- Leon Spinks was an American boxer well regarded for one of boxing’s greatest upsets against the then reigning heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali
- His boxing career peaked even before he had established his stakes on retaining his titles earning him a fortune as high as $5 million
- Yet, Leon Spinks’s net worth was a miserable $400 thousand at his death in 2021
Leon Spinks had a short boxing career that saw him upset Muhammad Ali to win the World Heavyweight Championship in 1978. His dream of becoming a boxer dates back to a childhood filled with gnawing poverty. Leon found a new direction when he joined the US Marine Corps and won Olympic gold which solidified his stake in facing Muhammad Ali.
Despite having a fast-paced moving career in those early years, his net worth was only $400 thousand at the time of his death in 2021. Notably, Leon amassed a fortune worth $5 million at the peak of his boxing career. Yet, he lost most of this over the years through a number of misfortunes. All his efforts to relaunch a wrestling career also fell flat.
The loss of his fortune is similar to former heavy-weight title holder, Joe Frazier who started well but later died at the 67 like Leon and with a net worth of only $100 thousand.
Leon Spinks Early Background
He was born on July 11, 1953, to Leon and Kay Spinks in St Loius, Missouri. Spinks spent his early years in the project of Pruitt-Igor, St Louis. His parents separated when he was still a child.
Faced with the rigors of a terrible childhood, Leon soon found a passion for boxing at the age of 13. He joined the St Louis boxing program created to keep youngsters like him off the street.
The Pruitt-Igor-project-grown child later dropped out of high school to join the Marine Corps. Luckily for him, he found a new zeal through the corps boxing program in which he participated.
Leon Spinks Net Worth Was Only $400 Thousand At The Time of His Death
During his boxing career, Leon is said to have quickly moved through the ranks. The amateur Leon won a light heavyweight gold medal while representing the US Marine Corps at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
He made his professional debut in 1977 and finally upset the world heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali in his eighth match in 1978. While the match against Muhammad Ali peaked his career, Spinks is reported to have made as much as $320 from that match alone.
Going forward he added to this initial earnings when he got $3 million for the rematch. Notably, he made his net worth of about $5 million within this period before his career went downhill.
His wife, Brenda Spinks announced his death which occurred on February 5, 2021. Leon Spinks’s death was caused by prostate cancer.
How Leon Spinks Net Worth Was Lost
He suffered many setbacks that reflected on his finances. In fact, Leon lost most of his earnings after his retirement. Also, to augment his living condition, Leon traveled the country looking for a job. One of his prominent stops is at Columbus where the then 52-year-old found employment with the YMCA as a janitor and Mcdonald’s.
Though there are many factors that contributed to the loss of his wealth, these are the most glaring;
- Legal issues ranging from arrests and muggings, and lawsuits apart from a failing career,
- His finances were mismanaged by his financial advisers
- He invested in his son’s boxing career
Other Shocking Facts About The Dead Boxer
1. Leon Spinks Won The Heavy Weight Championship Title In His Eighth Match
The cornerstone of Spinks’s boxing career is his 1978 claim to the heavyweight title. He staked his claim on one of boxing’s greatest upsets against Muhammad Ali. It was years later that other upsets like Tyson Fury’s surprise defeat by Busta Douglas in 1990 came close. Spinks won in a split decision against the world champion at the time, hence putting his name alongside other greats.
Though the win was one of the greatest upsets in Boxing History, the title was stripped 7 months later when he refused to defend the title against Ken Norton. Muhammad Ali won him another face-off shortly after.
2. He Comes From A Family Of Boxers
The celebrated boxer is not the only member of his family to have made a name for himself among boxing fans. He is one of three brothers that clamped boxing championships.
His brother, Michael Spinks is also a successful boxer. In fact, both brothers represented the US at the Olympics. They were also inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame in August 2021. Reportedly, Michael Spinks has a $5 million net worth, which is considerably more than what Leon had at the time of his death.
His sons, Cory Spinks, Darell Spinks, and Leon Calvin as well as his grandchild, Leon Spinks III are all in the foray. Manifestly, his son Cory won the welterweight title as well as the IBF junior Middleweight championship twice.
3. He Dabbled In Wrestling
After the failure to retain any championships, the former heavy-weight boxer shifted his skills to wrestling. Reportedly, he had a stint with the Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling between 1990 and 1992.
In fact, he had minor success and even won the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship.
4. Leon Spinks Lost Four Of His Teeth
While his grin was one of his recognizable traits, it was obvious that he lost some teeth. Thus, success came at a cost of missing some parts of his body like his teeth. At first, he lost two teeth while boxing in the marines.
Later on, he lost two more thereby increasing the number to four.
See Also: Vasiliy Lomachenko – Bio, Wife, Net Worth, Other Facts About The Ukrainian Boxer
5. He Lost His Son In 1990
The years following his waning boxing success were quite traumatic for the former champion. He lost his son Leon Calvin to gunshot violence in 1990. As stated by the reports, Calvin was returning home after visiting his girlfriend when he was killed.
Until his death, Calvin had participated in pro bouts just a month earlier. The aspiring light heavyweight is one of Leon Spinks’s three sons from a relationship he had with his neighborhood girlfriend, Zadie Mae Calvin.
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