St. Louis native and former pro boxer Michael Spinks competed from 1977 to 1988. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the undisputed light heavyweight title from 1983 to 1985, and the lineal heavyweight title from 1985 to 1988. (The lineal title is generally won when a fighter dethrones a champ who has been part of a line of successors back to an undisputed champion.)

As an amateur, Spinks won a gold medal in the middleweight division at the 1976 Summer Olympics.

He was known as “The Spinks Jinx”‍ because his right hand packed an amazingly powerful punch, unlucky for any opponent who encountered it.

He’s the brother of former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, and the uncle of Cory Spinks, a former welterweight and light middleweight champion.

The post based on content from Thefamouspeople.com, as well as Heavyweightboxing.com.

Photo credit: Johann Walter Bantz, Unsplash