Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks

{{Infobox boxing match

| Fight Name = Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks

| image = 250px

| caption =

| fight date = February 15, 1978

| location = Hilton Hotel, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.

| titles = WBA, WBC, and The Ring undisputed heavyweight championship

| fighter1 = Muhammad Ali

| nickname1 = The Greatest

| hometown1 = Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.

| purse1 = $3,500,000

| record1 = 55–2 (37 KO)

| age1 = {{age in years and months |January 17, 1942 |February 15, 1978}}

| height1 = 6 ft 3 in

| weight1 = 224 lb

| style1 = Orthodox

| recognition1 = WBA, WBC and The Ring
undisputed
Heavyweight Champion

| fighter2 = Leon Spinks

| nickname2 = Neon

| hometown2 = St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

| purse2 = $320,000

| record2 = 6–0–1 (5 KO)

| age2 = {{age in years and months |July 11, 1953 |February 15, 1978}}

| height2 = 6 ft 1 in

| weight2 = 197 lb

| style2 = Orthodox

| recognition2 = 1976 Olympic Light heavyweight Gold Medallist

| result = Spinks wins via 15-round split decision (142-143, 144-141, 145-140)

}}

Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks was a professional boxing match contested on February 15, 1978, in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight championship.{{cite web|url=http://boxrec.com/media/index.php?title=Fight:365|title=Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks (1st meeting)|publisher=BoxRec.com}}

Background

After his unanimous decision victory against Earnie Shavers, Muhammad Ali decided to face 1976 Olympic Gold medalist Leon Spinks, knowing that he would have to face Ken Norton for the fourth time or lose his WBC belt, after the No. 1 ranked Norton beat No. 2 ranked Jimmy Young in a title eliminator in November 1977.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qvhdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=m18NAAAAIBAJ&pg=5965,341193&hl=en|title=Ali-Spinks Winner Must Face Norton |work=Observer–Reporter |date=2 December 1977|accessdate=13 September 2017}}

The fight

Before a sellout crowd of 5,298 that produced a gate of $756,300, The 10–1 underdog Spinks ended up winning two of the scorecards 145–140 and 144–141, while the third was 142–143 giving him a split decision win. Spinks became the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion after only eight professional bouts, and the only man ever to take a world title away from Ali in the ring, as Ali's other losses were either non-title bouts or world title fights where Ali was the challenger.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/classic/s/Ali_record.html |title=Muhammad Ali's ring record |work=ESPN |date=19 November 2003|access-date=6 October 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/ali-meets-match-spinks-champion-split-decision-article-1.2014706|title=Muhammad Ali meets his match as young Leon Spinks stuns the champ to take heavyweight title |work=New York Daily News |date=15 February 2015|accessdate=3 October 2016}}{{cite book|title=Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years|author1=Felix Dennis |author2=Don Atyeo |publisher=miramax books|pages = 254–258|year=2003}}{{cite book|title=McIlvanney on Boxing|author= Hugh McIlvanney|publisher=Beaufort books|pages = 163–71|year=1982}}{{cite book|title=Muhammad Ali: A View from the Corner|author= Ferdie Pacheco|publisher=Birch Lane Press|pages = 153–58|year=1992}}{{cite book|title=Muhammad Ali:His Life and Times|author= Thomas Hauser|publisher=Simon & Schuster|pages = 350–60|year=1991}}{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/boxing/2015/09/23/muhammad-ali-leon-spinks-heavyweight-championship-vault |title=One more time to the top |work=Sports Illustrated |date=25 September 1978|accessdate=7 October 2016}}

Aftermath

The bout was named The Ring magazine upset of the year.

The final round (15) was named The Ring magazine round of the year.

Sports Illustrated covered the bout, and with the historic upset put Leon Spinks on the magazine cover. Spinks was later stripped of his WBC heavyweight title on March 18, 1978, for refusing to fight No. 1 contender Norton. Instead, Spinks signed for a rematch with Ali at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The rematch took place on September 15, 1978, for the World Boxing Association and Lineal Heavyweight Champion titles. Ali regained the title with a unanimous decision over Spinks.

Broadcasting

align=center \| Country ! align=center \| Broadcaster
class="wikitable"
{{flag\|Australia}}	Seven Network
{{flag\|Brazil}}	Band
{{flag\|Canada}}	CTV
{{flag\|France}}	TF1
{{flag\|Germany}}	ARD
{{flag\|Japan}}	TBS
{{flag\|Mexico}}	Televisa
{{flag\|Philippines}}	RPN 9
{{flag\|Spain}}	TVE
{{flag\|United Kingdom}}	BBC
{{flag\|United States}}	CBS