Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Spinks represented the United States during the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada, as a light heavyweight and won a gold medal.
He faced Muhammad Ali in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 15, 1978, winning to become the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion. It was only Spinks' eighth professional bout and one of the greatest upsets in boxing history.
In this Feb. 15, 1978 photo, Leon Spinks, right, connects with a right hook to Muhammad Ali, during the late rounds of their championship fight in Las Vegas.
Spinks and Ali met again seven months later at the Superdome in New Orleans. Ali won and reclaimed the heavyweight title.
He would fight for a heavyweight crown only on one other occasion, losing to Larry Holmes in 1981.
Spinks retired in 1995 with a 26-17-3 record with 14 knockouts. In 2017, he was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
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