25.04.09 – By Ted Sares – Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks (36-5) beat DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore (19-1) in a fan-friendly St. Louis showdown with the vacant IBF junior middleweight championship at stake. While his reflexes were not what they used to be, Spinks nevertheless fought more aggressivly than usual and won over a crowd that had booed him early on.
“The Bull” started fast decking Spinks in the first round and serving early notice that his TKO over win over Sechew Powell some 11 months ago was no fluke. Though ignoring Spink’s body, he was able to land head shots with his left and eventually drew blood from Spink’s left eye. But he could not keep sustain the pressure..
Spinks began to turn things around in the fourth by staying more focused and using his experience (which included 291 rounds vs. 61 for his opponent) to beat Latimore to the punch. Going into the sixth, The Bull was ahead but Corey was closing the gap. In the sixth, the crowd sensed the change and began chanting, “Corey Corey,” as he exploited The Bull’s weaknesses. In the eighth, Spinks began to walk down Latimore as the momentum had changed and the experience and slickness of a well-accomplished and former two-division champion came to the fore.
Going into the ninth, I had Spinks ahead for the first time. In the tenth, both fighters tired and engaged in a number of exchanges in the middle of the ring. Each was throwing punches with “end of fight” written all over them. Latimore ended the round with a series of shots effective enough to win it in my opinion, but he was now in uncharted territory
(his longest previous fight being 10 rounds).
The Bull seemed to get his second win in the eleventh, but a bleeding Spinks held his own. The round was extremely close. With one round to go, it was anyone’s fight. Both fighters were exhausted but Spinks wanted it just a little more, threw more punches, and finished stronger.
As the scorecards were read, the tension was palpable. They read: 115-112 for Spinks, 115-112 for Latimore and 114-113 for Spinks. The result: a razor thin Split Decision for Corey Spinks and anther title belt. But DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore will be back.