Michael Spinks turned professional with a win over Eddie Benson, knocked out in one round on April 17, 1977 in Las Vegas. With that, Spinks began a 31 fight winning streak that would almost extend to the end of his career. After four more wins, Spinks finished '77 with the first fight that began a gradual ascent in opposition quality: an eight-round decision over Gary Summerhays, a popular young boxer of the time. In 1978, Spinks won two fights, including an eight-round decision over former world Middleweight title challenger Tom Bethea, in the same undercard where his brother Leon dethroned Ali as
Johanna Spinks Arnold and Karen York Spinks won The Daler Rowney Award for Painting Excellence at Oil Painters of America National Show in 2008. Spinks was honored as the 2012 "Artist in the Community" recipient at the Mayor's Arts Awards event at the Ventura County Museum on November 15, 2012. Johanna Spinks Johanna Spinks is a British-born, Los Angeles-based oil portrait artist whose work hangs in many museums, galleries, and private collections. Spinks is primarily a portrait artist of heirloom, family, corporate, religious, and bridal portraits, but also a landscape and still life painter. Spinks' work has been featured in the "Epoch