Compared to Spinks who only had one career loss ) 1st round KO to Mike Tyson ), Charles overall ring record red-lined by 25 losses would appear very inferior. But the two fought in far different periods in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. Charles fought for 19 years from 1940 through 1959 while Spinks fought for about 11 years from 1977 through 1988 Charles compiled a total of 119 bouts, of which he won 93 ( 57 by KO) and had one drawn match/ Spinks just logged a total of 32 fights, of which he won 31 ( 21 by KO).
Charles would suffer his first four losses in the first six years of his career against the veteran likes of Ken Overlin ( whom he would later hold to a draw), KId Tunero, Llyod Marshall and Jimmy Bivins who had a total of 300 fights among them. he suffered his first TKO loss to Marshall but would more than avenge that defeat by knocking Marshall out in all three of their succeeding meetings. He would also beat Bivins in three consequent meetings. During that first six years, Charles would meet and defeat the likes of Teddy Yarosz, Anton Christofordis, Charley Burley twice successively, Jose Basora, Joey Maxim ( both of whom gave Sugar Ray Robinson fits ), Marshall, Bivins, Archie Moore and Oakland Billy Smith. Charles would suffer his last 20 losses in the last 8 years of his career when he was already on the decline. But between 1946-51, Charles in his best prime was virtually unbeatable,dropping just a split decision to Elmer Ray which he would also avenge by KO ina later fight. In that space of time, Charles would meet and defeat the likes of Joe Louis, Jersey Joe Walcott ( first fight ), Maxim, Moore, Gus Lesnevich, Joe Baksi, Bivins, Sam Baroudi, Pat Valentino and many others. He was the first to beat Louis winning by unanimous decision in 1950 to gain universal recognition as heavyweight champion. He was also regarded as the unofficial world light heavyweight champion having defeated both Joey Maxim and Archie Moore many times in addition to Marshall and Burley.
In comparison, there's not much to say about Spinks apart from his dominating the light heavyweight class with convincing wins over the likes of Murray Sutherland,Yaquio Lopez, Marvin Johnson, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Mustafa Wassaja, Eddie and Johnny Davis and Dwight Muhammad Qawi and his winning the heavyweight crown from an aging and then fading Larry Holmes on points and repeating over Holmes ina title defense. His only other significant win at heavyweight was over Gerry Cooney who had three years earlier lost by TKO to Holmes. Spinks lost his biggest and supposed confirming fight at heavyweight by first round KO to Tyson in 1988 after which he announced his retirement with just a single---but crushing shameful--loss.
Given that background, I think Charles---never quitting despite suffering some losses in his prime--- would have been superior to Spinks in the light heavyweighst and the heavyweights with legacy-defining wins over Oakland Smith, Burley, Maxim, Moore, Marshall, Bivins, Louis and Walcott, all Hall of famers or ATGs.
At light heavyweights, Charles by SD
At heavyweights, Charles by UD.
Hell of a match, Spinks certainly one of the greatest Light Heavyweights of all time along with Charles but Spinks did have some of his weaknesses. He tends to trot in his footwork and doesn't as well fighting on the inside as well as fighting on the outside where Charles the a more well-rounded boxer. Spinks would trouble Charles with Charles with his height and reach but eventually Charles figures out a pattern and begins to box Spinks more on the inside in the later rounds.
Charles by Majority Decision.
Ezzard Charles TKO11
Both are skilled boxers, but Ezzard Charles earns my nod here because he had it all - speed, both of hand and foot, footwork, combination punching, defense and decent power. Charles was the complete package and he had great ring IQ. He'd outbox Spinks en route to a UD win or perhaps even a stoppage in the late rounds.
My answer will pale in comparison to Teodor's, but I too say Charles. Charles became a bonafide heavyweight champ, whereas M. Spinks was a light heavyweight champ who won the title on a somewhat questionable decision against a past-his-prime Holmes, and kept it by points against Holmes in one of the worst judges' decisions of all-time--practically everyone but those two judges thought that Larry won. Then when (after beating some tomato can and Gerry "Also a tomato can" Cooney) M. Spinks fought Tyson, Tyson whipped his *** in half a minute.
In other words, Charles was a true top-notch formidable, world-class heavyweight. M. Spinks was not.
charles takes it in this battle of legends.
Thumbs up to Teodor, and he pretty much summed it up.
prime vs. prime who wins and why?
