Leon Spinks, the legendary boxer who defeated Muhammad Ali, has passed away at 67 after a five year battle with cancer.
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Spinks passed away Friday evening surrounded by his wife Brenda and their close loved ones as reported by TMZ. The boxing champ’s health declined for several years after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His most notable moment in boxing history is when he defeated Muhammad Ali in a 15-round, split decision match in February 1978, causing one of the biggest upsets in sports history. He was the only heavyweight boxer to take the belt from Ali.
Spinks also earned an Olympic gold medal as a light heavyweight during the Summer Olympics in Canada. He served in the U.S. Marines prior to his boxing career and it inspired him to train for the sport.
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He retired in 1995 after losing the WBC heavyweight belt to Larry Holmes. His stats at his retirement were 26 wins, 17 losses, and three ties. Spinks had a short career in wrestling and was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017.