Michael Spinks Michael Spinks Michael Spinks (born July 13, 1956) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 1988. He is a two-weight world champion, having held the undisputed light heavyweight title from 1983 to 1985, and the lineal heavyweight title from 1985 to 1988. As an amateur he won a gold medal in the middleweight division at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Nicknamed "Jinx", which spawned the nickname of his right hand, "The Spinks Jinx", Spinks is the brother of former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, and uncle of Cory Spinks, a former welterweight and light middleweight champion. After
Tommy Spinks Spinks was selected in the 1970 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and played professionally during the early 1970s. However, he is not included on the Vikings' web site listing of past players. Spinks was inducted into the Louisiana Tech University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988. Spinks was the son of Methodist minister Otis Spinks (1900–1987) and Grace Spinks (1915–2003), who were living in Ruston, the location of Louisiana Tech, at the time of their deaths. The senior Spinkses are interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park off U.S. Highway 80 West in Ruston. Spinks graduated in 1966 from Woodlawn