Leon Spinks ~ "The Road To Muhammad Ali"

[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

[Bill Paxtom]

October 4, 1977

Barry Frank > President of CBS Television Sports

~ Leon Spinks Bout With Kevin Isaac Cancelled ~

We would have loved for Leon to fight Brooklyn's - Kevin Isaac here on CBS-TV on October 15th.

It would have been a great match-up between two young Heavyweights. Kevin is experienced
for a young guy {Age; 22 years, 8 months}. And his record of 12-5-1 {6 KO's} is much better
than it appears on paper.

But, back in August he verbally agreed to a { $10,000 } Fight Purse. We were going to give
him '3' Round Trip Airline Tickets so he could bring his Manager and Trainer from New York
to Las Vegas. And he would have all 'expenses' covered for the 5-Days that he was supposed
to be here.

On September 18th, I gave him { $2000 } in up-front Training Expenses. That was his money,
and he could do whatever he wanted with it.

Then on October 3rd, he demands another { $5000} for an 8-Round bout.

He was upset because Leon was getting { $20,000 } plus additional expenses. One contract
has nothing to do with the other.

All I know, is that earlier Kevin had signed a Contract to fight Leon at 'The Spectrum' in Philadelphia
on August 23rd. For that bout, Kevin agreed to a { $7500 Fight Purse }. He was fine with that.
Now we offered him more { $10,000 } and some, and he at first agrees. Now he complains.
I don't get it.

[Bill Paxtom]

Leon Spinks ~ Fun Fact #12

October 5, 1977

Leon Spinks signed a contract to battle #10 World-Ranked Alfio Righetti on
November 18, 1977.

The winner of that bout would earn the right to 'challenge' World Champion
Muhammad Ali in February 1978.

Butch Lewis {Vice President of 'Top Rank'} promised the winner of the Spinks - Righetti
bout a Fight Purse between $300,000 and $400,000 in their challenge for the World
Championship.

Oddly >

Leon had yet to get by Scott LeDoux {set for October 22nd}.

At the time, Leon with a record of 5-0-0 {5 KO's} had less than 9-Rounds of Ring Experience
under his belt.

[Bill Paxtom]

Sunday ~ October 23, 1977

The Aladdin Hotel ~ Las Vegas, Nevada

Television Broadcast ~ CBS-TV

Leon Spinks ~ 5-0-0 {5 KO's} ~ 194 lbs. ~ 6' 1" ~ Reach; 76" ~ {Age; 24 years, 3 months}
vs.
Scott LeDoux ~ 21-6-1 {13 KO's} ~ 224 lbs. ~ 6' 1 1/2" ~ Reach; 80" ~ {Age; 28 years, 9 months}

Fight Purses
* Leon Spinks .......... { $30,000 } + an additional $5000 in up-front Training Expenses.
* Scott LeDoux .........{ $22,000 } + an additional $3000 in up-front Training Expenses.
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'The Skinny'

Leon Spinks has only had a total of 9-Rounds in the Ring in his 5-Bouts. Leon last fought 4 1/2 months
earlier on June 1st, where he scored an easy 3-Round Knockout over Bruce Scott.

But, Leon has been working out steadily with Joe Frazier as his sparring-partner in Philadelphia, and Leon
has been impressive.

Sam Solomon {Trainer} >
"All Leon has to do is pace himself. If he does that, he wins easy here. Scott LeDoux is tough and durable,
but he can't box with Leon. My guy is way too fast."

The word floating around >
* 'Is Leon Being Rushed'
* 'Are They Pushing Spinks Too Fast'.
* 'Leon Is Taking On Too Rough Of A Fighter In Scott LeDoux'

Scott LeDoux is in a 'no-lose situation'.

Scott is coming off a rough-bout with Duane Bobick 3-Months earlier {July 28th} where he was stopped
{L TKO 7}.

Scott had a 'bad flu' only 1-Week earlier, and he nearly had to pull out. But Scott is ready, and said he
would use his weight-and-brawn to wear Leon down.

Scott LeDoux >
"I can't match this kid in speed, but his fast-hands won't be worth 'Jack Shit' after I slam his body
with a few of my hard-punches. I plan to use my weight-advantage {+30 lbs.} to wear him down,
and then take his body apart in the Middle-Rounds."