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Leon Spinks is a former boxer who tasted life's
highs and lows more than most other boxers. Spinks
went from being Heavyweight champion of the world
to being homeless in little more than a decade.

Spinks, who was born in St. Louis, had a stellar
amateur boxing career. He won the Olympic
Games|Olympic gold medal at the Light Heavyweight
division during the 1976 Olympics in Montreal,
alongside brother Michael Spinks, who also won a
gold medal on those games.

Spinks was, alongside Michael, Sugar Ray Leonard,
Leo Randolph and Howard Davis Jr. a member of what
many consider the United States greatest national
boxing team ever. While he was still an amateur,
he also became a member of the United States
Marine Corps. 

He debuted professionally on January 15 of 1977 in
Las Vegas, beating Bob Smith (boxer)|Bob Smith by
a knockout in five. His next fight marked his
debut abroad, as he went to The Beatles' hometown
of Liverpool, England, to beat Peter Freeman by a
knockout in the first round. A couple of fights
later, he saw a slight improvement in opposition
quality, when he fought Pedro Agosto of Puerto
Rico and knocked him out in the first. Then, he
drew with Scott LeDoux and beat Italy|Italian
champion Alfio Riguetti by a decision.

After that, Spinks was ranked number one among the
world's Heavyweight challengers, and he made
history on February 15 of 1978, by beating an aged
and out of shape Muhammad Ali by a decision in 15
in Las Vegas to become the fastest guy ever to win
the world's Heavyweight crown when he became
champion in only his sixth fight. Ali, who had not
been the same since his last fight with Joe
Frazier, expected this to be an easy fight. But,
with his skills tarnished from years of fighting,
and with his lack of training before the fight, he
was out hustled by Spinks who never seemed to tire
in the bout. This fight is regarded as one of the
biggest upsets in boxing history.
 
Spinks was known to be a party animal during his
period as world Heavyweight champion, always
enjoying the night life and in the company of
multiple women. He even hired a young Mr. T to be
one of his bodyguards during that time.

Spinks was stripped of his world title by the
World Boxing Council|WBC for refusing to defend
his title against their #1 ranked contender (Ken
Norton). Spinks instead agreed to fight a return
bout against Ali for the World Boxing
Association|WBA crown. The World Boxing
Council|WBC subsequently named Norton its champion
- the first time a boxer had been awarded the
heavyweight title without winning it in the ring.
Spinks, hence, would be the last undisputed
Heavyweight Champion until the emergence of Mike
Tyson.

The second Ali fight was different from the first,
Spinks losing the title to Ali in New Orleans on
September 15, 1978 by unanimous 15 round decision.
This time it was Spinks who did not train hard
enough, and Ali, despite his skills declining even
further, gave every ounce of himself in this
fight, doing everything he could to out-smart and
out-box the much younger Spinks. By regaining the
title, Ali became the first three time Heavyweight
Champion, though these two fights probably caused
Ali's health to decline even further. Spinks would
continue to come into fights out of shape, and
would never again be as effective as he was in the
first Ali fight, and is hence regarded by some as
the worst Heavyweight Champion of all time.

In his next fight, his only bout of 1979, he went
to Monte Carlo, where he was knocked out in the
first round by future world Heavyweght champion
Gerrie Coetzee.

He had a good rebound year in 1980, however,
beating former world title challenger Alfredo
Evangelista by a knockout in five, drawing in ten
with Eddie The Animal Lopez and beating the WBC's
number one ranked challenger Bernardo Mercado by a
knockout in nine, on the night that Ali challenged
Larry Holmes to try to become the first boxer to
win the world Heavyweight title four times. 

After that win, Spinks found himself challenging
for the world's Heavyweight championship once
again. In what was the only time he stepped into a
ring in 1981, he faced Holmes in Detroit on June
12, getting knocked out in the third round.

In 1982, Spinks decided to go down in weight and
compete in the Cruiserweights. He beat fringe
contender Ivy Brown by a decision in ten, and
former and future title challenger Jesse Burnett
by decision in twelve.

His comeback was, once again, stopped on its track
in 1983 by the twice former and twice future world
Cruiserweight champion Carlos De Leon, who knocked
him out in six rounds in that year's only bout 
for Spinks.

He took 1984 off, but then came back in 1985,
winning five bouts and placing himself in line for
another world title try. He beat, among others,
Franco Thomas that year. 

That year also, he made history once again, this
time around without having to lace a glove to do
it: When his brother Michael beat Holmes on
September 21, the Spinks became the first pair of
brothers to be world Heavyweight champions.

In 1986, Spinks had another chance to become world
champion, but he lost to the WBA's world
cruiserweight champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi by a
knockout in six in his second attempt at being a
two time world champ. Then, he was defeated in six
by knockout by Rocky Sekorski.

Spinks boxed for eight more years, having mixed
results. In 1994 he lost a bout by KO to John
Carlo, noteworthy for being the first time a
former heavyweight champion had ever lost to a
boxer making his pro debut.  He retired after
losing by decision in eight to Fred Houpe in 1995,
and he was homeless for a period of time. During
the late 1990s, however, he was picked up by Tri
Star Sports Promotions to become a headliner on
their year-round, touring autographs shows. His
life is basically now spent on the road, living at
Marriott Hotel|Marriott hotels, because Marriott
is a sponsor of Tri-Star's shows. Despite the fact
he is making a living out of signing his name, he
still remains a willing free autograph signer. 

His son, Cory Spinks, held the undisputed
Welterweight title for a time and was a respected
Champion before losing the title by knockout.

Leon Spinks presently, April 2005, is living in
Columbus Nebraska, where he works weekends
cleaning up the local YMCA.  He also is volunteers
three days a week in an after school program with
youth. He keeps a low profile in Columbus
occassionally being recognized as a former
Champion.  He describes his life as comfortable. 
To most in the town, he's just Leon, no more, no
less.  (Steve Sipple, "Ex-champ Leon Spinks cleans
up in Columbus," Lincoln Journal Star, April 4,
2005)

Spinks had an overall record of 26 wins, 17 losses
and 3 draws as a professional, with 14 knockout
wins.

==Trivia==
Spinks performed in several boxer vs. wrestler
matches in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the 1980's.

start box
succession box one to two|
  before= Muhammad Ali |
  title1= List of heavyweight boxing
champions|Heavyweight boxing champion (WBC) |
  years1= 1978 |
  after1= Ken Norton |
  title2= List of heavyweight boxing
champions|Heavyweight boxing champion (WBA) |
  years2= 1978 |
  after2= Muhammad Ali

end box