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Former champion Leon Spinks hospitalized

By WTOP Staff

TIM DAHLBERG
AP Boxing Writer

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks is in a Las Vegas hospital after a second operation for abdominal problems.

The 61-year-old boxer, who catapulted to fame by beating Muhammad Ali in 1978, had the second surgery in recent days after complications from the first emergency surgery, his wife said.

“It’s going to be a long road ahead, but he’s strong and he’s starting to recover,” Brenda Spinks told The Associated Press.

Brenda Spinks said she doesn’t know how long her husband will be hospitalized, but that she’s optimistic about his recovery.

“There were complications after his first surgery, but everything has been fixed,” she said.

Earlier, singer Tony Orlando sent out a tweet asking people to pray for Spinks, a good friend of his. Orlando wrote that Spinks was “facing the greatest fight of his life.”

Spinks and younger brother Michael both won Olympic gold medals in 1976 in different weight classes and went on to become heavyweight champions. Leon’s rise was meteoric — he got a shot at Ali and the heavyweight title on Feb. 15, 1978, after just seven pro fights.

Few in boxing — including Ali — gave Spinks any chance in the fight, but he used his energy and awkward style to frustrate Ali and win a 15-round split decision at the Las Vegas Hilton. But he lost the title back to Ali in their rematch seven months later before more than 60,000 people at the Superdome in New Orleans.

“Ali thought I was a wimp and I had to prove to him I wasn’t,” Spinks said recently. “I knew I could beat him after watching his fights.”

Spinks would get one more chance at the title in 1981 against Larry Holmes, only to be stopped in the third round. He would never become the heavyweight champion again but fought until 1995, finishing with a career mark of 26-17-3.

Spinks was known to mix partying with training, and quickly burned through the big money he made early in his career. He would later move to Nebraska, where he worked as a custodian at a YMCA before moving to Las Vegas in 2011.

Spinks, who has slurred his words since his active boxing days, was diagnosed in 2012 with shrinkage in his brain, which doctors said was likely caused by the punches he took during his career.

“My brain has got to let me know I’m doing all right and I’ve got to do things to help my brain now,” Spinks said after the diagnosis.

Michael Spinks upset Holmes for the heavyweight title in 1985 and fought Mike Tyson in a title showdown three years later. Tyson knocked him out 91 seconds into the fight, and he retired.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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