By Allan Fox: Former WBA/WBC heavyweight champion Leon Spinks (24-17-3, 134 KOs) has reportedly been hospitalized in Las Vegas, Nevada following surgery to correct an abdominal problem. This was the second operation for the 61-year-old Spinks on the problem.
According to AP, Spinks’ wife feels optimistic that he’ll be able to get through this, but he still has a ways to go.
Spinks captured a gold medal in the 1976 in the light heavyweight division. He turned pro in 1977, and defeated WBA/WBC heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in beating him by a 15 round split decision in February 1978. In their rematch in September of 1978, Spinks was beaten by a 15 round unanimous decision.
From there, Spinks career pretty much nose-dived with him getting knocked out in the 1st round in his very next fight to Gerrie Coetzee. Spinks would later lose to the likes of Larry Holmes, Carlos De Leon, and Dwight Braxton among many other heavyweights.
Spinks really never belonged at heavyweight because he didn’t have the frame for the division. You can make an argument that he belonged more at light heavyweight than at heavyweight. He was small even for a cruiserweight, because he had to bulk up in weight to get over 200 pounds, and he didn’t have the frame to be fighting in that weight class.
Spinks would have been far better off if he’d fought at 175, but you can’t blame him for wanting to fight at heavyweight because there was no money to be made at light heavyweight or cruiserweight back when Spinks was fighting.
Spinks younger brother Michael Spinks captured world titles at light heavyweight and in the heavyweight division. He even beat Larry Holmes and avenged Spinks losses to him and Dwight Braxton.
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