Boxing's Heavyweight Championship Lineage
Leon Spinks
1978
Spinks, a gold medalist at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and brother of future champion Michael Spinks, enjoyed the quickest ascent to the heavyweight crown in history.
In just his eighth professional fight, Spinks defeated Muhammad Ali by split decision in 1978. But his reign was short-lived. In a rematch exactly seven months later, Spinks lost to the 36-year-old Ali in front of 63,350 fans at the Superdome in New Orleans. Spinks went on to challenge for the title once more, losing to Larry Holmes in 1981 before his career was offset by drug problems. He retired in 1995 at 42 with a record of 26-17-3.
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