Michael Spinks Stripped of Heavyweight Title

Michael Spinks, the International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion, was stripped of his crown Thursday for failing to defend the title and is apparently out of the heavyweight title unification series.

The undefeated Spinks, who was to have been in the final bout of the tournament later this summer, lost his title for failing to negotiate a mandatory bout with the top-ranked challenger, Tony Tucker.

The IBF will call for an immediate elimination series involving Tucker and the No. 2 contender, James (Buster) Douglas. The winner may fight Carl Williams, the No. 3 contender, within six months in the first title defense before advancing to the culmination of the HBO series.

Spinks, the undefeated heavyweight who was supposed to be in the finale of the HBO series, fighting the winner of the Mike Tyson-James (Bonecrusher) Smith title unification bout, refused to accept an offer from promoter Don King of about $500,000 to fight Tucker in the meantime.

Spinks and his promoter, Butch Lewis, had earlier signed a contract for Spinks to fight Gerry Cooney in June, outside the heavyweight tournament. That fight, however, was tied up in litigation while Spinks held the IBF title. The stripping of his title may free Spinks to fight Cooney instead of the winner of the World Boxing Assn.-World Boxing Council bout March 7.

Lewis said he will appear in court March 9 to try to overturn an injunction against a Spinks-Cooney bout.