In a week that saw his good friend and protege, Devon Alexander, win the WBC super-lightweight title with a win over Junior Witter, 154-pound IBF titlist Cory Spinks is in a good mood.
Spinks, who goes by the nickname "The Next Generation" is happy to see that his hometown of St. Louis is recognizing Alexander with a Key to the City tomorrow morning in a ceremony at 11 a.m. in the City Hall Rotunda. Mayor Francis Slay will be on hand to present Alexander and trainer Kevin Cunningham with the honor.
As for Spinks, 31, nothing is set in terms of his next fight. “I don't know for sure. We're working on some things. I expect something soon. We've just got to wait a little longer,” said the son of Leon Spinks, the former heavyweight champion and the nephew of Michael Spinks the former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion. Spinks, 37-5, 11 KOs is promoted by Don King.
The top spot in the IBF rankings at 154-pounds is currently vacant. The leading ranked contender to the title Spinks holds is Cornelius “K-9” Bundrage who is #2 while behind him at #3 is Yuri Foreman. Those two met this past June in Atlantic City, but the fight was stopped in the 3rd round after Foreman was deemed unable to continue because of an accidental clash of heads.
While Spinks has only fought sporadically in the past few years and has had a few close decisions go the other way against him, he claims that is of no major consequence to him. “I'm a veteran, you know. I'm a former undisputed world welterweight champion. The other thing is that sometimes you don't really lose the fights they say you do. I could easily have been the middleweight champion, too.”
Spinks of course is alluding to his split-decision loss versus Jermain Taylor in May 2007 in a failed bid for the middleweight championship. In March 2008 he faced then IBF junior middleweight belt-holder Verno Phillips in which he lost another split decision. A split decision that finally did go his way was in April of this year when he defeated Deandre Latimore to garner the vacant IBF junior middleweight belt.
Besides Devon Alexander, Spinks notes that Manny Pacquiao is his favorite fighter. “I like him to beat Cotto when they fight,” said Spinks. “Even though he's not as big and strong as Cotto I think his speed will get him out on top.”
In the other big fight of the fall boxing season, Spinks says he's going with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to beat Juan Manuel Marquez when they meet on Sept. 19th. “I like Floyd in that one. He's too good with too much skill. He's one of the best boxers out there so I think he wins that one.”
August 2009
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