why did leon spinks get a shot at ali and the world championship in only his 8th fight? was he supposed to be hand picked and beaten and he just fucked plans up or what?
he was just supposed to be an easy opponent for Ali to beat, but Ali didn't train for him, like he didn't train for about half his fights
Well another theory is that Ali was so bent on becoming world heavyweight champ 3 times that he lost to spinks on purpose knowing that he could beat him anyday of the week and twice on sundays.
So some say it was a fix but spinks knew nothing about it though and was part of Ali's plans all along.
I spoke to a guy that was involved in boxing around that time and he said a few things about that too.
I doubt that. Most likely, he was just better prepared. The second fight was more of Spinks being the one who wasn't prepared.
Not saying i believe this theory but it does make some sense though.
NO KD or KOs in both fights.
Spinks in first fight kind of just attacked and atacked and attacked.
Ali didnt look he's self in first fight.
2nd fight Ali kind of 'rolled back the yrs' and basically just outskilled Spinks, some say it was last glimpse of the Ali magic.
Soon after i think Ali's doc that had been with him since kind of beginning left when Ali's people was pressuring him to fight more and more after the spinks fight and started giving him all kinds of medication and different drugs.
No probs.
Any thing else jus ask.
Im offering an alternate theory thats all, i aint saying its true am i now?
I read it somewhere (numerous times) and also the old pro i spoke to said it could of been true as he was around at the time of Ali.
Thats all, chill man........ fuck sake.
Ali reportedly was planning to retire soon anyways, but wanted to make his last fight memorable. He picked Leon because of his Olympic Gold Medal.
He wanted to add another Gold Medalist to his resume. He'd already beaten Patterson, Frazier, and Foreman, and wanted to add Leon to that list.
He took Leon very lightly and paid the price.
"Everybody likes a winner(at first),even if he's a indecipherable project kid with no toofeses,who guzzled 40s and bayed at the moon instead of training."
Probably the funniest line ever written in this forum!!!
The fight was supposed to be a novelty/easy payday for Ali before he took on the Norton again. It was justified by leon fighting a draw with then Euro champ Alfio Righetti.
Norton had just defeated Jimmy Young in one of the dullest fights of all time. While the rematch was mandatory Norton hadn't helped build it up with his yawn fest performance.
The key to Spinks win in the first fight was his overhand right. Whenever ALI went to the ropes Leon was uncharacteristically discplined about pounding Ali's left shoulder with the overhand right. By the middle rounds Ali's jab, his signature weapon, was useless. He could barely lift his left arm. That plus Spinks conditioning allowed Leon to narrowly pull out the fight down the stretch in what was an exciting but sloppy fight.
The thought of Ali letting Spinks win is a joke. Ali took a beating from Spinks.
He did take a pasting.
Like i said, just a theory that i neevr heard until a few months back or so.