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Former heavyweight boxing world champion Leon Spinks has died at 67 after battling cancer.
Spinks, who won Olympic gold in Montreal in 1976 and beat Muhammad Ali for the world title in only his eighth professional fight, had battled prostate cancer and other forms of illness.
His family and close friends were said to have been by his side when he passed, including his wife Brenda and son Cory Spinks, himself a former world champion.
‘Neon’ Leon shocked the world in February 1978 when he defeated Ali by split decision to win the WBC and WBA world heavyweight titles. Although Ali was in decline, it was an astonishing triumph for the rising star, who was topped by 25 lbs (11.3 kg) and still triumphed in 15 rounds.
Still, that had to be the highlight. He lost a rematch with Ali seven months later by unanimous decision and never regained the title.
He won another crack in the belt in 1981, against Larry Holmes, but lost by TKO in the third round. He also fought for the world cruiserweight title in 1986, but suffered a sixth-round TKO loss to Dwight Muhammad Qawi.
Spinks’ career suffered prolonged downturns and he retired with a 26-17-3 record (14 KOs). He tried his hand at wrestling after his boxing career.
Spinks was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017, earning the honor alongside his brother, Michael, a two-division world champion.
Earlier in life, the product from St. Louis, Missouri served in the US Marine Corps.
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