Word: heavyweights
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Leon Spinks crossed a personal Rubicon Wednesday night when he out-pummeled Muhammed Ali for the heavyweight title of the world. While inheriting the by now somewhat tarnished crown of the champ, the 23-year-old recent Olympian also took on the responsibility of defending his title from a passel of potential challengers...
During his amateur days, Spinks was much ballyhooed as "the Wild Bull of Camp LeJeune," where he was stationed when he won the All-Marine Corps light heavyweight championship in 1975. Fighting on the card that night was a flyweight by the name of Ronnie DiNicola, one of Spinks's teammates on the Camp LeJeune boxing team. DiNicola won the Marine Corps championship in his own weightclass, outpointing a certain Joe Rodriguez...
With a split decision in the Las Vegas Hilton, Spinks fulfilled his dream last night, winning the Heavyweight Championship of the World by defeating The Greatest, Muhammad Ali. But more than a personal victory, Spinks' win represents a belated Valentine's Day present to the boxing world...
...long now, Ali has sat atop the boxing world playing rope-a-dope with unworthy opponents and carrying second-rate fighters through 15 rounds. The pattern was a tiring one and the heavyweight ranks needed some shaking up. Leon Spinks provided that dynamic force...
...that means that now there's real life in the heavyweight ring. All those hungry challengers will be eager to get Spinks, and he'll be the spunky, determined, Cinderella champ...