Critical Historical Analysis of Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks I in 1985
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Recently, this reporter took to YouTube and chose to watch the entire 15 round International Boxing Federation World Heavyweight championship bout between undefeated Larry Holmes, 48-0, 34 knockouts, Easton, Pennsylvania, and the undefeated world Light Heavyweight champion at that time, Michael Spinks, 28-0 with 19 knockouts, Saint Louis, Missouri.
The late noted trainer Richie Giachetti had done the work with championship and Easton businessman Holmes. However, Holmes wound up in a situation similar to Joe Louis against Rocky Marciano which no trainer could have predicted. Louis saw an opening for one of his great left hands in the first round. He tried throwing it. It just was not there. So Louis turned southpaw and fought Rocky for seven and a half rounds with a right jab. The Marciano corner with trainer Charley Goldman were initially thrown, as the Marciano thought this was some new incredible strategy to throw Marciano off balance. Nobody had ever seen Louis fight southpaw. What really happened was the Louis left hand and left jab were suddenly gone as Louis washed up. As Louis noted later in life “You can see things, but you can’t do them.”
In the case of Larry Holmes, his left jab was still intact. However, the famed left jab of Holmes was supported by the powerful overhand right hand in combination. Michael Spinks, thanks to his remarkable awkward style and magnificent confusing footwork, perplexed Holmes. Michael Spinks, a combination on Gentleman Jim Corbett and Muhammad Ali in terms of superior footwork, gained a strange advantage against the 35-year-old Holmes which no previous opponent had ever been able to exploit.
Holmes needed a primarily stationary target to be able to plant his feet and launch the power right hand. Spinks recognized Holmes had begun to slow down, and while his jab still existed, as soon as the bell rang Michael observed Holmes was telegraphing the right hand lead. The right hand was cocked and ready to fire, but Holmes needed to plant it to launch it.
Michael Spinks presented a style at 200 pounds which was all styles, and which was no style. It was his own unique Michael Spinks style. The ringside commentators, including Sugar Ray Leonard and Harold Lederman, continued to make fun of Michael Spinks as the rounds continued to pass. Beyond a certain point, the fact Holmes could not land his right hand became a source of contention.
Michael Spinks was throwing more punches, and landing a higher percentage than Holmes. A line was crossed on the scorecards whereby Holmes needed a knockout to win. The commentators insisted Michael Spinks was tiring, but it was not so. Spinks frequently moved awkwardly around the ring, frequently with his hands down, having succeeded in maneuvering himself out of Holmes’ punching range at all times. Holmes, older and suddenly unable to chase Spinks, let Spinks into the fight and off the hook in every round by not cutting off the ring. Spinks, frequently moving in circles, would suddenly attack in flurries.
This was a legitimate 15 round world title bout, taken lightly as the light heavyweight champion was given little or no chance against Holmes, which is primarily why the Holmes camp took the bout challenge. Where Michael Spinks succeeded was not in any one technical ability, but rather, the accumulation of small advantages.
First, Michael Spinks had contempt for Holmes, boxing in closely fearlessly and not backing off. For Holmes, this was first. Spinks was in close and Holmes could not shake him, nor could he figure out his style, which matched no known previous style seen by anybody at this level.
Second, Holmes’ eyes rapidly became swollen, requiring the use of the no swell in the corner for almost the entire bout, particularly on the right eye. Michael Spinks was landing awkward power shots, and somehow landing these awkward power shots effectively here and there, when he did land. This ability, recognized by Holmes soon enough, prevented him from attempting to floor the gas pedal.
Third, Michael Spinks had superior foot movement. Limited movement opponents were easier targets for Holmes. Highly defensive fighters, such as the Archie Moore style cross arms defense of Ken Norton, gave Holmes trouble. The defense of Michael Spinks had its brilliance in his foot movement. He never offered Holmes a consistent target to hit. Holmes, his power right hand neutralized, often had trouble even landing or throwing the jab on Michael Spinks in comparison with his previous opponents. When Larry did land, it was not effective. Michael Spinks emerged from the bout unmarked by anything Holmes threw in both of his 15 round victories over Larry Holmes, an extraordinary footnote.
Four, the awkward style of Michael Spinks, going from orthodox to southpaw, moving in both directions, with mysterious footwork all over the place, frustrated Larry Holmes form chasing him as he did not have the stamina to chase, and even if he did, Holmes would not know how to chase Michael Spinks or where to do inside the ring with Michael if he did try to chase. Within his unique awkward footwork style, Michael Spinks created unique angles to land punches in the nontraditional sense. Since Holmes had never been exposed to the awkward style of Michael Spinks, as a result Holmes had no idea where and when the punches of Michael Spinks were coming from, and as a result Holmes was clueless as to how to defend himself from them. The punches of Michael Spinks were not knocking Holmes out, but they were landing, and doing cumulative damage.
Holmes was left in the odd situation of having to fight rounds where he was being technically outworked. The legs of Larry Holmes were sturdy, but not as good as the legs of Michael Spinks, who was visually there for Larry Holmes to Chase and hunt down right in front of him. Yet Holmes did not hunt Michael Spinks down and could not even try, because Michael Spinks was faster on his feet, and faster with his hands. Not spectacularly superior, but still slightly technically superior in terms of footwork and hand speed, enough to give Michael Spinks the edge advantage. There was nothing which Holmes could do about it.
Part of the issue here had to do with mentality. Nobody, from Larry Holmes to the bookies, had ever given much credence and credibility to the concept of the light heavyweight champion moving up to heavyweight. Former light heavyweight champions from Tommy Loughran to Billy Con had tried to win the world heavyweight title without success. Bob Foster had no luck with Joe Frazier or Muhammad Ali. Nobody thought anything of it.
Michael Spinks did the work, and caught Larry Holmes at exactly the right time. After losing a second time to Michael Spinks, Holmes fought on and went 21-4 over the remainder of his career. Against defending champions who won their title in the ring, Michael Spinks (Twice), Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Oliver McCall and Brien Nielsen, Holmes was 0-5. Holmes defeated Ken Norton to win his original share of the heavyweight title. Norton did not win his title in the ring. Norton defeated Jimmy Young by decision in a WBC eliminator, and was subsequently awarded the WBC after Leon Spinks opted to give Muhammad Ali a rematch instead of fighting Norton, then the WBC number one contender at the time.
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