Terence George SPINKS

It was the early ambition of East Londoner Terry Spinks to become a jockey and he gained his first ring experience in stable lads’ competitions before going on to win the English Schoolboy’s championship. In 1956, his first year of senior competition, he scored an exciting win the flyweight division at the ABA championships and despite the fact that a number of selectors held the view that he was too young to be exposed to international competition, Spinks made the team for Melbourne Olympics. In the Olympic final Spinks gave a classic display of boxing to outpoint Mircea Dobrescu, a hard-hitting Romanian, who was never quite quick enough to catch Spinks with his heavy punches. Early in 1957, shortly after his 19th birthday, Spinks turned professional and in September 1960, in his 37th fight as a pro’, he won the British featherweight title by defeating Bobby Neill in seven rounds. After successfully defending his title against Neill he lost the crown when forced to retire after ten rounds against Harold Winston in May 1961.