View Full Version : Evander Holyfield v Michael Spinks at Cruiserweight
Sweet Science
07-23-2007, 04:09 AM
This is a very tough one to predict.
Both all time greats although Spinks is maybe somewhat under appreciated.
Lets say they met at 190 in 1985, who wins and why?
bb251
07-23-2007, 04:42 AM
holy grinds out a split decision by just throwing more shots...
combatesdeboxeo
10-31-2010, 12:27 PM
I think that spinks might beat holyfield once as cruiser. Michael wins the first fight by sd and evander the rematch by ud
Mr Butt
10-31-2010, 01:33 PM
I think that spinks might beat holyfield once as cruiser. Michael wins the first fight by sd and evander the rematch by ud
interesting what gives spinks the edge in the first fight and what does holyfield do in the second to change things around
Beeston Brawler
10-31-2010, 02:07 PM
Holyfield would thrash Spinks.
Body Head
10-31-2010, 02:08 PM
Holyfield TKO.
mr. magoo
10-31-2010, 02:17 PM
1985 would have been way too early for Evander Holyfield to face Spinks....
In 1986, Holy had 11 pro fights facing Dwight Qawi and came away with a split decision.. At this point Spinks was still 29 years of age, unbeaten 30-0, and had proven himself as elite both above and below the cruiserweight ranks. He was no longer well fit to fight at light heavyweight, but was probably stretching himself at 200 lbs.. I'm thinking 190 might have been an ideal weight for him by that stage.... Due to his experience, I think he outpoints a green Holyfield at that stage... By 1988 however, this would have been Holyfield's fight, regardless of what class they fought in.
Bollox
10-31-2010, 02:55 PM
1985 would have been way too early for Evander Holyfield to face Spinks....
In 1986, Holy had 11 pro fights facing Dwight Qawi and came away with a split decision.. At this point Spinks was still 29 years of age, unbeaten 30-0, and had proven himself as elite both above and below the cruiserweight ranks. He was no longer well fit to fight at light heavyweight, but was probably stretching himself at 200 lbs.. I'm thinking 190 might have been an ideal weight for him by that stage.... Due to his experience, I think he outpoints a green Holyfield at that stage... By 1988 however, this would have been Holyfield's fight, regardless of what class they fought in.
100% spot on. In 1985 Holyfield was still green as hell. Spinks beats him easily
combatesdeboxeo
10-31-2010, 02:58 PM
100% spot on. In 1985 Holyfield was still green as hell. Spinks beats him easily
easily never
Mr Butt
10-31-2010, 03:00 PM
easily never
i ask again can you expand on your original post
Bollox
10-31-2010, 03:08 PM
easily never
Do you really think a top 10 pfp fighter of 1985 would be beaten by an inexperienced novice? People have a lasting image of Spinks the HW (which he never was) in his last fight, and tend to forget how good a fighter he was at LHW. In 1985 he would have made the perfect cruiser
combatesdeboxeo
10-31-2010, 03:12 PM
Do you really think a top 10 pfp fighter of 1985 would be beaten by an inexperienced novice? People have a lasting image of Spinks the HW (which he never was) in his last fight, and tend to forget how good a fighter he was at LHW. In 1985 he would have made the perfect cruiser
yes but holyfield was not a bum precisely. is not matter is he was inexperienced, holyfield was great since he was amateur. in 1985 spinks would win , but not easily
mr. magoo
10-31-2010, 04:13 PM
yes but holyfield was not a bum precisely. is not matter is he was inexperienced, holyfield was great since he was amateur. in 1985 spinks would win , but not easily
Even in 1986 and with 11 pro bouts, he barely came away with a split decision over an aged Qawi, in a fight that he spent time in the hospital for. In 85', he had all but perhaps 5 or 6 pro fights, while Spinks had already dominated the light heavy weight scene and was beating Holmes for the heavy weight title... I can't even see Evander winning a single round under these circumstances.
PowerPuncher
10-31-2010, 04:14 PM
Holyfield all day
Bokaj
10-31-2010, 04:18 PM
Even in 1986 and with 11 pro bouts, he barely came away with a split decision over an aged Qawi, in a fight that he spent time in the hospital for. In 85', he had all but perhaps 5 or 6 pro fights, while Spinks had already dominated the light heavy weight scene and was beating Holmes for the heavy weight title... I can't even see Evander winning a single round under these circumstances.
I also think Spinks would win this quite comfortably.
Unforgiven
10-31-2010, 04:57 PM
1987 Holyfield would beat up any version of Spinks.
I actually agree with combatesdeboxeo when he says even a novice Holyfield would never be easy for Spinks.
TheGreatA
10-31-2010, 05:00 PM
Holyfield would lose in 1985, but he would win from 1986 onwards.
combatesdeboxeo
10-31-2010, 05:41 PM
1987 Holyfield would beat up any version of Spinks.
I actually agree with combatesdeboxeo when he says even a novice Holyfield would never be easy for Spinks.
:bbb:good
Body Head
10-31-2010, 08:23 PM
damn i didn't read the 1985 part....Anyways i still have Holyfield beating Spinks in '85 by decision. A 1987 version completely destroys Spinks.
Even in 1986 and with 11 pro bouts, he barely came away with a split decision over an aged Qawi, in a fight that he spent time in the hospital for. In 85', he had all but perhaps 5 or 6 pro fights, while Spinks had already dominated the light heavy weight scene and was beating Holmes for the heavy weight title... I can't even see Evander winning a single round under these circumstances.
Great post :good I'm leaning toward this, but anythings possible with evander lol
I think Spinks Vs Holyfield at LHW in 87 would have been a fkn barn-burner :bbbBut its hard to put these two together due to 87-88 being evanders transitional period from cruiser to heavyweight i think? anybody know exact time?
MAG1965
10-31-2010, 10:19 PM
I pick Spinks just because Spinks at that point was more experienced when he would have fought Evander compared to Evander.
mr. magoo
10-31-2010, 11:07 PM
Great post :good I'm leaning toward this, but anythings possible with evander lol
I think Spinks Vs Holyfield at LHW in 87 would have been a fkn barn-burner :bbbBut its hard to put these two together due to 87-88 being evanders transitional period from cruiser to heavyweight i think? anybody know exact time?
Evander Holyfield made his heavyweight debut in the summer of 1988 against James "Quick" Tillis, shortly after Spinks had been dispatched by Mike Tyson... The time frame that the thread author posted was 1985 and at cruiserweight, ( assuming Spinks had decided to fight within those perameters. )
Even if these two men had met at cruiserweight, ( never done by Spinks ) I don't see Evander beating him any earlier than 1987.. In 1986, Holyfield had compiled less than a dozen fights, and barely escaped the jaws of defeat against an aging Dwight Qawi, who Spinks had beaten a prime version of years earlier. Holyfield was still a long way from becoming the confident, experienced and muscular specimen that we'd see years later. Meanwhile, Michael was still in his late 20's, undefeated in around 30 fights and had proven himself at the elite levels of both light heavyweight and heavyweight. Had he shown up at the in between weight of 190 lbs, it possibly would have proven an ideal setting for him at that stage. A fight between Evander and Michael in 1986, would have resulted in a decision victory for Spinks, who's awkward style, experience and savvy would have been a tad too much for Evander. I also think that Spinks could have unified the crown and beaten any or all of the top cruisers in the mid eighties.
Incidentally, while I would always pick a fully developed Holyfield to beat Spinks, I don't necessarily think that it would be an easy fight.. Spinks is often judged too heavily on his loss to Tyson, who's style and punching power made him very dissimilar to Holyfield.. Evander had the tendency to struggle with men who boxed reasonably well, and the 1988 version of Spinks who lost to Tyson, wasn't even prime anyway.. Remember, Spinks had never even been decked prior to fighting Mike, despite facing numerous ranked opponents, and even a few who could crack.. His style was awkward as hell, and getting him into a chess match was a mistake. I also don't see Spinks as falling for the bait, when Evander tries to lure him into an exchange, the way that so many of Holy's opponents did.. Michael could also fight 15 rounds without a problem. If we took the very best renditions of these two men, I wouldn't be surprised to see it go to the cards, or at least to the latter half, with Michael stealing a few rounds.
Awesome, you cleared up heaps for me there Mr Magoo :good
lefthook31
11-01-2010, 07:44 AM
Spinks would give Holy all kinds of trouble around this time. Am I the only one who thinks Holyfield was a stupid fighter until the early 90's?
Holyfield was raw, fast and had a ton of heart, but how can he defeat a guy whose as progressed and ring savvy as Spinks at such an early time?
Spinks wins a tough fought decision.
vBulletin® v3.8.0, Copyright ©2000-2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.