He was 67. (CNN)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. He faced Muhammad Ali in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 15, 1978, winning to become the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion. [15] He was the only man to take a title from Muhammad Ali in the ring, as Ali's other losses were non-title contests or bouts where Ali was the challenger. He was 67. According to Leon’s Wikipedia, Leon tied the knot with his beautiful wife Brenda Spinks in 2011. Leon Spinks facts. In 2017, he was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. This could have been interpreted as a sign that this boy was not ordinary, as he … [40], Spinks perceptibly slurred his words after his active boxing days, and was diagnosed in 2012 with shrinkage in his brain, which doctors said was likely caused by the accumulated punches that he took during his career. Spinks was a resident of St. Louis, Missouri and was born in the year 1953, on 11th July. [10] His next fight was in Liverpool, England, where he beat Peter Freeman by a first-round knockout. [28], When his brother Michael Spinks defeated Larry Holmes in a controversial upset for the IBF heavyweight championship in 1985, they became the only brothers to have held world heavyweight championships. Leon Spinks, the one-time heavyweight champion boxer, is suffering from prostate cancer that has spread to his bladder, his wife told USA TODAY Sports Thursday by text message. Leon Spinks (born July 11, 1953) is an American former boxer, who had an overall record of 26 wins, 17 losses and three draws as a professional, with 14 of those wins by knockout. Leon Spinks is an United States Marine. [20] In the following fight, Spinks defeated former world title challenger and European title holder Alfredo Evangelista by a knockout in round 5. [29], In the 1980s Leon Spinks competed in several boxer vs. wrestler matches in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), including losing by submission to Antonio Inoki. The first was bronze at the inaugural 1974 World Championships, followed by silver at the 1975 Pan American Games, and gold at the 1976 Summer Olympics; the latter alongside his brother Michael Spinks, who won middleweight gold. [15] The title, stripped from Spinks, was then awarded to Norton.[18]. "At the time of his passing his wife Brenda Glur Spinks was by his side. Spinks was later stripped of the WBC title for facing Ali in an unapproved rematch seven months later, which he lost by a unanimous decision. Showing true Spinks determination, he never threw in the towel. She was born on December 3, 1980. Unfortunately, in 1983, Massey met a severe motor accident and died. [19] Spinks was never given a rematch; Ali retired after the fight (although he came out of retirement a few years later to fight Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick). [15] Ali regained the title, becoming the first three-time lineal heavyweight champion. Spinks' gap-toothed grin was featured on the cover of the February 19, 1978 issue of Sports Illustrated. He was stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and was on the Marine Corps Boxing Team. [2] However, he did challenge once more for the WBC heavyweight title in 1981 (losing to Larry Holmes by TKO in the third round), and the WBA cruiserweight title in 1986 (losing to Dwight Muhammad Qawi by TKO in the sixth round). [27], Spinks was due to face the World Cruiserweight number one David Pearce, but the fight was called off on 24 hours notice after the fighters had both weighed in, due to the BBBoC stance on Pearce fighting abroad in the newly formed Cruiserweight division. He made his debut the following January with a fifth-round knockout and would fight six more times before the year was over. 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. He told a reporter his life was "comfortable", and that he kept a low profile. Spinks and Ali met again seven months later at the Superdome in New Orleans. He was born on July 11, 1953 (67 years old) in St. Louis, Missouri. Along with his younger brother, Michael, who also went on to become a champion boxer, Spinks was a frequent target of neighborhood gangs. [4], Spinks won three consecutive national AAU light heavyweight championships from 1974 to 1976, the first of which came against future champion Michael Dokes. He was a very weak baby, weighing less than four pounds at birth. This was a sign of his weak immune system. Due to Covid restrictions, only a few close friends and other family were present," the statement read. He would fight for a heavyweight crown only on one other occasion, losing to Larry Holmes in 1981. Ali won and reclaimed the heavyweight title. Spinks lost his five-year battle with prostate and other cancers on Friday evening. FORMER undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion Leon Spinks has died at the age of 67. Leon Spinks (July 11, 1953 – February 5, 2021) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 1995. Leon Spinks: Muhammad Ali: Nickname: Neon: The Greatest: Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri: Louisville, Kentucky: Purse: $3,750,000: $3,250,000: Pre-fight record: 7–0–1 (5 KO) 55–3 (37 KO) Height: 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) Weight: 201 lb (91 kg) 221 lb (100 kg) Style: Orthodox: Orthodox: Recognition: WBA/The Ring/Lineal Heavyweight Champion: Former Undisputed Champion Leon Spinks was born on July 11, 1953, in St. Louis, Missouri. [21] He then fought to a draw in with Eddie López,[22] scored a knockout over Kevin Isaac in May,[23] and, in October, beat the WBC's top-ranked challenger, Bernardo Mercado, by a knockout in round nine on the undercard of Muhammad Ali vs. Larry Holmes. Spinks married his wife Betty Spinks in 1988. The stadium is old, so the entrances are small and seats are all kind of not flowing like newer stadiums, ... Posted by Leon Spinks on 4/16/21 at 12:00 pm to lewis and herschel. According to a release on Saturday from a public relations firm, former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks Jr. died on Friday night, after battling prostate and other cancers. 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. [8], Spinks finished his amateur career with a record of 178–7 with 133 knockouts. Recognizes Norton (Published 1978)", "Spinks Wasn't in Shape, Former Trainer Opines", "Whicker: Remembering Eddie Lopez, the animal who laughed", "Leon Spinks in search of himself and title", "Larry Holmes knocks out Leon Spinks in third round for title", "David Pearce: Statue of 'Newport's Rocky' to inspire boxers", "St. Louisan and former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks dies at 67", "Boxing Legend Leon Spinks, Who Once Had Match With Antonio Inoki, Dead At 67", "Former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks dies at 67 after lengthy cancer battle", "Leon Spinks, Boxer Who Took Ali's Crown and Lost It, Dies at 67", "Leon Spinks Jr. In August 1957, Rademacher, a former Olympic gold medalist from Melbourne 1956, made his professional debut against then-heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson. Leon Spinks (born July 11, 1953) is an American former boxer, who had an overall record of 26 wins, 17 losses and three draws as a professional, with 14 of those wins by knockout. Sure enough, he almost became a victim of it when he contracted jaundice and was also diagnosed with yellow fever. Brenda is from the US, so she has an American nationality. Leon's son, Cory Spinks, held the undisputed welterweight title, and was the IBF junior middleweight champion twice. [25], It was Spinks' last heavyweight bout for years, as he began boxing in the cruiserweight division. He was 67. [15] Spinks won the world heavyweight title in his eighth professional fight, the shortest span in history. (CNN) Former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, best known for defeating Muhammad Ali in 1978, has died at the age 67, according to … He won a gold medal at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal as a light heavyweight and finished his … BoxingScene.com has been … Leon Spinks was born on July 11, 1953, in Louis, Missouri, the U.S. from father Leon Spinks Sr., and mother Kay Francis Spinks.Unlike other normal childhood, Leon shared a life full of complications that he had to tackle and make thruway. A Little Bit of Texas, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Curry disqualified after refusing to answer the bell for round 9, believing the fight was scheduled for 8 rounds. [32] Spinks retired at age 42, after losing an 8-round decision to Fred Houpe in 1995, who was coming off a seventeen-year hiatus.[33]. [12] He then fought Scott LeDoux to a draw and defeated Italian champion Alfio Righetti in a decision.[13][14]. Michael Spinks got married to Sandy Massey. By BoxingScene Staff. He came within inches of his life, but fought on and survived. [6][7] He defeated Abdel Latif Fatihi, Anatoliy Klimanov, Ottomar Sachse, and Janusz Gortat en route to the final, where he defeated Sixto Soria to win the gold. how old is leon spinks? Steve Sipple, "Ex-champ Leon Spinks cleans up in Columbus". Though, he is 1.85 m tall, he weighs about 100 kg. ", The life of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Children's author Beverly Cleary dies at age 104, Actor George Segal's most memorable roles, Actress Jessica Walter's most memorable roles, Oscar winner Christopher Plummer's most memorable roles, GOP Rep. Ron Wright dies following Covid-19 diagnosis, Dustin Diamond, 'Saved by the Bell' star, dead at 44, Sekou Smith, NBA reporter, dies of Covid-19, Cicely Tyson, pioneering actress, dies at 96, Cloris Leachman, Emmy-winning sitcom star, dies at 94, Hank Aaron, baseball legend and former home run king, dies at 86. In 1990, Leon’s son named Leon Calvin was shot while he was moving to his house in East St. Louis. Leon Spinks’ victory in Montreal as a 23-year-old U.S. Marine with a gap-toothed smile made for a compelling story for boxing fans to follow, setting up “Neon Leon” for a high-profile start to his pro career. Besides being heavyweight champion and his characteristic gap-toothed grin (due to losing two and later all four of his front teeth), Spinks gained notoriety for the disaster which befell his career following the loss to Ali. [43], Media related to Leon Spinks at Wikimedia Commons, 1920–1936: 160–175 lb (72.6–79.4 kg), 1948: 73–80 kg, 1952–2012: 75–81 kg. In 1994 he lost a bout by KO to John Carlo, the first time a former heavyweight champion had lost to a boxer making his pro debut (promoter Charles Farrell later admitted to falsifying Carlo's record in order to get the fight sanctioned by the District of Columbia). [4] In the late 1990s, Spinks was a headliner on year-round, touring autograph shows. He was 67 years old. He weighed less than four pounds at birth, and at 2 weeks old, he developed yellow jaundice and almost died. [38] Calvin was an aspiring light heavyweight pro boxer with a record of 2–0, with the two pro bouts occurring only a month before he died. Unfortunately, life after boxing hasn’t been easy for the now 67-year-old Spinks. [34], Spinks lived later in his life in Las Vegas, Nevada. Leon Spinks Bio- Birthday, Death! Leon Spinks (July 11, 1953 – February 5, 2021) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 1995. [5] He was serving in the Marine Corps at the time. [24], His strong performance against Mercado earned Spinks a title match against Larry Holmes. Leon served in the United States Marine Corps from 1973 to 1976, rising to the rank of corporal. Age, Height, and Weight. The publicist's statement continued with, "Leon fought his battle with numerous illnesses resiliently, never losing his trademark smile. In 2011, Spinks and his wife Brenda moved to Las Vegas. Spinks was hospitalized twice in 2014 in a Las Vegas hospital for surgery due to abdominal problems, from which he recovered. FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "How the Marine Corps Gave Leon Spinks His Shot at Greatness", "Leon Spinks Is Facing a Sad Ending After a Wasted Boxing Career", "Leon Spinks, 67-Years-Old, Passes Away After Long Battle With Cancer", "Leon Spinks Pro Debut Stops Bob Smith This Day January 15, 1977 – Boxing Hall of Fame", "Ex-Bolton boxer Peter Freeman has no regrets about the day 'Neon' Leon Spinks put his lights out", "Leon Spinks KOs Pedro Agosto This Day May 7, 1977 – Boxing Hall of Fame", "Scott LeDoux: The Fighting Frenchman and his shot at the title", "Leon Spinks, ex-champ who upset Ali, dies at 67", "SI Vault: Ali takes sloppy win, title from Spinks", "Spinks Stripped of Crown; W.B.C. Leon Spinks, Boxer Who Took Ali’s Crown and Lost It, Dies at 67 He was an Olympic champion with few pro fights under his belt when he surprised the … Former world heavyweight boxing champion Leon Spinks, who scored an upset victory against Muhammad Ali, died Friday, a spokesman for the fighter said. Leon Spinks, who unexpectedly defeated Muhammad Ali to win the world heavyweight boxing championship in 1978, only to lose his title seven months later and become something of … The couple divorced in the year 2004. In only his eighth professional fight, he won the undisputed heavyweight championship in 1978 after defeating Muhammad Ali in a split decision, in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. In 1990, Leon's other son, Leon Calvin, was shot to death in East St. Louis as he was driving home from his girlfriend's house. The man who shocked the world when he beat the … His childhood was a very difficult one. However, Leon lost by TKO in the sixth round. [42] He died at a hospital in Henderson, Nevada on February 5, 2021, at age 67. How far up were you sitting I should have mentioned it in OP but I was wondering about the views of the field from the seats. Spinks faced difficulties right after being born, as he weighed less than the average weight of a healthy baby boy. 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 became severely ill with jaundice at two weeks but miraculously survived. They kept the distinction until the Klitschko brothers became champions two decades later. Spinks's next fight, his only one in 1979, was at Monte Carlo, where he was knocked out in the first round by future WBA world heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee. [16] The aging Ali had expected an easy fight, but he was out-boxed by Spinks, who did not tire throughout the bout. [3], Spinks also had a brief career as a professional wrestler in the 1990s, working for Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) and holding the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship in 1992. In 1995, Spinks retired from boxing. Being born on July 13, 1956, Michael Spinks is 64 years old … Updated 1213 GMT (2013 HKT) February 7, 2021. [31], Spinks boxed for another eight years with mixed results. A now-in-shape Ali—with better, sharper tactics—rarely lost control, winning back his title by a unanimous fifteen-round decision. His second match with Ali, at the Louisiana Superdome on September 15, 1978, went badly for Spinks. In 2009, Spinks was featured as part of the 2009 documentary Facing Ali, in which notable former opponents of Ali speak about how fighting Ali changed their lives. Personal Life: Affair, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids. [31] Qawi had been defeated by Michael Spinks three years earlier for his WBC light heavyweight championship. [30] In 1986 Spinks earned his last championship opportunity, fighting Dwight Muhammad Qawi for the WBA cruiserweight championship. Louis.[37]. While investigating facts about Leon Spinks Net Worth and Leon Spinks Health, I found out little known, but curios details like: Heavyweight boxing champions Muhammad Ali, Floyd Patterson, and Leon Spinks all trained at the same now defunct hotel in the Catskill Mountains. During the 1990s, Spinks worked for Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, winning its world title in 1992, making him only the second man (after Primo Carnera) to hold titles in both boxing and wrestling. Leon Spinks’s age is 67 years old as of today’s date 15th April 2021 having been born on 11 July 1953. As an amateur, Spinks won numerous medals in the light heavyweight division. Photo by THE RING Archive The 24-year-old Spinks would be the most inexperienced professional to vie for the title since Washington’s Pete Rademacher. The victory over Ali was the peak of Spinks' career. [9], Spinks debuted professionally on January 15, 1977 in Las Vegas, Nevada, beating Bob Smith by knockout in five rounds. [17], However, Spinks was stripped of his world title by the WBC for refusing to defend it against Ken Norton, instead agreeing to a return bout against Ali to defend his WBA crown. https://www.foxnews.com/sports/boxing-legend-leon-spinks-dead-at-67 Sat 6 Feb 2021 22.36 EST 579 Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the heavyweight … [15] It was one of the few occasions when Ali left the ring with a bruised and puffy face. Leon Spinks, 67-Years-Old, Passes Away After Long Battle With Cancer. [11] Later, he saw an improvement in opposition quality, when he fought Pedro Agosto of Puerto Rico and knocked him out in round one. Leon Spinks was born on July 11, 1953, at St. Louis, Missouri, United States. He beat contender Ivy Brown by a decision in ten rounds,[26] and gained a decision against former and future title challenger Jesse Burnett in twelve rounds. Dies: Ex-Heavyweight Boxing Champ Who Defeated Muhammad Ali Was 67", "Leon Spinks, heavyweight champ who once beat Ali, dead at 67", "Former champion Leon Spinks hospitalized", "Boxing Champ Leon Spinks' Prostate Cancer Has Spread – What Are the Treatment Options? He was hospitalized in December that year after the cancer spread to his bladder. [41], In 2019, it was revealed that Spinks was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. Brenda Spinks has stepchildren named Cory Soinks and Darrell Spinks as per the source. Spinks retired in 1995 with a 26-17-3 record with 14 knockouts. Clarion Hotel Ballroom, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Won vacant WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title. Spinks, a 24-year-old barely out of the Olympics, a young fighter who’d had only seven pro fights and hadn’t looked too good in any of them, was muscling his … Boxer Leon Spinks, Who Toppled Muhammad Ali, Dies At 67 Spinks shocked the boxing world in 1978 when he defeated the reigning heavyweight champion … Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Spinks represented the United States during the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada, as a light heavyweight and won a gold medal. Leon Spinks Wiki 2021, Height, Age, Net Worth 2021, Family - Find facts and details about Leon Spinks on wikiFame.org [3], Spinks won the light heavyweight gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. He finished his career with a 26-17 record and earned multiple world titles. At the time a lower-ranked contender, he made history on February 15, 1978, by beating Muhammad Ali on a 15-round split decision in Las Vegas, Nevada. Full name: Leon Spinks Date of birth: July 11th1953 Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri Age: 66 Profession: Professional boxer Height: 1.85 m Weight: 90 kg Net Worth: 20$ thousand [35], In August 2017, Leon was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame along with his brother, Michael. He was 67. [39] Leon's grandson and Calvin's son, Leon Spinks III, is an aspiring light heavyweight southpaw boxer with a pro record of 11–3–1 with seven knockouts, his last outing being a six-round draw with Robbie Cannon in October 2017. Published Sat Feb 06, 2021, 06:01 PM EST. CNN's Alaa Elassar, Jay Croft and Ben Morse contributed to this report. ", Olympic boxing champions – men's light heavyweight, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leon_Spinks&oldid=1018038691, AIBA World Boxing Championships medalists, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in boxing, Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States, Winners of the United States Championship for amateur boxers, Articles needing additional references from February 2021, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 15 April 2021, at 23:53. "Sometimes I'd fight back," he lat… The couple had a daughter named Michelle. [36], Spinks was born and raised in St. In this Feb. 15, 1978 photo, Leon Spinks, right, connects with a right hook to Muhammad Ali, during the late rounds of their championship fight in Las Vegas. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2019. In Spinks' only fight in 1981, and what would be his last opportunity to win the heavyweight title, he suffered a loss via TKO in the third round at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan on June 12. It was only Spinks' eighth professional bout and one of the greatest upsets in boxing history. As a boy, Spinks dealt with low blood pressure and periodic fainting spells, hardly a prescription for survival in the crime-infested area of St. Louis, where he resided. , 06:01 PM EST first-round knockout August 1957, Rademacher, a former Olympic medalist! Professional debut against then-heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson IBF junior middleweight champion twice. [ 18.... First three-time lineal heavyweight champion `` comfortable '', and at 2 weeks old, he is 1.85 tall... Won the world heavyweight title, Missouri and was also diagnosed with yellow fever 15 ] Ali regained the,. Life after boxing hasn ’ t been easy for the WBA cruiserweight championship yellow fever [ ]! 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