Is it me, or did Mike Spinks WIMP TF OUT?

[Syntax Error]

Spinks was very scared & if you were scared of Tyson, it was all over for you.

Just to think, Ring Magazine at the time were clamouring for the fight to happen before the end of 1988 & they actually thought Spinks might be able to win!!!!

[shooter]

Guys as terrifying as Foreman and Tyson both admitted to fear before fights. People close to Ali said he was terrified of Liston.

Plenty of fighters don't handle a big occasion at some stage. Spinks was just in over his head with an awesome fighter. He was a great light heavy who moved up and knocked out a drug addicted, shot Cooney and outboxed a fading Larry Holmes in 2 close fights. He won at heavy by being elusive and throwing light flurries.

He wasn't a big puncher at heavy and knowing that you didn't have the power to keep a prime Tyson off you must have been a terrifying thought. The shot to the heart hurt him badly and the knockout was gruesome.

Now the Seldon/Tyson fight may have been an example of someone thinking that it wasn't worth the effort.....

[bleech1]

I think the orginal poster wanted to know if Spinks "wimped out" by not fighting anyone ever again AFTER Tyson handed him his first and only loss.

[LawHoops]

i think him retiring at that point was the smartthing to do--he had already racked up a hall of fame career, and was one of the great light heavies of all time...and he was the best heavy in world for a stretch.........at that point he had nothing left to prove or accomplish--the only fighter better than him was tyson and he couldnt get out of the 1st rd against him so why continue.......he was only 31 but his knees were bad and he couldnt get into great condition anymore and had just suffered a horrible kayo----he was smart to retire with his senses and a great legacy

[SimonH]

Just to think, Ring Magazine at the time were clamouring for the fight to happen before the end of 1988 & they actually thought Spinks might be able to win!!!!

The Ring were not alone

[VictorCharlie]

Spinks was a great fighter and a top 3 all time Cruiser...I felt the first Holmes fight was a draw and I thought the second was a horrible decision. All that being said Mike ended his career on a rather humiliating note. Not that he got KO'd but that he just did'nt seem to bring his heart or desire to the ring at all.

[Greig]

At LH I'm sure that is all true. But at HW, he was differnt. Winning two gift decisions against Holmes and then wussin out against Tyson was anything but Valiant. Holmes losing effort against Tyson showed who really won those fight, and who had the heart. Steve Zouski fought Tyson a lot more bravely than Spinks, and I don't think he ever even cracked the top 10. But Spinks's loss to Tyson was not the most pathetic. That honor would go to Bruce Seldon, or perhaps Clifford Etienne. It's a toss up.

He bettered Larry Holmes and Gerry Cooney, better than anyone else had up to that point. He took a 12+ years unbeaten record off of Holmes, and he dominated Cooney much more than Holmes did, despite giving away 20lbs+ to both. He was a warrior at Heavyweight as well

George Foreman KO'd Cooney in one round. So he's better than all of em!

2 rounds hulk

[bigragu]

this guy was tearing up at 29 yrs old "beat" Holmes twice, KO'd Cooney, and then fights Mike Tyson in 1988, when he was still 31 yrs YOUNG...gets KO'ed OK fine, but he sure as S*** didnt take too many punches there in 38 seconds!!!

and he hasn't fought since!!!!!!!!!!!! 31 yrs old. Previously undefeated.

I thought the fight lasted 91 seconds?....i remember watching it....my brother left the room to go to the bathroom...and missed the whole thing.....Spinks did get crushed with some hellacious shots though....but , He was scared...and that is always going to be a sh*tty way to enter a fight....

[pacdog]

Sorry warrior doesnt come to mind when i see spinks , he was an excellent technical fighter but had close questionabl wins over and older holmes, he looked scared s h i t l e s s to me I sai before the fgith started spinks looks like hes gonna cry, he did not want to be there tht night for some reason

[bigragu]

At LH I'm sure that is all true. But at HW, he was differnt. Winning two gift decisions against Holmes and then wussin out against Tyson was anything but Valiant. Holmes losing effort against Tyson showed who really won those fight, and who had the heart. Steve Zouski fought Tyson a lot more bravely than Spinks, and I don't think he ever even cracked the top 10. But Spinks's loss to Tyson was not the most pathetic. That honor would go to Bruce Seldon, or perhaps Clifford Etienne. It's a toss up.

He bettered Larry Holmes and Gerry Cooney, better than anyone else had up to that point. He took a 12+ years unbeaten record off of Holmes, and he dominated Cooney much more than Holmes did, despite giving away 20lbs+ to both. He was a warrior at Heavyweight as well

George Foreman KO'd Cooney in one round. So he's better than all of em!

Foreman won in the second

And Cooney was comming off a 30 month retirement, having been sparked by Spinks; so thus The Jinx ruined him.

Cooney also admitted to going on a drinking binge weeks before the fight....

[SimonH]

Sorry warrior doesnt come to mind when i see spinks , he was an excellent technical fighter but had close questionabl wins over and older holmes, he looked scared s h i t l e s s to me I sai before the fgith started spinks looks like hes gonna cry, he did not want to be there tht night for some reason

Well if we rate fighters purely on their last performance in the ring, like many (not just yourself) are doing to Spinks, what are we to make of Ali, Robinson, Leonard and Tyson then?

[Purist]

Seems people love to do it to Hamed Britkid

[pacdog]

No dengrating spinks i said he was a great technical fighter I just never saw him as having ANY CHANCE TO BEAT TYSON, poeple were excited about that bout I wasnt spinks had nothing in terms of power or speed or even physical strength to keep tyson off, he did his best he gave it a shot but i think he froze he could of fought better. Spinks a great fighter just wasnt his night against a fighter of tysons style and ability thats all

[Jody Lane]

Sorry warrior doesnt come to mind when i see spinks , he was an excellent technical fighter but had close questionabl wins over and older holmes, he looked scared s h i t l e s s to me I sai before the fgith started spinks looks like hes gonna cry, he did not want to be there tht night for some reason

Well if we rate fighters purely on their last performance in the ring, like many (not just yourself) are doing to Spinks, what are we to make of Ali, Robinson, Leonard and Tyson then?

You are somewhat off there BK. Ali, Robinson, Leonard and Tyson didn't just have a lousy "last performance", they had lousy last years. Notice the plural years applies to each one. In Tyson's last four years he won one fight by stoppage and got stopped three times. Leonard last few years were a draw (loss) to Hearns in the rematch, a win over Duran in number 3 fight, a decision loss to Terry Norris and several years later a stoppage to Hector Camacho Sr. Robinson piled up losses like crazy from 1961 to 65 when he retired. Ali should have stayed retired after Spinks II, but had to come back and get stopped by Holmes and then the next drop a decision to Berbick, making him 1-3 in his last four fights.