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player ready...Tommy Spinks` Golden Gloves debut bout was in doubt when his father showed up in the nick of time.
”Right hand first,” former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks shouted over and over to his 18-year-old son. ”Lead with the right.”
Like an obedient son, Tommy listened. He came alive in the third round to earn a decision over 17-year-old Waukegan East High School senior Shawn Brown Monday night at St. Andrew`s gym.
Spinks came out in the first round like Mike Tyson, with a whirlwind of punches that forced the referee to break off the bout and give the mandatory eight-count to Brown.
Spinks wasn`t ready to relent, and when the three got tangled, he accidently shoved the referee.
”The ref grabbed me and the other guy was still hitting me,” Spinks said. ”I was just trying to get free.
”I wanted to just jab in the first round, but he started to rush me, so I had no other choice.”
A left to the side of Spinks` head late in the first round from the southpaw Brown helped the novice division super-heavyweight regain some confidence. The second round was close, and the momentum tipped toward Brown. ”I need to work on my slipping to the left,” Spinks said. ”I`m more of a straight-up fighter like Evander Holyfield. But if a guy wants to stand up and bang, I`ll do that. Anybody can be a fighter. I want to be more of a boxer.”
Like your dad?
”Like Muhammad Ali.”