C`mon lets here the flak for this

[JAB5239]

Those 5 fights was championship fights, where he twice beat a good Larry Holmes and took-apart 6ft 7ins Gerry Cooney who had a left-hook as destructive as any punch in history, IMO Spinks would be a 50/50 fight for any heavyweight champion in history and he was tall enough at 6ft 3 1/2

What makes you think this though? I have great respect for Spinks. But at heavyweight he only fought one great fighter at his peak and was destroyed in 91 seconds.

Could Spinks have handled the 1978 Holmes or the pre 1974 Ali? How about the 1941 Louis or the 1958 Liston? How would he deal with the 1971 Frazier or the 1999 Lennox Lewis? 1908 Jack Johnson? How about the 1992 Rid**** Bowe and Evander Holyfield? I would pick all these fighters over Spinks and probably more if I thought about it.

[1SILVA]

Top all time heavyweights IMO - based on their ring abilities when in their prime.

1/. Muhammad Ali
2/. Joe Louis
3/. Jack Johnson
4/. Joe Frazier
5/. Jack Dempsey
6/. Sonny Liston
7/. Mike Tyson
8/. George Foreman
9/. Larry Holmes
10/. Rocky Marciano
11/. Ezzard Charles
12/. Rid**** Bowe
13/. Michael Spinks
14/. Lennox Lewis
15/. Wlad Klitschko
16/. Vitali Klitschko
17/. Jim Jeffries
18/. Floyd Patterson
19/. Gene Tunney
20/. Jersy Joe Walcott

I like your top 5. Liston, Tyson, Spinks and Bowe would IMO be rated lower. Foreman, Lewis and Holmes IMO would be rated higher.

[1SILVA]

While Lewis did struggle with Mercer, he had no problems at all with Tua or Tyson. I'd like some proof that Mike was heavily sedated, as you put it, other than getting his ass kicked after he realized his initial onslaught was ineffective.

Other Smaller fighters (shorter) who Lewis beat pretty easily were Holyfield in the second fight, Morrison and Botha. I don't recall any fight with Billups, but may be wrong.

There were reports that Tyson was given Xanex before the fight, but that being said, Lewis would have been a difficult fight for Tyson anytime during his career. Tyson ducked Holyfield in 96, having King pay him 4 million dollars as well as vacating the WBC title.

[sonnyboyx2]

What makes you think this though? I have great respect for Spinks. But at heavyweight he only fought one great fighter at his peak and was destroyed in 91 seconds.

Could Spinks have handled the 1978 Holmes or the pre 1974 Ali? How about the 1941 Louis or the 1958 Liston? How would he deal with the 1971 Frazier or the 1999 Lennox Lewis? 1908 Jack Johnson? How about the 1992 Rid**** Bowe and Evander Holyfield? I would pick all these fighters over Spinks and probably more if I thought about it.

i never rated Spinks above Frazier 71, Louis 41, Liston 58, Ali pre 74, Johnson 08, but i would definately take Spinks to beat any version of Lewis

[sonnyboyx2]

While Lewis did struggle with Mercer, he had no problems at all with Tua or Tyson. I'd like some proof that Mike was heavily sedated, as you put it, other than getting his ass kicked after he realized his initial onslaught was ineffective.

Other Smaller fighters (shorter) who Lewis beat pretty easily were Holyfield in the second fight, Morrison and Botha. I don't recall any fight with Billups, but may be wrong.

you are in the minority if you think Lewis beat Holyfield in their 2nd fight (easily)... 42 of 47 ringside sports writers had Holyfield the clear winner as did the vast majority watching on HBO

Lewis struggled to outpoint Levi Billups yet almost every other fighter Billups fought poleaxed him in less than 3rds.

Mike Tyson was `Heavily Sedated` for the Lewis fight.

[StarshipTrooper]

but i would definately take Spinks to beat any version of Lewis

Yes, but that's because you'd favor any random 90 year old emaciated wino to KO Lewis in less than 5.

Poet

[sonnyboyx2]

Yes, but that's because you'd favor any random 90 year old emaciated wino to KO Lewis in less than 5.

Poet

we had a pole on this forum a few months ago on who the members thought would win Lewis vs Spinks... it turned out roughly 50/50... i dont have any issues with Lewis other than i feel he is vastly over-rated, if i was to claim Ray Robinson was vastly over-rated (which i dont) then no-one would give a dam or even call me into question, but because i dont rate Lewis as highly as some then i am a **** or a hater which i find quite bazzare... it is obvious that you are a huge LL fan and i have come to the conclusion that LL fans do not and will not accept that his career was not all that they try to make it out to be, infact you did not know that he struggled with the mediocre Levi Billups, you did not know that he had even fought Billups so how can you possibly call into question my opinion that i feel Michael Spinks would take care of Lewis, Spinks took care of Cooney who was a bigger, stronger more destructive fighter than Lewis, Spinks beat Holmes twice the same Holmes who years later easily beat Ray Mercer, the same Mercer who gave Lewis fits, if Rahman can poleaxed Lewis then it would be over the first time `The Spinks Jinx` landed

[StarshipTrooper]

we had a pole on this forum a few months ago on who the members thought would win Lewis vs Spinks... it turned out roughly 50/50... i dont have any issues with Lewis other than i feel he is vastly over-rated, if i was to claim Ray Robinson was vastly over-rated (which i dont) then no-one would give a dam or even call me into question, but because i dont rate Lewis as highly as some then i am a **** or a hater which i find quite bazzare... it is obvious that you are a huge LL fan and i have come to the conclusion that LL fans do not and will not accept that his career was not all that they try to make it out to be, infact you did not know that he struggled with the mediocre Levi Billups, you did not know that he had even fought Billups so how can you possibly call into question my opinion that i feel Michael Spinks would take care of Lewis, Spinks took care of Cooney who was a bigger, stronger more destructive fighter than Lewis, Spinks beat Holmes twice the same Holmes who years later easily beat Ray Mercer, the same Mercer who gave Lewis fits, if Rahman can poleaxed Lewis then it would be over the first time `The Spinks Jinx` landed

Actually if you said Ray Robinson was vastly overrated I'd be all over you like white on rice. That's blasphamy. While Spinks' win over Cooney looks good on paper, the truth is "Gentleman" Gerry was an alcoholic head-case by the time Spinks fought him and was never the same after Holmes put his lights out. Cooney was a name and nothing more. Even at his best Cooney was a big punch (left hook) but not much else: He was slow, crude, no defense, and couldn't wipe his ass with his right. BTW, Bowe got his ass kicked twice by mediocre Andrew Golota and Tyson struggled against the mediocre "Bonecrusher" Smith.

Poet

[sonnyboyx2]

Actually if you said Ray Robinson was vastly overrated I'd be all over you like white on rice. That's blasphamy. While Spinks' win over Cooney looks good on paper, the truth is "Gentleman" Gerry was an alcoholic head-case by the time Spinks fought him and was never the same after Holmes put his lights out. Cooney was a name and nothing more. Even at his best Cooney was a big punch (left hook) but not much else: He was slow, crude, no defense, and couldn't wipe his ass with his right. BTW, Bowe got his ass kicked twice by mediocre Andrew Golota and Tyson struggled against the mediocre "Bonecrusher" Smith.

Poet

Cooney took care of Lyle, Young & Norton in devastating fashion and held him own with a prime Larry Holmes.Spinks beat Holmes 3yrs later and it was a good Holmes.. Holmes then went 21-4 afterwards including winning the WBO title from Mercer and losing 3 World title fights.. it was his style and the way he took Cooney apart that showed Spinks to be a great fighter

Mike Tyson scored a `Shut-Out`over Bonecrusher Smith he never struggled with him like you claim.

Mike Tyson offered nothing against Lewis because he was a `shot fighter` who was on ant-depressents and turned up for the money only, to claim otherwise is fictional

[StarshipTrooper]

Cooney took care of Lyle, Young & Norton in devastating fashion and held him own with a prime Larry Holmes.

Lyle, Young, and Norton were washed up when Cooney fought them.

Spinks beat Holmes 3yrs later and it was a good Holmes...

Spinks got two controversial decisions over a past-prime, out-of-shape, and unmotivated Holmes.

Holmes then went 21-4 afterwards including winning the WBO title from Mercer and losing 3 World title fights..

Holmes went 21-4 against the usual slew of tomato cans that washed-up name fighters face and won against a Ray Mercer who fought one of the dumbest fights I've ever seen by someone who's SUPPOSED to be a title contender.

it was his style and the way he took Cooney apart that showed Spinks to be a great fighter

Style points are meaningless. It's who you do it against and when you do it against them that counts.

Mike Tyson scored a `Shut-Out`over Bonecrusher Smith he never struggled with him like you claim.

Box-Rec answer. Just because you win a round doesn't mean you didn't stuggle in it. Tyson delivered his worse performance as a prime fighter against Smith. The fact that Smith looked aweful as well and did nothing but act as a "spoiler" doesn't change that.

Mike Tyson offered nothing against Lewis because he was a "shot fighter" who was on ant-depressents and turned up for the money only, to claim otherwise is fictional

Strawman. I've never seen anyone in the Boxing History section ever claim Tyson WASN'T shot when he fought Lewis.....quite the contrary.

As for anti-depressents, they don't "sedate" you they bring you up. Mood stablizers "even you out" and anti-anxiety meds such as Prozac "sedate" you. I know, I take all three types of meds and am well aware of their effects.

Poet