Flurrysports - logo
  • Home
  • Betting
    • Super Bowl Odds
    • NFL Picks
  • Fantasy Football
    • Fantasy Football Articles
    • Fantasy Football Rankings
    • DFS
  • NFL
    • NFL Stats
  • UFC
  • NBA
  • NCAA
    • College Football
    • College Basketball
  • More
    • NASCAR
    • WWE
    • Golf
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Soccer
    • Combat Sports
    • Esports
    • Olympics
    • Fantasy Basketball
  • Shop
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Get Started
Flurrysports - logo
  • Home
  • Betting
    • Super Bowl Odds
    • NFL Picks
  • Fantasy Football
    • Fantasy Football Articles
    • Fantasy Football Rankings
    • DFS
  • NFL
    • NFL Stats
  • UFC
  • NBA
  • NCAA
    • College Football
    • College Basketball
  • More
    • NASCAR
    • WWE
    • Golf
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Soccer
    • Combat Sports
    • Esports
    • Olympics
    • Fantasy Basketball
  • Shop
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Flurrysports - logo
No Result
View All Result
Leon Spinks Muhammad Ali Boxing today in sports history

Credit: Associated Press Photo

Today in Sports History: 2/15 | Leon Spinks Defeats Muhammad Ali in Split Decision

Luke Reimer by Luke Reimer
February 15, 2022
in Combat Sports, Sports History
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Today in sports history (1978), Leon Spinks defeated Muhammad Ali to win the undisputed heavyweight championship. Ali came into this fight with 10-1 odds to win. Leon Spinks was coming off of the 1976 Olympics, where he won the gold medal. Ali knew that he had to get through Spinks before he could fight Ken Norton. The winner of this fight would then in turn fight Norton.

Ali had recently retired and was looking for a tune-up fight before the anticipated matchup against Norton. The 24-year old Spinks was 6-0-1, winning five of his fights by knockout.

You might also like

What Sports Cities Are the Most Cursed?

What Sports Cities Are the Most Cursed?

October 10, 2024
sports teams to never win a championship buffalo bills super bowl history

Pro Sports Teams That Have Never Won a Championship

May 13, 2024

Muhammed Ali was noted for not fully training for this fight, thinking it was going to be an easy win. Spinks, on the other hand, knew that this was what could jump-start his career. He trained for a 15-round fight even though he never went more than 10. Knowing that he had never gone more than 10 rounds, Ali’s camp was not prepared for a full 15-round fight.

Leon Spinks Muhammad Ali Boxing today in sports history
Credit: Associated Press Photo

Leon Spinks Upsets Muhammad Ali | Today in Sports History

Spinks opened the fight rushing Ali. Leon Spinks threw punches and rolls, which in turn backed Muhammed Ali up to the ropes. At the ropes, Spinks continued to put the pressure on using uppercuts and hooks to both the head and the body. In response, Ali was talking trash and using his dodging skills to avoid the contact. Just like George Foreman, Ali tried to employ the rope-a-dope strategy to let Spinks tire himself out early in the fight. The referee also was not letting Ali hold Spinks, which Ali had become accustomed to doing in the past.

As the middle rounds of the fight developed, Ali seemed to fight with a little more urgency, as he sensed Spinks was not tiring quickly. Fighting back, Ali’s punches were not doing very much damage. This changed come the 10th round, as Ali started to use his elite boxing skills to take control of the fight. When the 15th round rolled around, everyone thought that Ali would outlast Spinks, as he was known as one of the better finishers in boxing at the time.

That did not occur in this fight though, as Spinks did what so many others couldn’t to Ali, and that was continuing to fight. Ali came out blazing in the 15th, using body shots and punches to the chin. Leon Spinks came back with a left uppercut and a right hand to the body in the closing seconds of the fight.

Spinks ended up winning the classic fight on a split decision, where many people thought that it should have been unanimous.

Click the image to get your Rise & Grind shirt, tank, mug or tumbler today!

Follow us on all of our social channels! Check out our Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok for more great FlurrySports content.


 

Tags: BoxingLeon SpinksMuhammed AliSports History
Luke Reimer

Luke Reimer

From Green Bay, Wisconsin. NBA, College Basketball, MLB and NFL Fan/Writer. UW-La Crosse Graduate. Watch Sports, Play Basketball and Travel in Free Time. Love to go Fishing. Go Tar Heels.

Related Stories

What Sports Cities Are the Most Cursed?

What Sports Cities Are the Most Cursed?

by Trevor Land
October 10, 2024
0

With the MLB playoffs underway, fanbases that have a team in the dance are on the edge of their seat....

sports teams to never win a championship buffalo bills super bowl history

Pro Sports Teams That Have Never Won a Championship

by Henry John
May 13, 2024
0

To quote Al Davis, the late owner of the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders, the ultimate goal in sports is to,...

Watch Tszyu vs Brubaker fight in AU, NZ

Tszyu vs Brubaker free streaming: how to watch No Limit PPV LIVE from Australia

by Guest Author
August 22, 2023
0

Nikita Tszyu, a force to be reckoned with boasting an impeccable undefeated record, continues to bask in the glory of...

John Elway Best Players to Wear 7 in NFL History

Today in Sports History: 1/31 | Denver Broncos Win Super Bowl XXXIII

by Luke Reimer
February 1, 2023
0

Today in sports history (1999), John Elway rode off into the sunset, winning the last game of his career. To the delight...

Next Post
michigan state basketball ncaa tournament march madness

Michigan State vs Penn State Prediction and College Basketball Betting Picks

Please login to join discussion
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise/Sponsor Opportunities

© 2025 flurrysports.org - All Right Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Betting
    • Super Bowl Odds
    • NFL Picks
  • Fantasy Football
    • Fantasy Football Articles
    • Fantasy Football Rankings
    • DFS
  • NFL
    • NFL Stats
  • UFC
  • NBA
  • NCAA
    • College Football
    • College Basketball
  • More
    • NASCAR
    • WWE
    • Golf
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Soccer
    • Combat Sports
    • Esports
    • Olympics
    • Fantasy Basketball
  • Shop
  • Contact Us

© 2025 flurrysports.org - All Right Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.