SI Vault
 
'Just Pray For Me, Baby'
Gary Smith
June 20, 1988
Michael Spinks will rely on more than his strength and his cunning when he tries to take Mike Tyson's title
Decrease font Decrease font
Enlarge font Enlarge font
June 20, 1988

'just Pray For Me, Baby'

Michael Spinks will rely on more than his strength and his cunning when he tries to take Mike Tyson's title

View CoverRead All Articles View This Issue

DADDY, PLEASE, DON'T FIGHT TYSON.

Why you say that, baby?

He's gonna knock you out, Daddy.

He might, Michelle. But I might knock him out, too.

He's gonna hurt you, Daddy.

He might. But I might hurt him, too.

Daddy...

Shelly, don't say those things to your father, it's not right. Just pray I don't get hurt. Just pray.

But Daddy....

Michael Spinks stares at the ceiling. There is silence on the phone. His little girl is seven now. Perhaps the time has come to tell her everything, about life and death and fear and God and the Tysons stalking all of us, about how to dodge and feint, grab and let go, risk and run back to the shadows: how heavyweight champions and little girls survive. A million thoughts are running through his head; maybe seven's too young and he won't do it now, but one day soon he'll have to tell her....

Continue Story
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8