When Leon Spinks Was Neon: February 15, 1978 at The Hilton in Las Vegas
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Rare appears to be the championship bouts contested at The Hilton in Las Vegas, Nevada. Perhaps the most noteworthy Vegas Hilton titular bout was the victory by “Neon” Leon Spinks over Muhammad Ali in the main event by 15 round decision on February 15, 1978. Leon captured the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council and The Ring World Heavyweight title bouts. In doing so, Leon Spinks became the only fighter ever to capture Ali’s world heavyweight title inside the ring.
By round 15, it became obvious Ali was not in peak condition for this 15 round title bout. Both Leon and Ali were tired in round 15, but Leon had enough left to grit out the final round. Judge Lou Tabat scored the bout 143-142 for Ali, which howled of robbery, overruled by judges Art Lurie 145-140, and Harold Buck 144-141 for Leon. 44 years after this bout, BoxRec still has the scorecards of Art Lurie and Lou Tabat mixed up.
Round 15 was neon, and The Ring Magazine “Round of the Year” for 1978, specifically because the bout was seemingly still on the table going into round 15 and either combatant still had a good chance to win. Television made a hero out of Neon Leon for a shining moment, and the boxing public demanded a rematch, which it got on September 15, 1978, at The Superdome in New Orleans, won by Ali. Leon had been stripped of the WBC title for refusing to fight number one contender Kenny Norton and giving Ali a rematch instead. Norton won a 15 rounder over Jimmy Young, and was subsequently awarded the WBC title, which he promptly lost by decision to rising Larry Holmes. Ali retired on June 27, 1979, and the WBA World Heavyweight title became vacant. John Tate then decisioned Gerrie Coetzee to win the vacant WBA title in South Africa in October 1979.
Neon Leon Spinks versus Ali I and II were the last two great Muhammad Ali television heavyweight title bouts which had the recognition of the general public. Leon had only eight fights coming in. Nobody could have predicted his younger brother, Michael Spinks, who went on to win the World Light Heavyweight title, would beat Larry Holmes twice in 15 rounders.
Nobody took Leon Spinks versus Muhammad Ali very seriously, but then again, nobody took Michael Spinks versus Larry Holmes very seriously, and nobody took Iron Mike Tyson versus Buster Douglas or Danny Williams very seriously. Neon Leon was simplistic but likeable, toothless and goofy like the Disney character. Leon was the first serious fighter of note to defeat Ali, after Ali regained the World Heavyweight title from George Foreman in Zaire, and by defeating Ali, Leon exposed Ali’s aura of invincibility. The truth was Ali was a verbal clown and a womanizer at times, and underestimated Neon Leon. Ali lost to himself, more so than to Leon, and so it was. As a disciplined athlete at his Deer Lake training camp, Ali was never better, but discipline can be hard to maintain when you are at the top, where Ali was. For a brief shining moment, Neon Leon and his tooth gap smile were truly neon, an unforgettable face and as much an underdog in his time to beat Ali, and Rich Strike was to win the 2022 Kentucky Derby. Leon’s career went into a tailspin from that point on for various reasons.
Neon Leon Spinks died on February 5, 2021, at age 68 from prostate issues in Henderson, Nevada, his neon forever extinguished. He left behind his wife Brenda, a son, former World Junior Middleweight champion Cory Spinks, and a southpaw light heavyweight grandson Leon Spinks III. Leon II is the son of Leon’s late son Leon Calvin, a 2-0 light heavyweight who was shot to death in East St. Louis in 1990 while driving home from his girlfriend’s house.
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