Michael Spinks Net Worth – Tragedy & Amateur Career

Michael Spinks is a retired American boxer. He is known as the "Jinx" and is the brother of Cory and Leon Spinks, two more professional boxing champions. He participated in 32 professional fights throughout his career and suffered just one defeat. He had 21 KO victories.

From 1983 to 1985, he was the undisputed light heavyweight champion; from 1985 to 1988, he was the lineal heavyweight champion. He also held world titles in two more weight divisions. He competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics and earned a gold medal in the middleweight division as an athlete.

Look at Michael Spink net worth, amateur career, biography, and personal life.

Michael Spinks Net Worth

Michael Spink’s net worth is estimated to be $5 million. Spinks is one of the few professional boxers to retire with his health and money intact. During his career, he made almost $24 million before taxes. Butch Lewis, his promoter, handled his finances for the most part.

Spinks sued the promoter's estate when Lewis passed away in 2011, claiming that the tens of millions of dollars he made in the ring had been wrongly handled. According to the lawsuit, Lewis and his kids spent Spink's money on personal needs.

• Mike Tyson

In June 1988, the talk with Mike Tyson took place at Atlantic City, New Jersey's Convention Hall. With a revenue of about $70 million at the time, it was the most expensive fight in boxing history. For the 91-second fight, Tyson won by knockout; he took home a purse of almost $22 million, while Spinks took home $13.5 million.

Biography and Personal Life

Since retiring, Michael Spinks has largely avoided the spotlight, although he still trains fighters and gives motivational speeches at schools. In Wilmington, Delaware, he resides in a 7,000-square-foot Michael Spinks home on three acres with a sizable guest house. The house that I, for which he paid $316,000, is now valued between $1.5 and $2 million. He doesn't have a mortgage on the property.

• Tragedy 

When Michael Spink's wife, Sandy Massey, 24, passed away in a vehicle accident in January 1983, tragedy followed. As a result, Spinks was left alone to raise their daughter Michelle, who is two years old.

Two months later, he faced Qawi in the ring to defend his light heavyweight title. Spinks defeated Qawi in the eighth round and won the title with scores of 144-140, 144-141, and 144-141 from the judges in what became known as "The Brawl for It All."

Professional Career

• Early years

On April 17, 1977, in Las Vegas, Michael Spinks today defeated Eddie Benson and knocked him out in one round, marking the start of his career. That marked the beginning of Spinks' 31-fight winning streak, which would nearly last until the conclusion of his career.

Following four more victories, Spinks ended '77 with them, which marked the start of a steady rise in opposition quality: an eight-round decision victory over then-popular rookie boxer Gary Summer Hays. Spinks defeated former world Middleweight title candidate Tom Bethea via an eight-round decision in one of his two victories 1978.

• First world title

After defeating former and future world light-heavyweight champion Marvin Johnson via knockout in four rounds, Spinks was ranked as the WBA's top challenger by 1981. On July 18 of that year, he faced WBA light-heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad again in Las Vegas.

• Spinks vs Qawi

Meanwhile, magazine editors and boxing critics called for the fight that all the fans desired. Two months after his wife's passing, on March 18, Spinks and Qawi faced off for the undisputed light heavyweight title in a boxing ring. According to the book The Ring: Boxing the 20th Century, HBO World Championship Boxing televised the fight.

• Mike Tyson Vs Michael Spinks

Mike Tyson and Spinks fought in June 1988. Tyson put Spinks down twice before he was knocked out in the first round. Spinks was officially dropped only by Tyson and Dwight Muhammad Qawi. Spinks retired after the about, making it his final loss in the professional ring and his first overall. In this battle, fear had a significant impact on him.

Amateur Career

After defeating Wilber Cameron in Denver, Colorado, to win the 156-pound Golden Gloves Light Middleweight Championship in 1974, Spinks lost to Tom Sullivan in three rounds in Shreveport, Louisiana, to earn the silver medal in the National AAU 165-pound Championship Competition in 1975.

Highlights

• Compiled a record of 93-7 in amateur competition.
• Won the National Golden Gloves Championship for Light Middleweight 156 lb.
• In 1974 reached the 1975 National AAU finals but lost to Tommy Brooks.
• Won the National Golden Gloves Championship for Middleweight 165 lb. in Miami, Florida, 1976.
• Won the American middleweight gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Olympic Results

1 Gold medal at the XXI Summer Olympics 165 lbs. July 1976, Montreal, Canada:

• Round of 32: farewell
• Round of 16: Handily defeated Jean-Marie Emebe of Cameroon
• Quarterfinal: 5–0 unanimous victory over Ryszard Pasiewicz of Poland
• Semifinal: Easily defeated Alec Nastac of Romania
• Final: Beat Soviet Union's Rufat Riskiyev in RSC 3. Riskiyev was knocked down in the first round, and the referee broke up at about 1:54.
• At the end of his amateur career, Spinks had a record of 93 victories, 35 knockouts, and seven losses.

Professional Boxing Record

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is Michael Spink net worth?

It is estimated that he is worth about $5 million. 

Q. What was Michael Spink pay for his time with Mike Tyson?

The bout, which took place at the Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA, was the wealthiest boxing match ever. It earned almost $70 million, of which Tyson took home a record $22 million and Spinks $13.5 million.

Q. Where is Michael Spinks currently living?

The former champion lives in a private home on a five-acre property in Greenville, Delaware. The home has seven bedrooms, excluding the guest house.