Ali v Spinks - how did he get a title shot so soon ?!!?

[Mark TKO]

Was just replying to an earlier thread re record attendances - Ali v Spinks came up in that post.

I also knew that Spinks got to challenge Ali in only his eighth professional fight but up till now had never posted the question why ?!?!

I was too young to follow boxing at the time in 78 but can someone please explain to me how the hell Spinks got to challenge the Ali for the title after so few fights (I looked at his record and see that he drew one of those too !)

Ok so he may have been a good amateur but it's still ludicrous he got a title shot so early against The Greatest !

Wouldn't happen today.

I do remember David Reid getting a title shot early a few years ago (can't remember how many fights) - and we all know what became of him

Grateful for any info

ta

[Lance Uppercut]

It actually used to be common practice for the Olympic Gold medal winner to get a shot at the title quickly. IN fact Floyd Patterson gave Pete Rademacher, the 1956 gold medalist a shot at the World title on his very first fight.

[Trainer Monkey]

As said above,also Ali got cocky
And Spinks looked unbeatable as an amateur
At the time,he'd more or less fought everyone with a name except for an up and coming Holmes,and he used Holmes for sparring
Oh yeah,last I checked,Ali's PA training camp is for sale
Oops just checked,it sold for 4 Mill

[donnydarkoIRL]

I think it also had a lot to do with Ali underestimating Spinks.
Ali said to himself, "he's got a good name and i'll beat him easy, while making a lot of money, bring him on, i'm getting too old for this."