Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks

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Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks
DateFebruary 15, 1978
VenueHilton Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
Title(s) on the lineWBA, WBC, and The Ring undisputed heavyweight championship
Tale of the tape
Boxer United States Muhammad Ali United States Leon Spinks
Nickname "The Greatest" "Neon"
Hometown Louisville, Kentucky
St. Louis, Missouri
Purse $3,500,000 $320,000
Pre-fight record 55–2 (37 KO) 6–0–1 (5 KO)
Age 36 years 24 years, 7 months
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 224 lb (102 kg) 197 lb (89 kg)
Style Orthodox Orthodox
Recognition WBA, WBC and The Ring undisputed heavyweight champion
Result
Spinks won by 15th round split decision.

Las Vegas, Nevada, for the WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight championship.[1]

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. 1 ranked Norton beat No. 2 ranked Jimmy Young in a title eliminator in November 1977.[2]

The fight

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

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.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Aftermath

The bout was named The Ring magazine upset of the year.

The final round (15) was named The Ring magazine round of the year.

Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The rematch took place on September 15, 1978, for the World Boxing Association and Lineal Heavyweight Champion titles. Ali regained the title with a unanimous decision
over Spinks.

Broadcasting

Country Broadcaster
 United States CBS

Undercard

Confirmed bouts:[10]

References

  1. ^ "Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks (1st meeting)". BoxRec.com.
  2. ^ "Ali-Spinks Winner Must Face Norton". Observer–Reporter. 2 December 1977. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Muhammad Ali's ring record". ESPN. 19 November 2003. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  4. ^ "Muhammad Ali meets his match as young Leon Spinks stuns the champ to take heavyweight title". New York Daily News. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  5. ^ Felix Dennis; Don Atyeo (2003). Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years. miramax books. pp. 254–258.
  6. ^ Hugh McIlvanney (1982). McIlvanney on Boxing. Beaufort books. pp. 163–71.
  7. ^ Ferdie Pacheco (1992). Muhammad Ali: A View from the Corner. Birch Lane Press. pp. 153–58.
  8. ^ Thomas Hauser (1991). Muhammad Ali:His Life and Times. Simon & Schuster. pp. 350–60.
  9. ^ "One more time to the top". Sports Illustrated. 25 September 1978. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  10. ^ "BoxRec - event". BoxRec.com.
Preceded by Muhammad Ali' bouts
February 15, 1978 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
vs. Alfio Righetti
 Leon Spinks's bouts
February 15, 1978
Awards
Previous:
Jimmy Young W12
George Foreman 		The Ring Fight of the Year
1978 		Succeeded by
Previous:
Jorge Luján KO10
Alfonso Zamora 		The Ring Upset of the Year
1978 		Next:
Marvin Hagler
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