and the thought of beating Ali carried Spinks through
The champ summoned something for the last round and drove Spinks into the ropes, but it was not enough. Ali lost a split decision, which appeared a little kind to the beaten champ.( from boxing memorabilia )
-andrea- ( andreacheor )
@MOSTechnology No m8 music and boxing is my forte
revelation6415 1 day ago
Leon Spinks fought the fight of his life that night. Michael Spinks was by far the better fighter than his brother Leon imo.
SuperStrik9 5 days ago
@revelation6415 Concentrate on the band. Judging boxing not really your forte is it lol.
MOSTechnology 3 weeks ago
This fight is wrong Ali clearly won by a mile, i gave spinks 4 rounds!!!!
revelation6415 1 month ago
Hunter S Thompson brought me here
bastlake 1 month ago
Here Ali is old,more fat and slow....
Stricardo6 1 month ago
in boxing is everything about condition!!! this boy never can beat Ali in his reign age !!!!!!!
Stricardo6 1 month ago
@90038jhon The doctor in Ali's corner, Ferdie Pacheco, had advised Ali to quit after the Shavers fight. Ali wouldn't so Pacheco left.
bareavis 1 month ago
@ronesposito1 I agree with you 100%. The man fighting here is not Muhammad Ali.
7beers 1 month ago
Ali would kill the klitchkos u out yo rabbit ass mind
robberealsr1982 2 months ago