43 years ago

Date: 12th June 1981

Title: WBC World Heavyweight Title

Promoter: Don King Productions

Tv: ABC Sports

Larry Holmes
( 37 - 0 - 0 )
Weight: 212 1/2 lbs

Leon Spinks
( 10 - 2 - 2 )
Weight: 200 1/4 lbs

Fought in The Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan as a tribute to former champion Louis who passed away two months earlier, Holmes's 10th defence against former Muhammad Ali conquerer Spinks. showed just how destructive the champion could be, taking Holmes to 38-0 with 28 opponents not hearing the final bell.

With only 12,000 of the 21,000 seats in The Joe Louis Arena filled, Holmes dominated the smaller Spinks until he felled him in the third round with a barrage of right hands. Spinks managed to get up but, he couldn't survive the champions final onslaught which brought about referee Richard Steele's intervention at 2:34 of the round.