Sitting ringside at Strike Gym’s “Boxing at the Creek” amateur fights, Cory Spinks reflects on his illustrious boxing career and discusses his new career training amateur boxers.
As an amateur boxer, Cory Spinks won championships in both the Police Athletic League and Golden Gloves. After making the leap into professional fighting, he became a World Champion at both Welterweight and Junior Middleweight.
With a fight resume that includes battles against Ricardo Mayorga, Zab Judah and Jermaine Taylor, Spinks has an ocean of work to reflect on.
“Zab was the most elusive in the ring,” says Spinks of his two-time Welterweight opponent. “Jermaine [Taylor] hit the hardest, but I can tell you that Mayorga hit hard as well.”
When former Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis was once asked if he missed boxing, he replied “that’s like asking me if I miss getting punched in the face.” Spinks can relate.
“I love boxing, and you have to love the sport to be a boxer,” Spinks says, reflecting on his 2013 retirement from the sweet science. “It requires a heart of gold and a lot of toughness. But I don’t miss it. It’s a grueling sport.”
“I train a girl now who is twelve years old and hits like a grown man,” Spinks says with pride. “I call her Flakes.’ No first or last name, just Flakes.”
Spinks has found support for his retirement from his wife and his daughter, who joined him at ringside.
“I’m absolutely happy with his retirement,” say wife Christy, who is expecting their second child. “It was my idea. When you’re done, you’re done. And when it’s over, it’s over.”
Accompanied by fellow trainer Johnny Schulz, Spinks now trains amateur fighters at Strike Gym in Coconut Creek, FL.
“He is doing a summer camp now with kids and they love him,” Schulz says of Spinks. “These kids really have no clue the level of his accomplishments, but they have amazing respect for him anyway. It really is something special.”
Spinks currently trains 15 kids, as well as a summer training camp wherein he teaches 23 kids, and he teaches more than just pugilism.
“I teach them how to counterpunch and how to love the sport of boxing, because it’s a sport you have to learn to love,” Spinks says, describing his summer boxing camp. “But I also stress manners, grades and the importance of respecting their parents when I’m with these kids.”
Spinks and Schulz are available for boxing training and summer boxing camp at www.strikegym.com.
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Bill Barner is a former certified “USA Boxing” Judge, Referee, and Trainer. He is a former sparring partner for several amateur and professional fighters and currently practices criminal and immigration law in South Florida for BarnerRossen PA. He has appeared in The Ring Magazine, Bleacher Report, VOICE Magazine, Youngstown Vindicator, and is a regular contributor to East Side Boxing. He can be reached at barner@barnerrossen.com or on twitter @BarnerBill.
