Real name Terence Spinks Wins 45 Martial art Boxing Rated at Featherweight Wins by KO 13 Division Featherweight | Nationality British Name Terence Spinks Total fights 56 Stance orthodox Role Boxer | |
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Born 28 February 1938
West Ham, England ( 1938-02-28 ) Died April 26, 2012, Essex, United Kingdom Olympic medals Boxing at the 1956 Summer Olympics - Flyweight People also search for Mircea Dobrescu, Rene Libeer, John Caldwell | ||
Terence "Terry" George Spinks MBE (28 February 1938 – 26 April 2012) was a boxer from Great Britain, who won the gold medal in the flyweight division (– 51 kg) at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. In the final he defeated Mircea Dobrescu of Romania on points. He was also British featherweight champion from 1960 to 1961.
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He was an apprentice jockey, before finding boxing more lucrative.
Amateur career
Spinks had 200 amateur fights, and was the 1956 ABA flyweight champion.
Olympic results
Pro career
Spinks had 49 professional bouts of which he won 41.
He had his first professional bout in April 1957, against Jim Loughrey, at Harringay Arena, winning on a stoppage for a cut eye. In September 1960, Spinks fought for the British featherweight title, against the holder Bobby Neill. The fight was at the Royal Albert Hall, and Spinks won the title when the fight was stopped in the seventh due to cuts suffered by Neil.
In November 1960, the two men had a re-match at the Empire Pool, Wembley. Spinks retained his new title by knocking Neill down three times in the fourteenth, with him finally being counted out.
In May 1961, Spinks defended his title for the second time, against the Welshman, Howard Winstone. The fight was at the Empire Pool, and Winstone won by a technical knockout in the tenth round.
After losing his title, Spinks continued fighting, but never challenged for a title again. He had his last fight in December 1962 against Johnny Mantle, winning by a technical knockout in the eighth. After his boxing career ended Spinks became a trainer, coaching the South Korean team at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. He witnessed the Black September terrorists approaching the Israeli quarters before the Munich massacre and raised the alarm.
Honours
He was awarded the MBE in the 2002 New Years Honours List.
Death
Spinks died at his home in Essex on 26 April 2012, after a long illness. More than 200 ex-boxers, including Bobby Neill and several more of Terry's former opponents, attended his funeral in West Ham. Author and sports historian Norman Giller, his long-time friend, said in the eulogy: "Terry hung up his gloves in 1962 but we have never hung up our memories of one of the most accomplished fighters to come out of the East End boxing factory."