On Feb. 15, 1978, St. Louisan Leon Spinks, who emerged from the projects, rose to the top of the boxing world with a shocking 15-round, split-decision victory over reigning heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in a championship bout held at the Las Vegas Hilton, one of the last championship bouts to be aired (by NBC) on over-the-air television.
Spinks, the 1976 light-heavyweight champion at the Montreal Summer Olympics, was thought to have little chance to unseat Ali, even an out-of-shape one who came into the ring that night. But Spinks, who had had only seven pro bouts, showed more craft than he had been given credit for and never was in trouble even though the fight was a close one, which Ali, according to many observers, still appeared to have won even though he left the ring with a puffy face.
The Las Vegas judges notoriously were not big fans of Ali, though, and two voted for Spinks, who held the title for precisely seven months before losing a 15-round rematch to Ali at the Superdome in New Orleans.
