How much was Leon Spinks worth?
| Net Worth: | $400 Thousand |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Boxer |
| Date of Birth: | July 11, 1953 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 1.85 m |
About Leon Spinks
Leon Spinks represented the United States as a light heavyweight boxer in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and won the Gold medal. He and Michael Spinks became the first brothers to win Gold medals in the same sport at the same Olympics.
On February 15, 1978, in only his eighth professional fight, Spinks outpointed Muhammad Ali over 15 rounds to capture the world heavyweight title. Spinks lost the title back to Ali just seven months later and his career went into an irreversible tailspin. He last fought in 1995, ending with a pro record of 26-17-3.
Spinks was reportedly homeless just over a decade after winning the heavyweight title. Later, after getting divorced, he briefly lived in a shelter in his native St. Louis. He’s been a greeter at Mike Ditka’s restaurant in Chicago. He also helped start a gym in Detroit and did assorted odd jobs in California.
More recently, he was living in Columbus, Nebraska and working at a local YMCA and McDonalds. He was also volunteering at an after-school program for youth.
Spinks died with his wife, Brenda Spinks, at his side, after a five-year battle with cancer. He had been admitted to a Las Vegas hospital in December, according to a statement from The Firm PR to Las Vegas television station KVVU on Saturday.
Spinks’ son, Cory Spinks, is a former welterweight and junior middleweight world champion. Leon can usually be spotted in or around the corner at each of his son’s fights. At the time of his death in 2021, Spinks’ net worth was just $400 thousand dollars. Which is considerably less than the estimated $5 million he earned during his professional boxing career. One thing is for sure though, regardless of his financial situation, Leon Spinks was one of the greatest boxers the world has ever known.
