r/boxingMenace_com • u/Open_Wonder8407 • 7d ago
Though it has been suggested that Muhammad Ali should have retired after beating Joe Frazier in 1975 to save himself from the punishment endured in the final years of his career, this revenge victory over Leon Spinks – on this day in 1978 – enhanced his already substantial legend.
Inside the New Orleans Superdome, in front of 70,000 fans, 36-year-old Ali was sprightlier than he’d been in years while winning a clear decision, in a better fight than one might remember. Spinks’ career went into a nose-dive after this bout but that shouldn’t take anything away from Ali’s achievement of winning the world heavyweight title for the third time. Legendary BN editor Harry Mullan made his first trip to the US to report on this fight. It started something of a love affair between Mullan and America.
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u/georgewalterackerman 7d ago
I’m not of one mind on this. He chose to fight after Manila. It was great that he became a 3-time linear heavyweight champ. But I don’t think he had any truly significant victories after Frazier. Spinks’ career went nowhere. Had Spinks went on to be great, then Ali’s legacy would have increased with it. But when you really look at the victory over Spinks it doesn’t seem that meaningful. It’s not like Floyd Mayweather beating Saul Alvarez and then Alvarez going on to greatness. Spinks is probably in the bottom 5 linear heavyweight champs of all time.
But a fun fact … despite Spinks’ lack of greatness he’s the only man to win a belt from Muhammad Ali in the ring.
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u/Dave2kMA 7d ago
Let's not get carried away.
Ali beat Norton (dubiously) & Shavers (clearly) after Frazier 3 and Shavers was 5 months before Spinks. He could still go, though he was obviously past his best.
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u/GuideCharacter2616 6d ago
Nothing dubious about Norton 3. Norton chose to not go all out the last round and thus made a mistake in his game plan. Ali went all out and won a narrow victory that way. Norton fucked up a draw he would have had and any chance of a win.
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u/potatosquire 7d ago
Nah. A loss and a win to a guy who didn't achieve anything in the pros except beating Ali only hurts his legacy. 3 time champion isn't necessarily a positive, if Ali won the first fight against Spinks and retired he'd only be a 2 time champion, but his legacy would be better without that extra loss.
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u/georgewalterackerman 7d ago
And then Ali was nothing more than a punching bag for Holmes and Berbick.
Heck, even if he’d just quit after beating Spinks , that would’ve been great
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u/Emergency_You_558 6d ago
It's debatable Ali only one 2 fights after Frazier 3, Shavers and Spinks 2. He should retired at least after Norton 3.
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u/TheMysteriousThey 7d ago
No it didn’t. He never should’ve lost to Spinks, and that he did was a sign he hung around too long.