Leon Spinks has died, aged 67.Source:Getty Images. Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. Leon Spinks vs. Muhammad Ali II. He had been battling prostate and other cancers. Leon Spinks, right, fighting Muhammad Ali on Feb. 15, 1978. – Leon Spinks two weeks after the fight. Leon will be remembered as a beloved husband, father and brother,” The Firm PR said in a statement. He lost five of his final eight fights before retiring in 1995. Spinks upset Ali in a legendary match, but is today fighting for life. He was 67 years old. Leon Spinks, left, defeated Muhammad Ali in a 15-round unanimous decision to become the heavyweight champion. Leon Spinks, the boxer who shocked the world by beating Muhammad Ali, dies aged 67. Despite the otherwise grim prognosis, Spinks’ current wife Brenda said the former world champ is doing what he … It was a Friday night in New Orleans, September 15, 1978, and Muhammad Ali was giving Leon Spinks a lesson in boxing. Ali entered the rematch as a 2½ to 1 favorite. Leon Spinks, a former Marine who became a gold-medal Olympic boxer and once defeated Muhammad Ali in a title fight, has died. Leon Spinks -- former undisputed heavyweight boxing champ -- who defeated Muhammad Ali in 1978... has died after a 5 year battle with cancer. Spinks captured a 15-round split decision over a 36-year-old Ali, who lost world crowns in the ring for the only time in his career, falling to 55-3 as Spinks claimed the heavyweight title in the shortest time of any fighter in history, only 13 months after his pro debut. They clinched and broke. But what he doesn’t do is compare Ali to other fighters who were ill, like Ezzard Charles was with ALS. 1 ranked Norton beat No. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. And, after moving down to cruiserweight, he was stopped in six rounds by titleholder Dwight Muhammad Qawi in 1986. He was 67. But Leon truly cemented his place in history on February 15, 1978, in Las Vegas, Nevada, when he shocked the world by beating Muhammad Ali, to become the … He was 67. Promoter Bob Arum said he paid Ali $300,000 to announce his retirement because Ali's reluctance had delayed the scheduling of a fight between John Tate and Gerrie Coetzee for the vacant WBA title. He was 67. “Leon fought his battle with numerous illnesses resiliently, never losing his trademark smile. His next fight was in Liverpool, England, where he beat Peter Freeman by a first-round knockout. Ali, with nothing to get up for, trained half-heartedly. He was … Muhammad Ali vacated the title a year later. Leon Spinks, who beat Muhammad Ali in historic upset in 1978, dies at 67. Las Vegas — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. He was 67. He would tie up Spinks and then dance away from him on the break, circling to the right, circling to the left. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. He was 67. He had been battling prostate and other cancers. Spinks finished his career 26-17 with three draws and 14 knockouts, but struggled to try and recapture the fame that came early in his career in one of the most shocking upsets in boxing history. Former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, best known for defeating Muhammad Ali in 1978, has died at the age 67, according to a statement from his publicist. Ticket sales of $4,806,675 was the highest live gate for a sporting event at the time.[3][1]. Thirty-six-year old Muhammad Ali heads back for his corner at the end of his heavyweight title fight with Leon Spinks in New Orleans on Friday, Sept. 15, 1978. The challenger, with the gold encrusted opportunity of a lifetime, went through hell on earth to ready himself for 15 rounds of combat. He was 67. Still, he fought on, losing weight to compete in the cruiserweight division, only to lose a title bid to Dwight Muhammad Qawi in 1986. But that would turn out to be the highlight of Spinks' career. [4][5][3] The fight was estimated to have been watched by a record 2 billion viewers worldwide,[6][7] in some 80 nations. Las Vegas — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Get your free trial now & start streaming instantly >. However, in October 1980 Ali returned to face WBC Champion Larry Holmes but was stopped by TKO in the 10th round. Leon Spinks, the gap-toothed fighter from the St Louis slums who pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in boxing history by defeating Muhammad Ali, has died at the age of 67. He was 67. Muhammad Ali defeats Leon Spinks to win the world heavyweight boxing title for the third time in his career, the first fighter ever to do so. When Spinks came flailing in, Ali would hook his left hand around the back of Spinks' head and pull him into an embrace, effectively limiting Spinks to one or two punches or pulling him off balance. Date. Spinks had been hospitalised in December at Las Vegas before losing a five-year battle with cancer with his wife, Brenda Spinks, at his side, according to a statement from The Firm PR to Las Vegas television station KVVU. Former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, best known for defeating Muhammad Ali in 1978, has died at the age 67, according to a statement from his publicist. Leon Spinks, the boxing icon who took the heavyweight title off Muhammad Ali in one of the sport’s biggest upsets, has died aged 67. Spinks pressed the action early. He is still my idol." Source: Bettman/Getty Images. This page was last edited on 8 November 2020, at 12:32. By the later rounds, as Ali appeared to be dancing away with the victory, Cosell was quoting Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” and praising Ali for his legendary career. The world media approached the Ali-Spinks bout with dread, and Ali was so embarrassed by the pending contest that the normally bombastic champion barely uttered a word during the buildup. Spinks lost his next fight as well but earned another shot at the crown in 1981 against Larry Holmes only to be stopped in the third round. “Leon fought his battle with numerous illnesses resiliently, never losing his trademark smile. "Leon Spinks vs. Muhammad Ali (2nd_meeting)", "Fight Viewers Second Only To TV's 'Roots' Series", "Ali maps plans to retire with cameras running", "Read Peter Finney's column on Ali vs. Spinks 2 at the Superdome in 1978", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leon_Spinks_vs._Muhammad_Ali_II&oldid=987652172, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. It was a Friday night in New Orleans, September 15, 1978, and Muhammad Ali was giving Leon Spinks a lesson in boxing. Title (s) on the line. [1] The card contained three other world title fights: WBA Bantamweight Champion Jorge Luján versus future WBC champion Alberto Davila; WBC Featherweight Champion Danny Lopez vs. Juan Malvarez; and WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Víctor Galíndez vs. Mike Rossman. Spinks’s son, Cory, was an undisputed welterweight champion from 2003-2005 and had brief junior middleweight reigns in 2007 and 2009. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in Louisville, Kentucky, on January 14, 1942, the future world champ changed his name to Muhammad Ali in 1964 after converting to Islam. Ali would jab, jab, throw a right and grab. TMZ Sports has confirmed Spinks passed away … The plan was simple. The once-chiseled heavyweight fighter has lost 80 pounds in the last year and weighs less than 200 pounds. Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. Former heavyweight champion boxer Leon Spinks—who defeated Muhammad Ali in his eighth career fight— has passed away after a battle with prostate and other cancers. Showing true Spinks determination, he never threw in the towel.”. Leon Spinks was in Louisiana to defend his title against Muhammad Ali, a 36-year-old body with the staying power of Tutankhamen. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Leon Spinks, the heavyweight boxer who became undisputed world champion by upsetting Muhammad Ali in 1978 before losing a rematch only months later, has died. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. 2 ranked Jimmy Young in a title eliminator in November 1977. Leon Spinks defeated the heavily favored Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight championship on Feb. 15, 1978. Background. After his unanimous decision victory against Earnie Shavers, Muhammad Ali decided to face 1976 Olympic Gold medalist Leon Spinks, knowing that he would have to face Ken Norton for the fourth time or lose his WBC belt, after the No. Spinks made history on Feb. 15, 1978, in Las Vegas when he defeated Ali in a split decision to become the world heavyweight boxing champion. A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. Spinks debuted professionally on January 15, 1977 in Las Vegas, Nevada, beating Bob Smith by knockout in five rounds. Former professional boxer Leon Spinks Jr., who won an Olympic gold medal and defeated Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title in a year-and-a-half span, died Friday at the age of 67. https://www.sportscasting.com/what-happened-to-leon-spinks-teeth LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Leon Spinks, the heavyweight boxer who upset Muhammad Ali in 1978, has died, according to The Firm, a Las Vegas public relations firm. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/leon-spinks-7346.php Ali landed a jab. Spinks holds the distinction as the only boxer to take a title from Ali in the ring. Spinks will be remembered fondly in the boxing world.Source:News Corp Australia. Referee Lucien Joubert took the fifth round away from Ali for holding. He was 67 years … He was 67. Leon Spinks fought as a light heavyweight, Michael Spinks as a middleweight. He was 67. The first round began. Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. Spinks beat Ali to claim the heavyweight championship and shock the boxing world. Leon Spinks, left, defeated Muhammad Ali in a 15-round unanimous decision to become the heavyweight champion. Spinks last fought in December 1995, losing in St. Louis to Fred Houpe, a 45-year-old boxer who had gone 17 years without a fight before then, according to the New York Times. Former heavyweight champion boxer Leon Spinks—who defeated Muhammad Ali in his eighth career fight—has passed away after a battle with prostate and other cancers. The man who shocked the world when he beat the legendary Muhammad Ali … Leon Spinks punches Muhammad Ali. By the later rounds, as Ali appeared to be dancing away with the victory, Cosell was quoting Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” and praising Ali for his legendary career. Leon Spinks, the boxing icon who took the heavyweight title off Muhammad Ali in one of the sport’s biggest upsets, has died aged 67. He was 67. Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. Former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, best known for defeating Muhammad Ali in 1978, has died at the age of 67, according to a statement from his publicist. Spinks had been stripped of the World Boxing Council crown for taking the rematch with Ali rather than face mandatory challenger Ken Norton, so the second fight was only for the World Boxing Association title. Watch Boxing Live & On-Demand on Kayo. Venue. He was 67. Selected international fights, classic bouts and more. One answer rattles off older fighters who defeated younger opponents as a way of attacking the Great Muhammad Ali. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. He was 67. He was 67 years old. Leon Spinks vs. Muhammad Ali II, was a professional boxing match contested on September 15, 1978, in New Orleans for the WBA and Lineal Heavyweight Championships. The fight was held at the Louisiana Superdome, with ringside seats costing $200. He was 67. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. And the fight went as plotted. Spinks had never been beyond 10, whereas Ali … “He had the will to win and the stamina,” Ali said afterward. The fight was for the WBA heavyweight title with Leon Spinks defending. That began a run where he managed only one win and one draw in 10 fights. It would be the greatest moment of his career. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Ali entered the rematch as a 2½ to 1 favorite. Leon Spinks, the heavyweight boxer who became undisputed world champion by upsetting Muhammad Ali in 1978 before losing a rematch only months later, has died. [2], ABC paid $5.3 million for the rights to televise the fight live in the United States.[3]. It took nearly five years for Spinks to gain another chance at a world crown but he fought for the WBC cruiserweight title in 1986, stopped in the sixth round by Dwight Muhammad Qawi. September 15, 1978. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. The Associated Press scored the fight 12–3 for Ali, while the three judges had the bout 11–4, 10–4–1 and 10–4–1 all in favor of Ali giving him a unanimous decision win. He was 67. Spinks, who lived his later years in Las Vegas, died Friday night, according to a release from a public relations firm. Ali defeated Spinks by 15th round Unanimous Decision. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. All times AEST (GMT +10). Leon Spinks vs. Muhammad Ali II, was a professional boxing match contested on September 15, 1978, in New Orleans for the WBA and Lineal Heavyweight Championships. F1 2021 live: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Start time Australi... Jake Paul vs Ben Askren fight: Boxing news 2021, wife, react... NRL 2021: Melbourne Storm, HIA, concussion protocols, Victor... NRL 2021: Brisbane Broncos star Anthony Milford makes return... Cricket 2021: South Africa, ICC ban, government take over. AFP news.com.au February 8, 2021 10:52am FORMER undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion Leon Spinks has died at the age of 67. LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. He was 67. He was 67. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. Nationwide News Pty Limited Copyright © 2021. New to Kayo? Leon Spinks, who shocked the boxing world with his 1978 defeat of Muhammad Ali to claim the heavyweight championship, died Friday in Henderson, Nev. He then fought Scott LeDoux to a draw and defeated Italian champion Alfio Righetti in a decision. In June 1979, Ali sent an official letter of retirement to the WBA. First, he was stripped of the WBC title for refusing to defend against top contender Ken Norton. Leon Spinks, who scored one of boxing’s greatest upsets when he defeated Muhammad Ali to capture the heavyweight championship in February … A 36-year-old Muhammad Ali (right) heads back for his corner at the end of a heavyweight title fight with Leon Spinks in New Orleans on Sept. 15, 1978. Spinks’s younger brother Michael was a 1976 Olympic middleweight champion who was the undisputed light heavyweight champion from 1983-1985 and a heavyweight champion from 1985-1986. Ali was the favorite. Getty Images But that would turn out to be the highlight of Spinks' career. Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. He also became the first man to win the World Heavyweight Championship three times. Ali looked fast still. The Superdome attendance was 63,352 which, at the time, was the largest indoor attendance ever for a boxing match. An estimated audience of 90 million viewers watched the main event in the United States with 46.7% of TV sets in the nation tuned in. Ali pumped the jab and missed a right hand. Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The fight was held at the Louisiana Superdome, with ringside seats costing $200. And Ali would dance, baby, dance. After his shock win over Ali to become Heavyweight champion, Leon Spinks was stripped of the WBC belt for not facing its number one ranked contender Ken Norton; instead he agreed to a rematch with Ali. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Before a sellout crowd of 5,298 that produced a gate of $756,300, The 10–1 underdog Spinks ended up winning two of the scorecards 145–140 and 144–141, while the third was 142–143 giving him a split decision win. Leon Spinks (left) appears with Muhammad Ali after winning a 15-round split decision at the Las Vegas Hilton Pavilion on February 15, 1978. It shouldn’t be so, but when I think back on Leon Spinks, who died from cancer on Feb. 5, 2021 at age 67, I fixate on a portion of the day he was to fight Muhammad Ali at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, a sequel to their initial clash, which made Spinks world famous and provided the text for his tombstone.. And, after moving down to cruiserweight, he was stopped in six rounds by titleholder Dwight Muhammad Qawi in 1986. He was 67. He was 67. Leon Spinks fought as a light heavyweight, Michael Spinks as a middleweight. Spinks and brother Michael Spinks won gold medals as part of the great 1976 U.S. boxing team, which won five golds in the Montreal Games. LAS VEGAS — Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has died. They clinched and broke. He was 67. He was 67. They clinched and broke. Later, he saw an improvement in opposition quality, when he fought Pedro Agosto of Puerto Rico and knocked him out in round one. "We knew Muhammad Ali was going to retire", Arum said, "but as long as he delayed, I couldn't make definite plans." Spinks (left) took down Muhammad Ali.Source:Getty Images. Showing true Spinks determination, he never threw in the towel. Leon Spinks, the gap-toothed fighter from the St Louis slums who pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in boxing history by defeating Muhammad Ali, has died at the age of 67. By then, Spinks was the forgotten member of the Spinks family. After his shock win over Ali to become Heavyweight champion, Leon Spinks was stripped of the WBC belt for not facing its number one ranked contender Ken Norton; instead he agreed to a rematch with Ali. Spinks and brother Michael Spinks won gold medals as part of the great 1976 U.S. boxing team, which won five golds in the Montreal Games. Spinks became the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion after only eight professional bouts, and the only man ever to take a world title away from Ali in the ring, as Ali's other losses were either non-title bouts or world title fights where Ali was the challenger. He then retired for good after a lackluster loss to Trevor Berbick in December 1981, thus making this fight the final win in Ali's career.[8][9][10][11][12][13]. 'RIP NEON LEON' Leon Spinks dead aged 67: Tributes pour in as boxing legend, who stunned Muhammad Ali in eighth pro fight, passes away Seven months later, in a rematch before 70,000 at the Superdome in New Orleans, a fit and formidable Ali won a unanimous 15-round decision in what would be the final victory of his legendary career, making Ali the first three-time champion in heavyweight history. Despite Ali’s rally in the final round, Spinks, 24, defeated an aging, 36-year-old Ali by split decision. After only eight professional fights, seven wins and a draw, Spinks was sent into the ring against iconic Ali on February 15, 1978 at the Las Vegas Hilton. Former world heavyweight boxing champion Leon Spinks, who took the crown from Muhammad Ali in 1978 before losing a rematch, has died aged 67. With a trademark gap-toothed grin, Spinks fought his way to Olympic gold in 1976 as a US light heavyweight in Montreal and turned professional six months later at age 23. Getty Images. Spinks … Ali regained the WBA heavyweight title and avenged his split decision loss to Spinks from seven months prior. "I congratulated Ali! news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site>news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site, Get your free trial now & start streaming instantly >. “His final fight was fought with the same skill, grace and grit that had carried him through so many lifetime challenges,” the statement said. He was 67. 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