Michael Spinks

[Boom Boom]

He is definately most remembered for the Tyson fight, but part of that is his own doing. He could have tried to rebound from the loss and prove his toughness by overcoming his first defeat. Or he just should have retired before fighting Tyson. He clearly wanted nothing to do with him and didnt want to fight him, yet he did and folded. He hurt his own legacy imo. Though he was a great fighter at light heavyweight, he let boxing retire him. I always thought that a great champion was really found out after he suffers defeat in his ability to come back with his spirit unbroken and his confidence that made him champion still intact. Spinks failed at this.

This I can't agree with. Spinks went as far as he could in the game, including taking Holmes title and winning the rematch. Then he lost against Tyson, well surprise surprise to that. Retiring at this point, after losing, says nothing about his championship heart, or his toughness. Would you say the same about Hagler? He dominated against the LHWs, moved on to bigger challenges with the heavyweights, and came up short against the best fighter in the game at that time, and called it a day with his marbles still relatively intact. Anything he does after Tyson is an anticlimax. At least he didn't linger. Respect for taking his best shot and knowing when to hang up the gloves.

Well that is the other way of looking at it. But some legacies arent looked at fairly, Im just making the argument as to why Spinks Legacy is looked at as it is by casual boxing fans. Yes I do think the same thing applies to Hagler, because that is the fight he is most remembered for. Spinks left some question marks by not rebounding from a loss. I dont think any fighter should be defined by one fight. but if Marciano lost his last fight and retired he wouldnt be remembered for his undefeated record, which he is, hed be remembered for his loss. If Ricky Hatton retired after losing to Mayweather, he would be remembered for that fight. But he moved on and now that fight is a memory that does not define him. The Tyson fight shouldnt define Spinks whole career, but it stands out. Thats the price of being undefeated and retiring on a loss I guess.