All boxersLeon Spinks
“Neon Leon”
Boxing · Deceased26-17-3RECORD
14WINS BY KO / TKO
11WINS BY DECISION
46PRO FIGHTS
Profile
| Full name | Leon Spinks |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Neon Leon |
| Date of birth | 11 Jul 1953 |
| Died | 5 Feb 2021 |
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | St. Louis, Missouri, USA |
| Based in | Not added yet |
| Weight classes | Heavyweight, Cruiserweight |
| Trainers | Not added yet |
| Height | 185 cm (6′1″) |
| Reach | 193 cm (76″) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Years active | 1977–1995 |
| Status | Deceased |
| Pro debut | 15 Jan 1977 |
| Last fight | Loss vs Fred Houpe, 4 Dec 1995 |
Details on this page were compiled from public information on 8 Oct 2026 (the record is as of that date).
Titles and honours
- Lineal and WBA heavyweight champion in 1978
- WBC heavyweight champion in 1978 (stripped)
- NABF cruiserweight champion (1982–1984)
- 1976 Olympic light heavyweight gold medalist
Background
Won Olympic light heavyweight gold in 1976 and stunned Muhammad Ali in only his eighth professional fight in 1978 to win the heavyweight championship. He lost the rematch seven months later.
Fight history
46 professional fights. Newest first.
| Result | Opponent | Method | Round | Time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Fred Houpe | Decision (unanimous) | 8 | 4 Dec 1995 | St. Louis, Missouri, USA | ||
| Win | Ray Kipping | Decision (unanimous) | 8 | 19 Jun 1995 | St. Louis, Missouri, USA | ||
| Loss | John Carlo | KO | 1 | 1:09 | 22 Oct 1994 | Washington, D.C., USA | |
| Loss | Shane Sutcliffe | Decision (unanimous) | 8 | 1 Oct 1994 | Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada | ||
| Win | Eddie Curry | Disqualification | 9 | 22 Jun 1994 | Raleigh, North Carolina, USA | Opponent disqualified for not answering the bell for round 9 | |
| Loss | James Wilder | Decision (points) | 10 | 27 Feb 1993 | Davenport, Iowa, USA | ||
| Win | Kevin Poindexter | KO | 1 | 2:37 | 11 Dec 1992 | Countryside, Illinois, USA | |
| Loss | Kevin Porter | Decision (points) | 10 | 26 Sep 1992 | Lansing, Michigan, USA | ||
| Win | Jack Jackson | KO | 3 | 2:52 | 24 Jul 1992 | Countryside, Illinois, USA | |
| Win | Rocky Bentley | Decision (points) | 10 | 17 Jun 1992 | Atlanta, Georgia, USA | ||
| Win | Rick Myers | Decision (unanimous) | 10 | 20 Mar 1992 | St. Louis, Missouri, USA | ||
| Win | Andre Crowder | Decision (split) | 10 | 28 Feb 1992 | Countryside, Illinois, USA | ||
| Win | Lupe Guerra | KO | 3 | 2:13 | 15 Nov 1991 | Gary, Indiana, USA | |
| Loss | Tony Morrison | TKO | 1 | 0:33 | 30 May 1988 | Trumbull, Connecticut, USA | |
| Loss | Randall Cobb | Decision (majority) | 10 | 18 Mar 1988 | Nashville, Tennessee, USA | ||
| Loss | Ladislao Mijangos | Decision (split) | 10 | 20 Dec 1987 | San Antonio, Texas, USA | ||
| Loss | Terry Mims | Decision (split) | 10 | 20 Oct 1987 | Cleveland, Ohio, USA | ||
| Draw | Jim Ashard | Decision (split) | 10 | 29 Aug 1987 | Eugene, Oregon, USA | ||
| Loss | Angelo Musone | KO | 7 | 22 May 1987 | Iesi, Italy | ||
| Win | Jeff Jordan | Decision (split) | 12 | 28 Apr 1987 | Nagoya, Japan | Won vacant WBC Continental Americas title | |
| Loss | José Ribalta | TKO | 1 | 2:10 | 17 Jan 1987 | Miami, Florida, USA | |
| Loss | Rocky Sekorski | TKO | 6 | 1:43 | 2 Aug 1986 | Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, USA | |
| Loss | Dwight Muhammad Qawi | TKO | 6 | 2:56 | 22 Mar 1986 | Reno, Nevada, USA | For WBA cruiserweight title |
| Win | Kip Kane | TKO | 8 | 1:37 | 13 Dec 1985 | New York, New York, USA | Won vacant WBC Continental Americas title |
| Win | Tom Franco Thomas | Decision (unanimous) | 10 | 29 Jun 1985 | Santa Rosa, California, USA | ||
| Win | Tom Fischer | Decision (unanimous) | 10 | 9 May 1985 | Detroit, Michigan, USA | ||
| Win | Rick Kellar | TKO | 2 | 2:47 | 9 Apr 1985 | Honolulu, Hawaii, USA | |
| Win | Lupe Guerra | TKO | 4 | 0:43 | 21 Feb 1985 | Detroit, Michigan, USA | |
| Loss | Carlos de León | TKO (corner retirement) | 6 | 3:00 | 6 Mar 1983 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA | |
| Win | Jesse Burnett | Decision (unanimous) | 12 | 31 Oct 1982 | McAfee, New Jersey, USA | Won vacant NABF cruiserweight title | |
| Win | Ivy Brown | Decision (unanimous) | 10 | 24 Feb 1982 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA | ||
| Loss | Larry Holmes | TKO | 3 | 2:34 | 12 Jun 1981 | Detroit, Michigan, USA | For WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles |
| Win | Bernardo Mercado | TKO | 9 | 2:52 | 2 Oct 1980 | Paradise, Nevada, USA | |
| Win | Kevin Isaac | TKO | 8 | 2:11 | 3 May 1980 | San Carlos, California, USA | |
| Draw | Eddie López | Decision (split) | 10 | 8 Mar 1980 | Paradise, Nevada, USA | ||
| Win | Alfredo Evangelista | KO | 5 | 2:43 | 12 Jan 1980 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA | |
| Loss | Gerrie Coetzee | TKO | 1 | 2:03 | 24 Jun 1979 | Monte Carlo, Monaco | |
| Loss | Muhammad Ali | Decision (unanimous) | 15 | 15 Sep 1978 | New Orleans, Louisiana, USA | Lost WBA and The Ring heavyweight titles | |
| Win | Muhammad Ali | Decision (split) | 15 | 15 Feb 1978 | Paradise, Nevada, USA | Won WBA, WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles | |
| Win | Alfio Righetti | Decision (unanimous) | 10 | 18 Nov 1977 | Paradise, Nevada, USA | ||
| Draw | Scott LeDoux | Decision (split) | 10 | 22 Oct 1977 | Paradise, Nevada, USA | ||
| Win | Bruce Scott | KO | 3 | 3:02 | 1 Jun 1977 | Montreal, Canada | |
| Win | Pedro Agosto | KO | 1 | 1:55 | 7 May 1977 | St. Louis, Missouri, USA | |
| Win | Jerry McIntyre | KO | 1 | 0:35 | 20 Mar 1977 | Louisville, Kentucky, USA | |
| Win | Peter Freeman | KO | 1 | 1:26 | 5 Mar 1977 | Liverpool, England | |
| Win | Bob Smith | TKO | 5 | 0:20 | 15 Jan 1977 | Paradise, Nevada, USA |