Michael Spinks vs David Sears

The Sands Casino Hotel in Atlantic City hosted the Michael Spinks vs. David Sears unified WBC, WBA, and IBF light heavyweight title match on February 23, 1985. The bout, televised on NBC SportsWorld, featured a surprisingly light Spinks, who weighed 170½ pounds, his lowest weight in several years, while Sears weighed 173¾.

Spinks, entering with a perfect 25-0 record, demonstrated his tactical patience early. While Sears, a former New York Golden Gloves champion from Howard Beach, Queens, managed to edge ahead on two judges' scorecards in the opening rounds, the champion was merely biding his time. The first punch of the fight - straight from Spinks - had already revealed Sears's vulnerability to that weapon.

The end came at 1:02 of the third round. After Sears made an amateurish lunge, expecting a left hand, Spinks feinted with the left and delivered his trademark "Spinks Jinx" - a crushing right hand to the temple. Though Sears managed to rise at the count of seven, referee Larry Hazzard determined he was in no condition to continue.

This ninth successful defence marked Spinks's seventh knockout victory in title fights, tying him with Matthew Saad Muhammad for second place in light heavyweight history, behind only Bob Foster's ten. The victory improved Spinks's record to 26-0 with 18 knockouts, while Sears suffered his first defeat, falling to 16-1-1.

Notably, the bout had an interesting Hollywood connection—among Sears's managers was actor Burt Young, known for playing Paulie in the Rocky movies. However, this real-life contest followed a more predictable script, unlike the silver screen's underdog tales.