355:, who held the American broadcast rights for the series, took the matter to court in hopes of blocking the fight and was successful in doing so when a New York judge granted an injunction that stated that Cooney could not fight Spinks for the IBF title unless he signed on to join the unification series. In response, Lewis, hoping to get around the court order, filed an appeal, stating he intended "to go the whole 15 rounds because I'm right." In February 1987, after months of legal proceedings, the IBF ordered Spinks to return to the unification series and face their top contender
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after lading several unanswered punches to Cooney's head. Cooney got up at the count of five and continued the fight, but Spinks quickly went back on the attack and again sent Cooney down again only seconds later, though Cooney got back up at the count of seven. Spinks continued to pummel a clearly hurt and almost defenseless Cooney. Before Spinks could send Cooney down a third time, referee
359:, though doing so would've only netted Spinks around $ 400,000, a drastic departure from the millions he was expected to earn in the Cooney fight. When Spinks refused the Tucker fight, the IBF officially stripped him of their title on February 26, 1987, and he was subsequently removed from the unification series, with Tucker now pitted against
376:
afterwards. As Spinks and Cooney could still not legally face each other, Spinks' legal team returned to court in early March in hopes of getting the injunction lifted. On March 19, a judge lifted lifted the injunction, finally paving a way for the long waited fight to be announced, which was made
385:
Spinks started off aggressively, furiously attacking Cooney during the first two rounds. Cooney rebounded in the third, opening a cut above Spinks' eye and then kept Spinks on the retreat in the fourth. Spinks then put on a dominating effort in the fifth, dropping Cooney midway through the round
333:
heavyweight title in 1982, had fought extremely sparingly since. Following a 16-month layoff after returning to boxing in late 1984 following a 13-month layoff, Cooney was matched up against fringe contender Eddie Gregg on May 31, 1986, with the winner expected to challenge Spinks, who held the
350:
Lewis and Spinks then once again entered into talks with Cooney and his manager Dennis
Rapaport, with a deal eventually agreed to in early December. The deal was met with controversy as it was to take place outside of the unification series Spinks was obligated to compete in as IBF heavyweight
338:
heavyweight title and was recognized as the lineal heavyweight champion. After knocking out Gregg in the first round of their fight, Cooney hoped to begin negotiations with Spinks, whom had successfully made the first defense of his title the previous month in a
410:
struggled to agree on terms. Negotiations temporarily broke down when Lewis insisted on a $ 15 million guarantee for his fighter. Annoyed at constantly being asked about the fight, Tyson eventually demanded that his managers reach an agreement with Lewis.
27:
367:
magazines heavyweight title. Lewis derided the IBF's decision "I don't care if it's the WBA, WBC, IBF, XYZ, people don't buy the alphabets." and announced his intent to still pursue both the Cooney fight and a fight with then
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official a week later. Despite his long periods of inactivity and having fought less than 90 seconds in a 30-month span, Cooney nevertheless came into the fight as an 8–5 favorite.
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had been talks with Cooney and his team about Spinks possibly making his first defense against Cooney after his heavyweight title
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After his victory interest in a showdown with Tyson increased, but negotiations were protracted because Tyson's co-managers
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stepped in and stopped the fight with nine seconds left in the round, giving Spinks the victory by technical knockout.
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with Holmes. However, Spinks pivoted and instead chose to make his next defense against the IBF's #12 ranked contender
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A Michael Spinks–Gerry Cooney fight had long been in the works dating back to
January 1986. Spinks' promoter
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for the vacant title, though Spinks still held claim to the lineal heavyweight title and held
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against Holmes being named as his first fight in the series. Cooney, after failing to defeat
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the previous
September. These talks stalled when Lewis joined forces with
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was a professional boxing match contested on June 15, 1987, for the
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Michael Spinks, without an official world title for the...
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778:, UPI Times article, 1986-05-31 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
922:, NY Times article, 1987-06-16 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
910:, NY Times article, 1987-03-27 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
886:, NY Times article, 1987-03-03 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
850:, NY Times article, 1987-02-19 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
826:, NY Times article, 1986-12-23 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
814:, NY Times article, 1986-12-03 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
802:, NY Times article, 1986-09-07 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
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Now that he has conquered Eddie Gregg, Gerry Cooney...
754:, NY Times article, 1986-01-15 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
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after which Spinks was entered into the series with a
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Promoter Butch Lewis
Tuesday said he will appeal a...
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Heavyweight Gerry Cooney, who has not fought in 16...
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898:, UPI article, 1987-03-19 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
874:, UPI article, 1987-02-27 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
838:, UPI article, 1986-12-23 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
790:, UPI article, 1986-06-21 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
766:, UPI article, 1986-04-21 Retrieved on 2024-08-07
860:Michael Spinks Stripped of the Heavyweight title
896:A state judge Thursday cleared the way for a...
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8:
1428:June 1987 sports events in the United States
19:
1433:Boxing matches in Atlantic City, New Jersey
1279:Dwight Muhammad Qawi vs. Evander Holyfield
1080:
1066:
1058:
999:
421:
84:
862:LA Times article, retrieved on 2024-02-27
347:, whom he defeated on September 6, 1986.
788:Spinks Title Defense Planned for Sept. 6
639:
718:
1294:Julio César Chávez vs. Meldrick Taylor
1269:Roberto Durán vs. Sugar Ray Leonard II
18:
848:Lewis Finds Himself Against the Ropes
7:
1274:Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns
1194:Muhammad Ali vs. Cleveland Williams
800:Spinks Wins Bout on Knockout in 4th
1309:Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe
1189:Muhammad Ali vs. Karl Mildenberger
920:Spinks Was Here, There, Everywhere
14:
727:"Michael Spinks vs. Gerry Cooney"
188:6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
1448:Heavyweight championship matches
1214:Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson
692:
672:
652:
25:
1389:ABC Wide World of Sports Boxing
1289:Michael Spinks vs. Gerry Cooney
1234:Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II
1179:Muhammad Ali vs. George Chuvalo
1304:Mike Tyson vs. Donovan Ruddock
1299:Riddick Bowe vs. Michael Dokes
1224:Joe Frazier vs. George Foreman
1199:Muhammad Ali vs. Ernie Terrell
319:heavyweight unification series
1:
1284:Mike Tyson vs. Marvis Frazier
1249:Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner
1239:George Foreman vs. Ken Norton
1204:Muhammad Ali vs. Jerry Quarry
1184:Muhammad Ali vs. Henry Cooper
1174:Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston
934:"Tyson-Spinks Accord Reached"
812:Spinks-Cooney Is Reported Set
160:30 years, 10 months
1423:1987 in sports in New Jersey
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163:30 years, 9 months
1259:Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Bugner
1229:Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton
1219:Muhammad Ali vs. Bob Foster
932:Berger, Phil (1988-02-04).
1464:
1143:The Wednesday Night Fights
1254:Muhammad Ali vs. Ron Lyle
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1036:
1030:
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824:Judge Blocks Spinks Fight
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243:2-division world champion
212:238 lb (108 kg)
83:
50:Atlantic City, New Jersey
24:
1244:The Rumble in the Jungle
1113:Premier Boxing Champions
752:Uphill Fight for Cooney
262:wins via 5th-round TKO
185: in (189 cm)
908:Spinks-Cooney June 15
884:Spinks Going to Court
209: lb (95 kg)
1209:Fight of the Century
1150:Wide World of Sports
1006:vs. Steffen Tangstad
406:and Spinks' manager
293:heavyweight titles.
280:The War at the Shore
241:Heavyweight Champion
128:Huntington, New York
61:Title(s) on the line
20:The War at the Shore
489:Livingstone Bramble
21:
1050:vs. George Foreman
631:heavyweight titles
481:Super Lightweight
74:heavyweight titles
1405:
1404:
1264:Thrilla in Manila
1122:Fight of the Week
1056:
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1047:Succeeded by
1021:Succeeded by
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526:Carlos Hernandez
419:Confirmed bouts:
372:and WBC champion
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1098:Related programs
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990:"BoxRec - event"
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345:Steffen Tangstad
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146:Pre-fight record
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79:Tale of the tape
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1418:1987 in boxing
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1024:vs. Mike Tyson
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1013:Michael Spinks
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978:. p. 247.
976:Bad Intentions
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317:to create the
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1381:Miscellaneous
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1167:Notable bouts
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1090:Boxing on ABC
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1044:15 June 1987
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578:Kenny Butler
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564:Middleweight
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37:June 15, 1987
36:
32:
28:
23:
1394:
1387:
1357:Jerry Quarry
1337:Dan Dierdorf
1327:Don Chevrier
1288:
1148:
1141:
1135:Commentators
1127:
1120:
1111:
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1039:Gerry Cooney
1037:
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943:. Retrieved
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867:
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831:
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783:
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747:
735:. Retrieved
730:
721:
646:Broadcaster
636:Broadcasting
623:
616:
614:
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589:Heavyweight
571:Glenn Thomas
570:
543:
537:Heavyweight
516:
510:Heavyweight
487:
467:Gerry Cooney
455:
449:Heavyweight
418:
404:Jimmy Jacobs
397:
384:
364:
349:
327:Larry Holmes
311:Larry Holmes
300:
285:
279:
278:
277:, billed as
274:Gerry Cooney
268:
267:
259:
232:
152:28–1 (24 KO)
149:30–0 (20 KO)
97:Gerry Cooney
66:
16:Boxing match
1372:Alex Wallau
1367:Al Trautwig
1352:Al Michaels
1347:Jim Lampley
1319:Key figures
665:GMA Network
660:Philippines
408:Butch Lewis
400:Bill Cayton
357:Tony Tucker
303:Butch Lewis
228:Recognition
141:$ 2,500,000
138:$ 4,000,000
1412:Categories
945:2011-09-22
731:boxrec.com
713:References
592:200+ lbs.
540:200+ lbs.
513:200+ lbs.
452:200+ lbs.
415:Fight card
374:Mike Tyson
351:champion.
297:Background
171:6 ft
1041:'s bouts
1015:'s bouts
621: For
567:160 lbs.
484:140 lbs.
394:Aftermath
381:The fight
118:St. Louis
109:Gentleman
737:7 August
733:. BoxRec
643:Country
624:The Ring
365:The Ring
329:for the
315:Don King
309:against
286:The Ring
233:The Ring
223:Orthodox
220:Orthodox
122:Missouri
114:Hometown
103:Nickname
67:The Ring
618:^Note 1
438:Method
428:Weight
341:rematch
323:rematch
204:⁄
180:⁄
697:
677:
657:
629:lineal
444:Notes
441:Round
291:lineal
260:Spinks
254:Result
238:Lineal
193:Weight
168:Height
130:, U.S.
124:, U.S.
72:lineal
600:def.
575:def.
550:def.
532:7/10
523:def.
505:5/10
494:def.
474:5/15
217:Style
135:Purse
88:Boxer
42:Venue
739:2024
627:and
609:2/4
584:6/8
581:TKO
559:8/8
502:TKO
471:TKO
463:def
460:(c)
433:vs.
402:and
289:and
272:vs.
236:and
106:Jinx
70:and
54:U.S.
34:Date
705:ABC
685:ITV
606:KO
556:UD
529:DQ
370:WBA
353:HBO
336:IBF
331:WBC
307:win
197:208
157:Age
1414::
936:.
729:.
120:,
52:,
48:,
1081:e
1074:t
1067:v
992:.
948:.
741:.
206:4
202:3
199:+
182:2
178:1
175:+
173:2
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