Leon Spinks ~ "The Road To Muhammad Ali"

[Bill Paxtom]

Wednesday ~ June 1, 1977

The Forum ~ Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Attendance ...... { 2240 }

Leon Spinks ~ 4-0-0 {4 KO's} ~ 201 lbs. ~ {Age; 23 years, 10 months}
vs.
Bruce Scott ~ 27-20-1 {12 KO's} ~ 185 lbs. ~ {Age; 30 years, 9 months}
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'The Skinny'

Bruce Scott of Beaumont, Texas is the 3rd-Fighter chosen to be Leon Spinks' opponent.

The original opponent , George Jerome was deemed 'not physically fit', and the 2nd
opponent, Scotty Welsh injured his right-wrist in a sparring session on Monday.

Bruce Scott, a 9-Year 'Club-Fighter/Cannon-Fodder' out of Texas is brought in on 1-Day
notice. Bruce claims a record of 27-20-1 in '48-Bouts'.
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'The Bout'

In The Opening Round, Leon is slow-and-steady over the first {2:10}, as Bruce Scott circles
and moves.

At the {2:15 Mark}, Leon moves in and unloads with a 3-Punch flurry, capped off by a 'jarring'
left-hand to the head. Scott goes down on right-side at the {2:22 Mark}.

The Texan is up at the '3-Count', and is ready to continue. Leon moves in, and Scott moves to
his right and away from Leon.

Leon lands a hard 'left-right' and backs Scott up into a Neutral-Corner. There, Leon lands another
jarring left-hand into Scott's head. Scott goes down again at the {2:47 Mark}.

Scott is up at the '6-Count' and survives Round 1.

In Round 2, Leon is steady, but easy in unloading on the over-matched Texan Club-Fighter. Late in
the Round at the {2:30 Mark}, Leon sends Scott reeling when he catches him with a 'looping'
right-hand to the head, but Scott 'grabs' Leon and holds him in a tight clinch.

At the end of the Round, Leon opens up with a 'fast-flurry', but most of his punches miss as Scott
'ducks-and weaves' until the Bell.

In Round 3, Scott tries to fight back early in the Round, and reels off 'two' crisp 3-Punch flurries
but Leon walks through the weak punches.

Leon slowly works the body, and by the {2:00 Mark} the Texan is looking 'worse-for-wear'. Leon
shakes Scott with a 'left-right-left', and sends him back into the Ropes at the {2:25 Mark}.

Scott is in 'survival-mode' as he tries to 'grab-and-hold'. Then at the {2:48 Mark}, Leon backs up
Scott with a 'right-left' and then follows up with a 'hard' right-hand to the top of Scott's head.

The Texan goes down at the {2:52 Mark}.

At the Bell, Scott is still on the canvas. The Referee - Rosario Bailargeon counts out
Bruce Scott after the Bell at the {3:02 Mark}.

Leon Spinks is awarded a KO 3 victory.

Fight Purses
* Leon Spinks ...... { $7500 }
* Bruce Scott ........ { $750 }

[Bill Paxtom]

June 10, 1977

~ Leon Spinks May Go To Europe For 2-Bouts ~

Leon Spinks, now with a record of 5-0-0 and '5' Knockouts may take another
venture back to Europe.

Trainer - Sam Solomon said that he would like to match the 1976 Olympic
Light-Heavyweight Gold Medal winner with British Heavyweight - Billy Aird
in late-June, with the bout set at Royal Albert Hall.

The 31 year-old Aird has a record of 18-10-5 {6 KO's}, and would present a
better challenge for the undefeated American than his previous '5' opponents.

Sam Solomon >
"We would like to fight Billy Aird at the end of June, because we have an offer to go
to Germany, for Leon to take on 'The German Beanpole' Bernd August in late-July.

"These '2-Bouts' are exactly what we need for Leon to hone his skills, while
taking on better opposition."

[Bill Paxtom]

August 2, 1977

~ Leon Spinks Signs To Meet Brooklyn's Kevin Isaac ~

Leon Spinks has agreed to meet Kevin Isaac in a Scheduled 8-Round Heavywieght Bout at
The Spectrum in Philadelphia on Tuesday ~ August 23rd.

The 24 year-old Spinks who has won all '5' of his bouts by Knockout, will have his sternest
test to date.

Leon last fought on June 1st in Montreal, Canada - 9-Weeks ago. When Leon walks into
the Ring on August 23rd, it will have been 12-Weeks since his last bout.

Leon now lives in Philadelphia, and trains at Joe Frazier's Gym.

Kevin Isaac {Age; 22 years, 7 months} is younger than Spinks. The Brooklyn-based fighter
won the New York Golden Gloves in 1973 at {Age; 18}, and is a well-schooled Boxer/Puncher.

Isaac has a record of 12-5-1 {6 KO's}, and has been in the Ring with World-Rated Heavyweights
Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle and Stan Ward.

[brocktonblockbust]

Spinks rose up like a meteor.

[Bill Paxtom]

Spinks rose up like a meteor.

~ Leon Spinks ~

Was punching hard early in his career.

Trainer; Sam Solomon
Chief Sparring Partner; Roy 'Tiger' Williams
Gym; Joe Frazier's Gym {Philadelphia, Pennsylvania}

It was Roy 'Tiger' Williams who helped Leon in developing punching-power.

Roy nicknamed Leon > 'The St. Louis Jaguar'
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Regarding the August 23, 1977 bout between > Leon Spinks vs. Kevin Isaac.

Leon suffered damage to his eye in an August 5th sparring-session with 'lanky' Mike Koranicki.
Leon's eye was badly bruised. The eye was originally diagnosed, as just a 'bad bruise'.

But a week later, the eye was still bothering Leon. A specialist examined the eye on Friday ~
August 12th, and it was determined that Leon had suffered '2' small broken bones near the area
of the eye socket.

That bout was then pushed back {7-Weeks} to Sunday ~ October 15th.

[Bill Paxtom]

September 18, 1977

~ Leon Spinks And Kevin Isaac Agree To Bout, Set For October 15th In Las Vegas ~

The 'twice' postponed bout between Leon Spinks and Kevin Isaac have finally agreed on date, and set
for October 15th and to be held at The Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas.

The bout will be scheduled for 8-Rounds, and will be broadcast by CBS-TV.

Leon Spinks with a record of 5-0-0 {5 KO's} will receive { $20,000 } for his 6th Professional Bout, which
will be his highest Fight Purse to date.

Kevin Isaac, with a record of 12-5-1 {6 KO's} will receive a Fight Purse of { $10,000 }.
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October 1, 1977

~ Kevin Isaac Pulls Out Of Bout With Leon Spinks, Demands A Larger Fight Purse ~

New York Heavyweight - Kevin Isaac has pulled out of his bout with Leon Spinks scheduled for October 15th
in Las Vegas.

Isaac who was to receive { $10,000} for his appearance, demanded another { $5000 } for the scheduled
8-Rounder.

Kevin Isaac >
"I just found out that Leon is getting $20,000 plus an additional { $5000 in expenses}. That's fine, but he
shouldn't get more than 'twice' as much as me. I asked for another $5000. That demand is not out of range,
especially for a CBS-TV bout. Another $5000 is not going to break CBS Sports."
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October 3, 1977

~ Leon Spinks Signs To Fight Scott LeDoux On October 22nd In Las Vegas At The Aladdin Hotel ~

The 24 year-old Spinks, with a record of 5-0-0 {5 KO's} has not fought since June 1st, and this will be far his
toughest test.

Scott LeDoux, a 28 1/2 year-old brawler who goes by the moniker of 'The Minnesota Farm-Boy', is a tough
brawling slugger who will surely give the younger Spinks all that he can handle.

LeDoux has a quality record of 21-6-1 {13 KO's}, and has been in with some rough Hombre's, including
George Foreman who stopped him in 4-Rounds.

LeDoux last fought on July 28, 1977 > where he was stopped by {L TKO 7} to Duane Bobick in a
rough battle in Minnesota.

This bout will scheduled for 8-Rounds, and will be the Co-Main Event along with a bout between Colombian
Heavyweight #10 WBC-ranked Bernardo Mercado vs. Gregory Johnson.

[brocktonblockbust]

October 3, 1977

~ Leon Spinks Signs To Fight Scott LeDoux On October 22nd In Las Vegas At The Aladdin Hotel ~

The 24 year-old Spinks, with a record of 5-0-0 {5 KO's} has not fought since June 1st, and this will be far his
toughest test.

Scott LeDoux, a 28 1/2 year-old brawler who goes by the moniker of 'The Minnesota Farm-Boy', is a tough
brawling slugger who will surely give the younger Spinks all that he can handle.

LeDoux has a quality record of 21-6-1 {13 KO's}, and has been in with some rough Hombre's, including
George Foreman who stopped him in 4-Rounds.

LeDoux last fought on July 28, 1977 > where he was stopped by {L TKO 7} to Duane Bobick in a
rough battle in Minnesota.

Scott LeDoux was nobody's pushover. Power punching right hand punching tough guy he would not back down and would go down with the ship