The Fighting Life: Michael Spinks, "Larry Holmes was a bully"
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- Michael Spinks made history in 1985 when he became the first light heavyweight champion to move up in weight and win the heavyweight title. He defeated Larry Holmes and back-to-back fights. It was an accomplishment that legends Billy Conn, Archie Moore and Bob Foster failed to achieve. In addition to being light heavyweight and heavyweight champ, Michael was a gold medalist at the 1976 Olympics. #boxing #historyofboxing #michaelspinks #leonspinks #larryholmes #thefightinglife #stlouis
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i spent three hours speaking with this man in a press room prior to a tyson holmes undercard and main event he is one of the few pure gentlemen and fathers whom i have ever met
😂 Larry. "Mr Potato Head" got shut up by Mike 🥊Tyson
Holmes was actually a top class heavyweight in his day and doesn't really get any credit these days. He came out of retirement at 38 to make the unwise decision to fight Tyson. If you watch the fight he actually fought well for 2 rounds before Tyson destroyed him. Sure look how Tyson finished his career, embarrassing defeats to Francis and McBride. Sad when great fighters go on too long.
@@melvert33 The Holmes that gave Ray Mercer a boxing lesson would have most likely beat Tyson.
@@melvert33Whattttt, who doesn’t know that Homles is one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, he gets all the credit they deserves from people that actually know boxing 🥊, he’s always on any list in the top 5 or 10 of the greatest heavyweights in history. He’s just not known outside of boxing like Ali and Tyson whose names transcends boxing, sports world and generations regardless of age.
@@dougfredricks2017Just to think the beat down Buster Douglas put on Tyson would probably been nothing compared to what a prime Larry Holmes would have done to him.
This man is so underrated, one of the best of all time.
Not after freezing against tyson. Lesser fighters went down fighting against prime Mike yet spinks just froze and didn't even throw a punch. Disgraceful performance
Stop, please.
Well I agree that he totally threw in the towel against Tyson (I don’t believe that KO for a second), it is still hard to argue Spinks doesn’t belong among the better all time LHW’s.
ATG at 175, and dethroned Holmes. Spinks > Tyson in ATG rankings. Keep crying!@@jaydebeer7251
Yea, that loss to Tyson did him no favours. He was way better than that. Funny that all these years later, Michael Spinks is arguably Tyson’s best win.
Michael really loved Leon no matter what happened in Leon’s life Michael was always there for him
Yes, a true brother! We should all have family like Michael Spinks!
That shines through in this interview. Respect.
He's his brother how could he not wow
@@tyn833 My brother, you would be surprised 😮 Some families....wow!!! 🤣
That was kind of a problem too, though. Leon needed his ass kicked, not a hug. Michael couldn’t do it.
one of the highlights of my life was meeting Joe Frazier at his gym, I think it was 2009 and I was just getting into my boxing career at 21 and a friend of mine wanted to learn body punching and felt Joe was the best so we went to his gym. When I met him I mentioned I was a southpaw and he said "you'll have to wait outside we don't allow southpaws here" deadpan serious then broke out laughing and shook hands. Then he said ok I'm coming at you what you gonna do? I'm all of 150 pounds (I was welterweight and jr middleweight) so I showed him and he stepped back acting surprised and said "not bad" (I'm sure he was just being nice) As we were talking he told me I could workout there for free if I would help out some of his guys fighting a southpaw, but it never happened. My friend got transferred and I moved to Texas and sadly Joe passed away a few years later. But it was a moment I'll never forget.
Mike Spinks was one of the best Light Heavyweights of all time.
Michael Spinks just does not get enough credit.
He's one of the finest light heavyweights ever to glove up and the only one go straight up to heavyweight and dethrone a reigning and great champion of the stature of Holmes.
There's more to Michael Spinks than 91 seconds in the Summer of 1988.
I have never seen Michael interviewed before this. What a really nice guy to sit and talk boxing with.
We’re proud of you too Michael 🙌 .. a total legend & a good bloke , always fighting bigger men but with impressive results 👊
Soooo underrated! His style was so unorthodoxed & confused opponents
He wasn't underrated he's highly rated at lightheavy and did well at heavy. He was scared against Tyson everyone knows that, but underrated, why was he?
Wow. I'm a boxing fan and over 40ys old. And I'm from STL lol. But this video has increased my appreciation for Michael Spinks. I'll have to click the like button and share now
Thank you very much
A very interesting, humble man.
Every generation will have their legends; think of the many generations to come. For me, 56 on Long Island, this is special. Thank you.
Michael is such a gentleman and he was a tremendous fighter
I love ❤ Michael Spinks!!! He's always been humble, intelligent, & articulate. Michael possessed superb boxing skills. His combinations were unique & effective. Plus he had a big punch. I was so proud of him beating bully & narcissistic Larry Homes TWICE!!! 🎉.
Excellent Fighter Michael - very awkward style and moved well. He was a force at Light Heavyweight and had some impressive wins at Heavy.
But he failed miserably against Mike Tyson. He shouldn't have even been in the same ring with him
I remember Michael winning LINEAL Heavyweight championship over Larry Holmes ..along with IBF title...Michael Spinks truly a great champion...
So great that he relinquished the heavyweight title
@@vinniedixon1140 😂 wow... You're such a casual...Spinks didn't ✌relinquish✌IBF belt...he was stripped because Spinks chose to fight Gerry Cooney instead of ✌supposed✌mandatory Tony Tucker. Next time you make absurd comment, get your facts right.
People make 1 Million EXCUSES for LARRY HOLMES losing to MICHAEL SPINKS, instead of giving SPINKS the credit he deserves for fighting a great fight and beating him Fair and Square.
Spinks kicked his ass
@@davidradovsky5354 Yeah, I've always thought the first fight was pretty decisive.
no excuse/Truth is that was the same year Holmes retired slower and Flab E//Holmes took the second... late 70's early 80's Holmes wouldn't lose the first.. Holmes that whooped shavers twice
@@active.7universalSpinks kept moving and got his punches off first
Fond memories of the Spinks brothers, talented top fighter athletes.
God bless you Michael!! Thanks for posting this
Lovely man. Ever so humble.
Michael Spinks is a great champion and gentleman.
One of the most underrated heavyweights, stylewise and as far as excitement goes
I love both Spinks brothers. They are both great American legends in my book.
Michael Spinks was a class guy who was always easy to cheer for.
Spinks is the GOAT light heavy...the Spinks brothers are American heroes
Always liked Mike. Heckuva fighter. Bravo champ.
Michael mentioned Val in the beginning. Val was actually my trainer at the gym back in 54-95
One of my favorite boxers
My favorite fighter of all time is Archie Moore "The Old Mongoose!"
But truth be told, EZZARD CHARLES was definitely the best light heavyweight ever.
That's a great point. Charles doesn't get enough credit at light heavy
Yes he is. Anyone that has a 3 - 0 record over Moore gets the nod as far as I am concerned. In in those 3 fights he stopped Moore in one and in one of the others he reportedly won nearly every round. But Michael Spinks is definitely near the top of the Light Heavies.
@@throwbackmediasports Ezzard Charles has always been underrated. The Ring magazine has always ranked him high, #11 at one point. His late career losses, along with the low KO percentage has kept him from many boxing fans lists of greatest heavyweights.
Let's not forget Bob Foster!
@@kcash6359 you'd be aware of the Baroudi fight? Charles had about a 50% KO record up to then but it went downhill after that. That sort of thing usually has a big effect on boxers, Charles was greatly affected by it.
God Bless you Michael !!!
" The Spinks Jinx " is what made him great. ❤
One of my favorite boxers !!
Right up there with Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore at 175 lbs. Reigned during an absolutely stacked era, too...
Michael was a great light heavyweight.
A hugely underrated fighter. He was the first man to beat Holmes and lost only one fight in his career. I often wonder if Spinks had gotten into the later rounds with Tyson what he may have been able to accomplish with his awkward style.
It seems to me that most every younger person today knows Michael Spinks from only one fight, his quick KO loss to Mike Tyson at heavyweight. Which is a shame. Because Michael Spinks was an absolutely magnificent fighter at light-heavyweight, a knockout artist with ALL the skills, who was undefeated at that weight as well as undefeated during his foray into the heavyweights, until his one loss to a prime Mike Tyson. For that bout, Michael Spinks was well out of his prime, and of course well out of his best weight. He succeeded so well at heavyweight because he was an overachiever, but being asked to fight a prime Mike Tyson was a tall order.
Michael Spinks was a really nice guy, and he always gave a great interview but he was not arrogant, though he had a lot of fun in his interviews and he was quite confident.
He was a phenomenal amateur, an Olympic gold medal winner, and a phenomenal pro champion. Any thoughts that he was a "runner" are ridiculous; he was a stalker at light-heavyweight, he only brought movement into the fold against heavyweights, and also against one light-heavyweight, Dwight Braxton, who was a world champion when they fought and a very dangerous guy at the time. Otherwise, Michael was generally the stalker, and he generally won by KO.
He was a credit to boxing, and definitely one of the three or four best light-heavyweights in history. He was undefeated in his entire light-heavyweight career, at a time when the light-heavyweights were excellent. And of course, he was the first light-heavyweight champion in history to move up and dethrone the reigning heavyweight champion.
What a great fighter Spinks was.
Losing only to a Tyson who was at his peak at that time. If Spinks could’ve got through the first 3 or 4 rounds against Tyson, he may have had a slight chance. Tyson had Spinks beaten even before the fight had started. That was the effect Iron Mike had on most of his opponents
back then , well apart from Holyfield who was scared of no man.
A really likeable person and a great boxer, I hope he kept hold of his ring earnings.
Oh yeah. Mike had acumen and was real prudent fiscally
Good video, I always liked Michael. I got a chuckle out of his comments about Braxton.
Awesome. Respect 🙏 🫡
One of my favorites gentlemen
The Spinx Jinx wasn’t no joke!!!
Michael Spinks was a great fighter, accomplished so much.
So fun to watch him box!!!
This man was a great great light heavyweight and heavyweight champion 👍
Great interview
Thank you very much!
Look its not hard to see PD here. BUT Michael and Leon will get remembered long after us bums are forgotten. God bless them both - thank you.
Great fighter and man.
Mike and Leon belong in the HOF.
He was one of the best, wonder how he would do against Roy Jones Jr.
prime vs prime, i think roy would have lit him up. spinks is underrated, but prime roy had ALL the gifts.
That's a great "dream fight"
He was too big and with skill, he would have beaten Roy Jones relatively easily.
see? now this would be a good barber shop "argument"!
@@david-pb4bi
Michael's awkward style and overall skills would have given Roy trouble at light heavyweight. Keep in mind Eric Harding was giving Roy fits for several rounds before an arm injury forced him to retire from that fight. Even Roy admitted Harding was one of his toughest fights up to that point. Lou Del Valle was the only other boxer to give Roy much trouble at light heavy.
Larry Holmes was one of the three greatest of all time..still kicking ass when he was 50..
@orangeclawhammer777 He only lost when he was older .. a fighter at 35 starts to lose the speed they used to have and skills . He could still fight into his 40's but he didn't need fast speed for guys like Holyfield , just a decent jab , and ring smarts . Even Mike Tyson admired Larry in his prime late 70's early 80's .
@orangeclawhammer777 when did it really count? Getting off the floor after being smashed by Earnie Shavers? Then knocking Shavers out,or the 20 title defenses before he met Spinks? Or the second career after the 20 defenses, lasting into his 50’s
He was dropped and gassed out many times. Marciano would have destroyed him.
@@davidradovsky5354 Dropped by Earnie Shavers, one of the hardest punchers of all time,got up & knocked shavers out. Knocked down by Mike Weaver, then knocked weaver out. Don King convinced Larry to fight Tyson. Three yrs inactive,three weeks preparation for Tyson,got knocked out. Had he not caught arm on rope throwing uppercut fight may have been different. Marciano was great for his toughness,but if Archie Moore was able to put Him down,what would Larry’s jab do to Rockys cut prone face? Gassed out? 12 rounds Holyfield,Ray Mercer,Norton,Too many to list,stamina was Larry’s biggest strength into his 50s
@@elviscollector snipes, Witherspoon, Norton and many others busted up Larry holmes. Why did holmes not say I will never lose to a white guy? Because some white guy in the amateurs knocked him out cold twice. That never happened to Marciano.
When Mike was in his prime he had all the beast in his division Matthew Saad, Camden Buzz Saw, Eddie Mustafa what a killer division
The Spinks brothers could kick some ass. They probably still can. Although Tyson made short work of Michael.
Leon passed away several years ago.
Very underrated fighter. Tyson really psyched him out
Mike would put the spinx’s jinx’s on them fellas!☝🏽🥸
This guy was great...
Love Michael spinks
Michael is an all time great LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT! Outstanding person! But really not a heavyweight. He outclassed Holmes, an old Holmes. And I really think he lost the rematch. But I have nothing but respect for Michael. One of the best Light Heavyweights of all time! Goin out against Tyson the way he did was not what he deserved. Never should have been in there.
Usyk light heavy weight and Heavy weight Champion. Bring em on.
Hi I’m 15 and it’s unfortunate I was not old enough to conference or ever experience this man in action but to a default he is a very great, not one of the greatest, showing fear to Tyson but not Holmes?? Somewhat a confusing part but Micheal Spinks was very underrated fighter he would use his power and strength to defeat these guys, Jerry cooney is just one of the best fights an absolute smoke bomb. I love Spinks give him credit for an amazing fighter
Michael Spinks made history he was the first light heavyweight boxer to beat a heavyweight champion and Larry Holmes became the first heavyweight champion to lose his title to smaller weight class fighter.
I suggest you read about Bob Fitzsimmons, only weighed 167lb when he won heavyweight title.
His brother was so good (and better than Michael)...... but both were solid fighters and good guys.... what a great interview. We use to have black and white TVs back then but the fights we electric.
I was enjoying this video. Wanted to hear what he had to say about Holmes, then the sound cut out as soon as he mentioned his name right after around 9 minutes.
Got to just live Michael Spinks but when he fought Holmes he was just past his prime. Larry was still good but had been in many wars. Spinks was young. Had Spinks crossed paths with Larry 5 years earlier it would not have been close. Sometimes it's not who you fight but when you fight them.
Was so disapointed in the way he was so fearful and ran from Tyson. I thought he would actually give him a fight. I was a huge fan of his for beating Holmes twice.
Michael, you were the single greatest LT Hvy WT of all time!! And please don't forget, you were an excellent heavyweight to! DavidL
Michael is a likeable guy, but he was extremely lucky to scrap out a win in both Homes fights...especially when you look at some of the judges scorecards...and remember that Larry was on his way to beating Mariano's unbeaten record.
Great Champion
Bless him
His victories against holmes were gifts
@orangeclawhammer777 spinks
The first fight was a clear victory for Spinks. The second fight is a different story, however.
Spinks fought Larry art the right time. Larry was like 35 , and his speed and skills were not quite what they were before . The younger Larry that beat up Leon Spinks , would have done the same to Michael .
Nope
that was also the same year Holmes retired the first time slower flab E. Larry Holmes definitely won the second/first was close I'll have to watch it again
He has a decent record lost one fight and retired.
Here’s some nostalgia for you sphinx fans:
one late night many years ago I stopped to get a burger at an Los Angeles fat burger greasy spoon …I got in line and right in front of me was the ex champ Michael Spinks ..,long story short; it was a couple of weeks after fighting Tyson ..I asked him “ Mike: why did u lay down and not get back up to finish the first round w Tyson …He literally said “ I wasn’t gonna get
My A…kicked !!!….he gave a simple answer and was real…I respected that answer because back then the fear was real of Mike Tyson !!!!! ….
The Spinks jinx baby,the spinks jinx enough said
Holmes may have been a bully, but you got two gift decisions .
Bullshit
Greatest light heavyweight of all time. GOAT😊
Classy guy, classy fighter, very underrated, it’s unfair the Tyson wipeout overshadows what he achieved. #1 light heavyweight of all time no doubt
Mike SPINKS ❤
It was very evident that Michael was scared when he climbed into the ring with Tyson. Some thought he took a dive.
Nice Guy
A bully? I think Tyson killed Spinks brain cells.
Class Act
Maybe Larry being a bully helped him last at least five rounds against Tyson while the spinx jinx lasted only 98 seconds with Tyson,
Hey am I missing something. A fabulous fighter at amateur and professional. But, other light heavyweight champions to win the title at Heavyweight include, Gene Tunny, Ezzard Charles, Roy Jones Jr and Bob Fitzsimmons just off the top of my head.
Those others were not LHW Champs at the time, they had moved up to HW.
John - thanks for watching and thanks for the note. Spinks did it ahead of Jones. Tunney and Charles were never world champs at 175. The oddity with Fitzsimmons, is that he won the heavyweight title and then dropped down to light heavy .. not sure that makes much sense but that's how historians often frame it
I just remember thinking Mike was the first to defeat a heavyweight. Many light heavy's have attemped but he was the first
The man frequently touted as “the most underrated Heavyweight champion ever had an awful lot of trouble bullying Spinks, Weaver, Witherspoon & an old Norton - & it’s just a coincidence that the only one of them who ever received a rematch was the one Holmes lost to.
His competition was no better than Rocky Marciano’s. Underrated, my ass.
All the talent that came out of Joe's gym in Philadelphia and now the gym and now it's a frunii store... Make it make sense!
Michael Spinks was a great boxer and is one of the 5 best LH world champions of all times! A genuine man who deserves all respect and credit.
However he did not really defeat Larry Holmes. First fight was close and at best a Draw for Spinks. And the rematch was Holmes victory for sure.
He was twice robbed out of his world heavyweight title and that was all uggly politics behind the scenes due to they did not want Holmes to break
Rocky Marciano's 49-0-0 HW record. And even if Holmes used poor words, he would have had no problems defeating Marciano and Marciano's record is loaded with poor quality opponents as only about 7 fights are worth talking about with all of them at advanced stages past there primes.
Totally agree!👍
@@roadrunner381 Amen !!!
Larry got away with so many corrupt robberies. Before spinks schooled him and put an end to it
😂😂😂
And he did it all without steroids. Fantastic. Slinks was an all time great light heavyweight and a very very good Heavyweight. As a big man he’s better than anyone today.
Who else beat Leon, that Michel got revenge on…besides Holmes?🤔
IRON MIKE CRACKED THE BULLY RIGHT OUT OF HOLMES WHEN HE SAT HIM DOWN ALRIGHT !!!
Not sure he beat Larry especially the 2nd time!
They gave their fight to Michael Spinks they was not going to let Larry surpass Rocky Marciano record it was political, so they robbed him. Larry knew what was going on he spoke about it
Holmes did and does have a huge ego
I wanted him to fight holyfield!
Now he is talking after he has been knocked out all over the place.
Spinks is the best loght heavy ever
Spinks Jinx.
Tyson loved Holmes!!! Luv that bully!!!!
Larry Holmes was the greatest..period..
...Holmes may have been a bully, but Tyson took that right out of him...
Larry Holmes was well past his prime when he fought Spinks and Tyson,remember Tyson at the latter end getting beaten by people he would have taken out in a couple of rounds in his prime,never had much time for Spinks in the way he folded against Tyson he wasn't even hurt and still chickens out.
He's saying all of this but he never beat Larry Holmes, Larry Holmes comments about Marciano beat Larry Holmes and Michael spinks knows that, Larry Holmes beat him in his face twice but the forces higher than Larry didn't want him to beat Marciano's record and Michael spinks knows that
Yup, I have to agree. Michael Spins is the greatest Light Heavyweight Champion of all times. He also won the Heavyweight Title. Bob Foster did not. Archie Moore did not. Enough said.
What about Usyk. He's a light heavyweight world Champion and a heavyweight Chmpion.
@@rodneydukes7616 Very good point. Thank you.