Boxing
FORMER BOXING HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, LEON SPINKS IS DEAD
Leon Spinks, the gap-toothed fighter from the St Louis slums who pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in boxing history in 1978 by defeating Muhammad Ali to take the undisputed world heavyweight title, has died at the age of 67 after a long battle with cancer, a spokesman said on Saturday (Feb 6).
Spinks passed away with only a few close friends and family present due to Covid-19 restrictions.
“Leon fought his battle with numerous illnesses resiliently, never losing his trademark smile,” The Firm PR said in a statement sent to Reuters.
“Showing true Spinks determination, he never threw in the towel.”
Spinks rose to fame winning the light-heavyweight gold medal for the United States at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
He shocked the boxing world just two years later when he defeated Ali in a split decision.
That would be the highlight of his career as Ali would get his revenge in the rematch seven months later in New Orleans.
Spinks would fight for a heavyweight crown only on one other occasion, losing to Larry Holmes in 1981.
On Saturday, Holmes wrote on Twitter: “You gave me a hell of a fight but you were a good guy. You lived your life the way you wanted and it was a good one. I pray you Rest In Peace.”
Spinks retired in 1995 at the age of 42 with a pedestrian 26-17-3 record, including 14 knockouts.
Much of his post-boxing life was marked by substance abuse, subsistence jobs and obscurity.
But in the late 1970s he had plenty of reasons to flash his trademark broad smile, sometimes accentuated by two missing front teeth.
After serving in the Marine Corps, Spinks won a gold medal in the light heavyweight competition at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
He was undefeated in his first seven professional fights but few thought he had any chance at all against the legendary Ali, even though the champ was past his prime going into their Feb 15, 1978, fight in Las Vegas.
His aggressive style and superior stamina allowed him to outduel Ali in a 15-round split decision, becoming the first boxer to take the title from Ali in the ring.
His reign did not last long. Seven months later, he squared off again with Ali at the Superdome in New Orleans and a properly prepared Ali won a 15-round unanimous decision. Spinks already had been stripped of his World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title for refusing to fight No. 1 contender Ken Norton in favour of the Ali rematch.
After the second Ali fight, Spinks was never again a serious championship contender, although in 1981 he took on Larry Holmes for the WBC crown.
Holmes beat him on a technical knockout in the third round.
Spinks continued fighting, often for embarrassingly small purses, until retiring following a unanimous decision loss to Fred House on Dec 4, 1995.
When his brother Michael Spinks upset Holmes for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight championship in 1985, he and Leon became the first brothers to have held world heavyweight championships.
The Spinks brothers were often bullied growing up in a notoriously rough housing project in St Louis, Missouri and learned to fight as a matter of self-preservation.
In a way, Leon remained a raw, naive child of the rough streets and after he won the title, the life of “Neon Leon” became a cautionary tale.
“It might have looked to people like I was having a good time,” Spinks told the Chicago Tribune, “but deep down I wasn’t because I wasn’t who I wanted to be. I never had anything when I was young. We were poor and now I had so much, so I tried to enjoy it. Having money like that makes you feel you can do anything you want but you can’t.”
Spinks was unsophisticated and did not seem to mind being photographed without his false teeth – replacements for the ones he lost to a head-butt in the Marines, he said.
He endured a series of arrests for driving violations and problems with drinking and drugs, including an arrest for cocaine and marijuana possession.
In 1981 he was mugged outside a bar in Detroit and later woke up naked in a hotel, missing several thousand dollars worth of clothes, jewellery and cash, as well as his false teeth.
The millions of dollars he won in the ring were lost to exorbitant spending and mismanagement, Spinks said.
In the late 1990s media reports said he sometimes stayed in a homeless shelter in the St Louis area and was taking random minimum-wage jobs.
In 2005 Spinks was living in Columbus, Nebraska, working as a janitor at a YMCA and at a McDonald’s.
In his 50s he began showing signs that the punches he took to the head had brought on a form of dementia.
In October 2011, Spinks married Brenda Glur, who began managing his personal appearances, and moved to Nevada, where he had two emergency abdominal operations in 2014.
-Reuters
The body of Segun Olanrewaju, the Nigerian boxer who slumped and died in the ring in Ghana on Saturday is still in a mortuary in Ghana. The President of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), Dr Rafiu Oladipo, informed Sports Village Square that an autopsy will be conducted on Wednesday.
He said that the NBB of C is closely monitoring the events in Ghana, even as the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade has asked for updates on the sad incident.
On Monday, a delegation of the NBB of C visited the family of the late boxer in Sango Otta in Ogun State. Oladipo said he was still in shock at the death of the boxer who he considered fit having fought last December 29.
He revealed that one of the members of the Nigerian delegation to Ghana stayed behind to follow up on the autopsy.
He narrated that the late boxer took part on Thursday in the mandatory weigh-in which is normally conducted 24 hours before a fight. Additionally, a medical check-up is also to be conducted.
“But in this instance, there was no medical check. On this ground, Oladipo blamed the Ghana Boxing Authority.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Like every human endeavour, sports have had an ample share of dreadful incidents. The latest is the death of a Nigerian boxer, Segun Olanrewaju over the weekend in Ghana.
The sad incident points to the risk attendant to boxing which in other climes, is a short route to wealth. Every time a boxer steps into the ring, his life is often at risk.
The boxing rings have recorded a lot of casualties. An estimated 1,604 boxers are believed to have died as a result of injuries sustained in the ring.
Nigeria too, contributed to the sad episode.
1. Homicide Ilori (vs Eddie Phillips, 26 June 1953)
On 26 June 1953, in a lightweight boxing contest between Homicide Ilori and Eddie Philips in Lagos, Ilori was knocked down in the fourth of an eight-round fight.
He was aided out of the ring with some assistance and later complained of feeling “exhausted.” He was taken to Lagos’ General Hospital by Jack Farnsworth, secretary of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control, where he died of his injuries at 3:30 am.
This made the front page of Lagos’ newspapers, including a picture of a knocked-out and dazed Ilori on the canvas with the headline “The Last Punch.”
Another newspaper in Australia, Daily Mirror in Sydney reported that Ilori was the third boxer to die in Lagos in the previous 18 months.
Eddie Phillips, the boxer who knocked out Ilori, who was only 19 at the time, decided to
retire; stating ‘I will never wear the gloves again in my life.’” He would eventually return to the ring and fight again.
2. Asimi Mustapha a.k.a Young Ali (vs Barry McGuigan, 14 June 1982)
A Nigerian boxer, Asimi Mustapha whose ring name was ‘Young Ali’ fought an Irishman, Barry McGuigan, who knocked him down in the sixth round. He fell into a coma in London after being stretchered out of the ring.
Nigeria’s Asimi Mustapha, aka Young Ali (right) in the ill-fated fight with Irish Barry McGuigan.
He was placed on a life support machine but would later pass away at his home, being survived by his then-pregnant wife.
3. Nojim Gbadegesin (vs Kelvin Onwudiwe, 28 September 1991)
Nojim Gbadegesin, Nigerian flyweight boxer died after suffering a brain injury in his second professional fight. The 27-year-old customs worker, went into a coma after he was knocked down by fellow Nigerian Kelvin Onwudiwe in the sixth round. He died in the hospital in Lagos.
4. Chukwuemeka Igboanugo (v Prince Gaby Amagor, 6 December 2022)
At the National Sports Festival in Asaba, Chukwuemekka Igboanugo of Imo State received a punch in the chin in the bout with Prince Gaby Amagor of Anambra State. He suffered a technical knockout.
After being knocked out, Igboanugo collapsed while attempting to leave the ring. He was immediately taken out of the ring for medical treatment before being rushed to the hospital. Despite immediate medical attention, he was pronounced dead, with officials suggesting underlying health conditions may have contributed to his death.
5. Sherif Lawal (v Malam Varela, 12 May 2024)
London-based boxer Sherif Lawal died after he collapsed in the ring during his professional debut.
Sheriff Lawal died during his first professional fight.
The 29-year-old was knocked down by Portuguese opponent Malam Varela in the fourth round of a middleweight bout at Harrow Leisure Centre.
Lawal received treatment from paramedics at the scene and was taken to hospital but later pronounced dead.
The British Boxing Board of Control said in a statement: “Condolences to the family of Sherif Lawal following his tragic passing.
“The thoughts of all those involved in boxing in Great Britain are with them at this difficult time.”
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Boxing
Trump, Tyson, Magic Johnson others react to the death of former world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman
Following are quotes and reactions to the death of American Olympic champion and twice heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, who died on Friday at age 76 in Houston, Texas.
U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
“George Foreman is dead. What a GREAT FIGHTER!!! He had, without question, the heaviest and biggest punch in the history of boxing.
“With the exception of Ali, when you got hit, you went down. He was something really special, but above all, he was a Great Person, with a personality that was bigger than life. I knew him well, and he will be missed. Warmest condolences to his wonderful family!!!”
BILLIE JEAN KING, 39-TIME GRAND SLAM TENNIS CHAMPION
“Sad to learn that 2x heavyweight champion boxer, Olympic Gold medalist, and entrepreneur George Forman has passed away. He was a great champion and a good friend.
“He bet on me in the Battle of the Sexes, and acted as a bodyguard to help me after the match when the crowds stormed the court. Our condolences to his family. May he rest in power.”
MIKE TYSON, TWICE HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPION
“Condolences to George Foreman’s family. His contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten.”
MAGIC JOHNSON, FIVE-TIMES NBA CHAMPION
“I attended so many of George’s championship fights over his career. He was a knockout artist in the ring, and it was a pleasure getting to know him not only as a boxer but as a man.
“After leaving the ring, he turned into an amazing businessman — I even bought one of the first George Foreman grills! Cookie and I will be praying for his family during this time.”
BOB ARUM, AMERICAN BOXING PROMOTER
“George was a great friend to not only myself but to my entire family. We’ve lost a family member and are absolutely devastated.”
FRANK WARREN, BRITISH BOXING PROMOTER
“I remember in 1990, I brought him over here to London and promoted him here on his comeback trail. He was a joy to work with – he was a fabulous guy. Very, very humble in the way he was, had a lot of time for people. And he was a great fighter.
“He was part of that holy trinity of heavyweight boxers, with Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
“The great fights they had between them were special times for boxing and world sport. They’re events that have gone down as not just boxing, but significant moments in the world of sport.”
WORLD BOXING COUNCIL PRESIDENT MAURICIO SULAIMAN
“I was honoured to present George Foreman the WBC Boxing green belt which my father Jose Sulaiman had ready and was in a drawer for more than 30 years.
“Legendary boxing champion, life-changing preacher, Husband, father, grand and great grandfather and the best friend you could have. His memory is now eternal, may Big George rest in peace.”
MICHAEL BUFFER, BOXING RING ANNOUNCER
“I’m totally heartbroken with the news of my dear friend of more than 35 years George Foreman passing away. I’m finding it difficult to deal with. I’ll collect my thoughts and have more to say soon about a man that I (and so many others) loved and respected.”
FRANK BRUNO, BRITISH FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPION
“RIP George Foreman… we sparred on a couple of training sessions and I could not believe how strong he was.
“Many have their opinions of some of the top heavyweights ever but for me, he is certainly in the top group. To be a World champion in two different eras tells you how good he was… sad day for world boxing, a true legend.”
HOUSTON MAYOR JOHN WHITMIRE
“George’s journey from the streets of Fifth Ward to boxing and business success was an inspiration.
“He never forgot where he came from … Houston will forever be proud to call George Foreman one of our own.”
-Reuters
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