What is Michael Spinks?
[[File:Michael Spinks 1987.JPG|thumb|Michael Spinks (1987)]] '''Michael Spinks''' (born on [[July 13]], [[1956]]) is a retired [[Americans|American]] [[boxing|boxer]]. He was the [[light heavyweight]] and [[heavyweight]] champion of the world. Spinks was a member of the [[1976 Olympic Games|1976]] United States [[Olympics]] team and won a [[gold medal]] in the boxing competition. He became a professional boxer in 1977 and won the light heavyweight championship in 1981.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=1286&cat=boxer | title = Michael Spinks | publisher = BoxRec.com | accessdate = 2012-07-21 | archive-date = 2013-10-04 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131004224922/http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=1286&cat=boxer | url-status = dead }}</ref> In 1985 he fought heavyweight champion [[Larry Holmes]] and beat him for the title. It was the first time a light heavyweight champion had become heavyweight champion. He beat Holmes again in a rematch and defended his title another two times before losing to [[Mike Tyson]] in 1988. He never fought again. Michael Spinks is the brother of heavyweight champion [[Leon Spinks]]. ==References== {{reflist}} ==Other websites== *[http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=1286 Boxing Record]{{Dead link|date=October 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{start box}} {{succession box | before= [[Eddie Mustapha Muhammad]] | title= [[List of light heavyweight boxing champions|Light Heavyweight boxing champion]] | years= Jul 18, 1981–Sept 21, 1985 | after= [[Marvin Johnson]] }} {{succession box | before= [[Larry Holmes]] | title= [[List of heavyweight boxing champions|Heavyweight boxing champion]] | years= Sept 21, 1985–Jun 27, 1988 | after= [[Mike Tyson]] }} {{end box}} {{US-sports-bio-stub}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Spinks, Michael}} [[Category:American boxers]] [[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States]] [[Category:Sportspeople from St. Louis, Missouri]] [[Category:1956 births]] [[Categor