Leon Spinks, ex-heavyweight champ who upset Muhammad Ali, dies at 67

Leon Spinks, who surprised the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title in 1978, has passed away at the age of 67.

Spinks, had been suffering from prostate and other cancers for five years.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Spinks represented the United States during the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada, as a light heavyweight and won a gold medal.

He beat Muhammad Ali in Las Vegas on February 15th, 1978 to become the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion. It was only Spinks' eighth professional bout and one of the greatest upsets in boxing history.

Spinks and Ali met again seven months later at the Superdome in New Orleans. Ali won and reclaimed the heavyweight title.

Spinks retired in 1995 with a 26-17-3 record with 14 knockouts. In 2017, he was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

[Source: CNN / ESPN]