Who is Michael Spinks? Olympic Gold Medalist and Heavyweight Champion
Michael Spinks is a former professional boxer and Olympic gold medalist. He was born on November 3, 1956, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Leon Spinks Jr. and Kay Frances Spinks. He is the younger brother of Leon Spinks, a professional boxer best known for defeating Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight title in 1978.
Spinks attended Vashon High School in St. Louis, Missouri. After graduating from high school, he began his career as an amateur boxer in 1974, winning the 156-pound light heavyweight championship by defeating Wilbur Cameron in Denver, Colorado. In 1975, he won the silver medal at the National Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Championships at 165 pounds, losing to Tom Sullivan in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The following year, he rebounded by defeating Lamont Kirkland in three rounds and won the National Golden Gloves Middleweight Championship in Miami, Florida. That same year, he also won the U.S. Olympic Middleweight Boxing Championship, defeating Keith Broome in Cincinnati, Ohio.
These victories earned him a spot on the 1976 U.S. Olympic boxing team. At the Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, Spinks won the gold medal in the middleweight division, defeating Rufat Riskiev from the Soviet Union in the final. Visit. A F R I N I K . C. O M. For the full article. He finished his amateur career with a record of 93 wins and seven losses.
After the Olympics, Spinks supported himself with odd jobs, including at a chemical plant in St. Louis, where he washed floors and cleaned toilets. At this time, he also took care of his mother. In 1977, boxing promoter and manager Ronald “Butch” Everett Lewis convinced Spinks to turn professional. He made his debut by knocking out Eddie Benson in the first round.
Spinks won his first major victory in March 1981 when he knocked out Marvin Johnson in the fourth round. This victory earned him a World Boxing Association (WBA) light heavyweight title fight in July 1981. He successfully defended his title against several opponents, including Vonzell Johnson Mustapha Wasajja, Murray Sutherland, Jerry Celestine, and Johnny Davis.. These victories helped him become famous by appearing on the covers of boxing magazines.
In January 1983, Spinks faced personal tragedy when his longtime partner Sandy Massey died in a car accident, leaving him a single father with their two-year-old daughter Michelle. Despite his broken heart, Spinks continued his boxing career. In March 1983, he fought Dwight Muhammad Qawi in a unification bout for the WBA and World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight titles, winning by unanimous decision after 15 rounds.
He later moved up to heavyweight and, in September 1985, faced Larry Holmes, who was leading 48-0 at the time. Spinks defeated Holmes by unanimous decision after 15 rounds, winning the IBF and The Ring heavyweight titles. In a rematch in 1986, Spinks defeated Holmes again by unanimous decision.
Spinks then defeated Steffen Tangstad and Jerry Cooney. However, in June 1988, he faced Mike Tyson and was knocked out in the first round. After the defeat, Spinks retired from boxing at the age of 32. In 1994, Michael Spinks was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
