SPINKS GOES DOWN
Leon Spinks has gone down fighting cancer in the 12th round, aged 67. The boxer beat Muhammad Ali in 1978 to become world champion in one of the biggest shocks the sport has ever seen. Spinks had won the light heavyweight gold medal at the 1976 Olympics, and was one of the few boxers to move from cruiserweight to heavyweight. After boxing, he had a match in FMW (the early MMA hybrid) against Antonio Inoki which nearly started a riot. In Japan. Mind you, when we saw it we nearly rioted in our own living rooms. (TM Mick Foley’s Joke Collection.) Alas, Spinks is one of many boxers who retired too late in the game (the 1990s) and suffered brain issues in his later life. A long battle with cancer propelled him onto the Drop 40, but the biggest celebrant of all are Thomas Jefferson Survives, who have their 100th DDP hit. A rare feat indeed! Other pickers included CA Daver, Dead Ends, Eeejit, En Passant, Davey Quantick’s Showbiz Pals, GUN Fishing, and I’m Sorry for your Trouble.
Leon Spinks
11 July 1953 – 5 February 2021
91 teams