Ex-Champ Leon Spinks Battling Pneumonia in Intensive Care, Still Fighting For His Life
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Las Vegas, NV (December 13th, 2019)– Former World Heavyweight champion ‘Neon’ Leon Spinks, 66, who defeated Muhammad Ali to win the lineal world heavyweight championship in 1978, remained hospitalized in Las Vegas and is still fighting for his life in an intensive care unit, with a life-threatening illness now identified as pneumonia, with doctors still trying to save his life.
Leon underwent abdominal surgery in 2014, and has used a wheelchair off and on ever since. Leon last appeared in public at the 2019 Nevada Hall of Fame proceedings and BBQ dinner at which he and his brother Michael celebrated their birthdays earlier this year. In a statement sent to the Daily News, Leon’s family had stated “Leon is currently hospitalized (in Las Vegas, Nevada), and is in (under the ongoing) the care of an exceptional team of (attending) doctors. We kindly request privacy be given to his family at this time. His wife Brenda and their family would like to graciously thank all of Leon’s friends and (boxing) fans for all of the outpouring support of love and prayers,” the statement concluded. The underlying cause of Leon’s illness was not mentioned.
Born in Saint Louis, Missouri, Leon Spinks and his brother Michael Spinks both won Gold Medals at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada. On February 15, 1978, the then ex-Olympian Leon Spinks surprisingly defeating an aging Muhammad ‘The Greatest’ Ali by split decision in to win the undisputed lineal World Heavyweight title. However, Ali won the rematch later that year by beating Leon Spinks by unanimous decision on September 15, 1978, Muhammad Ali’s final win but not his last bout (the Lyle Alzado exhibition, Larry Holmes title bout, Trevor Berbick bout, and Dave Semenko exhibition followed). Leon Spinks lost his final pro decision in Saint Louis, Missouri in December 1995, losing an eight-round decision to veteran Fred Houpe. Leon, at age 48, made his final ring appearance on August 29, 2001, boxing a four-round exhibition with Rick Wilson for charity in Chicago, Illinois.
An ex-Marine, Spinks worked as a greeter at Mike Ditka’s restaurant in Chicago after retirement in 1988. He returned to the ring in 1991, and retired from boxing good in 1995. He also won a wrestling championship. Leon Spinks made in excess of five million dollars during career, but ended up broke and homeless, living in shelters.
Leon, who suffers from Dementia pugilistica, later lived in Columbus, Nebraska, working as a weekend custodian at the YMCA, sometimes unloading trucks at McDonald’s, and volunteering to help the homeless, before remarrying for the third time, and moving to Las Vegas in 2011, where he found work at sports memorabilia autograph shows, though health problems have dominated his life in recent years. Leon is a member of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame, the All-Marine Boxing Hall of Fame, and the Jacksonville-Onslow Sports Commission Hall of Fame (as a Marine boxer).
Several years ago in the Camp Lejeune Globe, Leon’s wife Brenda noted “I didn’t know Leon back when he was at Camp Lejeune, and we have been together since 2000. I was a big boxing fan and my dad loved him. I think Leon loved winning the Olympics for his country and (fighting) for the Marine Corps. When he beat Muhammad Ali, it was a really big feat for him. Leon is a very sweet person, and is very street smart. He has a huge heart, and is a very honest person. We still watch his fights all the time, and I love going back (with him) and watching him box (on videos from back in the day).”
Leon lost his son Leon Calvin Spinks in 1990. Leon Calvin Spinks Jr. was a rising 2-0 light heavyweight boxer who was shot dead at age nineteen on July 22, 1990, while driving home in East St. Louis. Leon’s grandson, southpaw super lightweight Leon Spinks III, fought between 2012 and 2017, and had a professional record of 11-3-1.
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