The crowd at Joe Louis Arena has begun getting restless due to an unexplained delay between the completion of Saoul Mamby's 15-round decision win over Jo Kimpuani for the WBC 140-pound title and the Holmes-Spinks main event.
Challenger Leon Spinks made his ring entrance, to the tune of
"Funkytown," by Lipps, Inc., but the champion did not follow as scheduled. After about 15 minutes, trainer George Benton put a robe back on Spinks and led him back to his dressing room.
An agitated King was seen entering Holmes dressing room about 10 minutes later, emerging purse-lipped and muttering about five minutes after that.
One source reports seeing three-time world champion Muhammad Ali, who Holmes dominated in a 10-round TKO last October, leaving Holmes' dressing room during the Mamby-Kimpuani fight. Ali is on hand to take part in the tribute to Louis which is scheduled to take place once both the main-event contestants are in the ring.
No word yet on whether Ali's visit has anything to do with the delay ...