Leon Spinks 1990, Leon's other son, Leon Calvin, was shot to death in East St. Louis as he was driving home from his girlfriend's house. Calvin was an aspiring light heavyweight pro boxer with a record of 2-0, with the two pro bouts occurring only a month before he died. Leon's grandson and Calvin's son, Leon Spinks III, is an aspiring light heavyweight southpaw boxer with a pro record of 11-3-1 with seven knockouts, his last outing being a six round draw with Robbie Cannon in October 2017. Leon has slurred his words since his active boxing days, and was diagnosed in
Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks was "Tyson, Tyson, Tyson." Another former heavyweight champion, George Foreman, also predicted a Tyson win. Muhammad Ali thought Spinks would win, as "he hits hard enough, he'll stick and move, he's fast on his feet, and he'll keep his distance." Tony Zale and sportswriter Bert Sugar backed Spinks to out-box Tyson. Dave Anderson of the "New York Times" wrote that Spinks would win, "probably in a 12-round decision. But possibly in a late-round knockout." Reigning WBA welterweight champion Marlon Starling, veteran announcer Don Dunphy and Tyson's former trainer Teddy Atlas also favoured Spinks. Contender Meldrick Taylor felt Tyson would win