Ron Lyle vs George Foreman –The Benchmark for Heavyweights

By: Boxing Writer Scott Canipe

“This isn’t artistic, but it is slugging!” – Howard Cosell

On January 24, 1976, one of the greatest displays of back and forth punching power was exhibited at the Caesars Palace Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada.  This “boxing match” is, arguably, the greatest heavyweight slugfest to transpire during the latter half of the 20th century. 

The combatants were George Foreman and Ron Lyle.  These two power-houses came at each other so viciously and aggressively with the sole intent to knock each other’s head off. It was truly something reminiscent of the popular “rock em sock em” play game.  But this contest was no play game.

How They Matched Up

GEORGE FOREMANAs a former gold medalist, Foreman won the World Heavyweight Championship on January 22, 1973 by stopping Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica. He made two successful defenses before getting derailed by Muhammad Ali in Zaire, Africa. Going into the fight against Lyle, Big George is attempting to regain his aura of invincibility.

  • Record: 40-1, 37 KO’s
  • Age: 27
  • Height: 6’3 ½”
  • Weight: 226
  • Reach: 82″
  • Notable opponents faced: Joe Frazier W TKO 2; Ken Norton W TKO 2; Muhammad Ali L KO by 8; George Chuvalo  W TKO 3

 

RON LYLERon Lyle was a legitimate heavyweight contender. He got a late start in the game. Lyle started boxing in prison and turned pro at the age of 30. Going into this fight with Foreman, he was just coming off an impressive TKO victory over the hard-hitting Earnie Shavers. Prior to that, he was beaten by Muhammad Ali in a title fight.

  • Record: 31-3-1, 22 KO’s
  • Age: 34
  • Height: 6’3”
  • Weight: 220
  • Reach: 76″
  • Notable opponents faced: Earnie Shavers W TKO 6 ; Jerry Quarry L UD 12; Muhammad Ali L TKO by 11; Oscar Bonavena W UD 12; Jimmy Ellis W UD 12

 

The Fight-Round per Round

 The stare down was intense as both men tried to intimidate one another. They stood nose to nose and menacingly stared into each other’s eyes.  Both knew what was at stake and they were ready to simply “throw down.”

In the first round, Lyle comes out and throws a wild right hand and misses Foreman’s body. Lyle is using his footwork, circling, mostly, to his left. He keeps a hard left-jab constantly in Foreman’s face off setting and befuddling him. With 22 seconds left in the round, Ron Lyle NAILS Foreman with a tremendous right hand. Lyle is all over him following up with left hooks and right hands. At the bell, Foreman is unsteady as he goes back to his corner. Lyle has round 1 in the bag.

In the second round, George Foreman is asserting himself better than he did in the first. He is making a major mistake though; Foreman drops his left hand almost every time he jabs with it.  Lyle is looking to counter it with his own right hand. Whoooa! Foreman lands a tremendous left hook that staggers Ron Lyle! Foreman follows up with devastating shots. Lyle is hurt and wobbly! Round to Foreman.

In the third stanza, these guys are throwing power bombs with Foreman getting the better of most of the exchanges. However, Lyle is fairly successful with his counter right hand over George’s lazy jab. Another round goes to Foreman.

In the fourth round – BOOM! Lyle, finally, lands the right hand that he has been striving so ardently for! He follows up with a tremendous barrage of right hands, hooks, and uppercuts. Foreman goes down! George is up quickly and Lyle goes in for the kill. They stand in the middle of the ring and with no regard for defense trade with everything they have with all of their power.

Foreman lands a devastating one-two and Lyle crumbles to the canvas. He is up, but seriously hurt. They go on to trade hay makers. At this point boxing technique is nonexistent. They continue to stagger each other and, incredibly, Ron Lyle catches Foreman with an obliterating right hand! George Foreman crashes down on his face, HARD! Round four goes to Lyle!

Both men appear weary at the beginning of the fifth. It’s tit for tat as they trade power bombs. Then all of a sudden, Lyle connects with two thunderous left hooks and Foreman stumbles into the neutral corner, but doesn’t go down. Still back-and-forth action, then Foreman drives Lyle into the red corner with a series of violent punches. Lyle is desperately hurt and is ready to go. Big George unleashes a series of left and right hands to the head of Lyle. After finishing him off with many uppercuts, Lyle collapses to the canvas face first and cannot get up to beat the 10 count.  It’s all over and George Foreman knocks out Ron Lyle in the fifth round!

The Aftermath

Although it lacked technical proficiency, this fight had more action in five rounds that most heavyweight fights over 12 rounds. Simply put, these guys went at it the way heavyweights should go at it – slugger style. Foreman vs. Lyle was Ring Magazine’s fight of the year for 1976.

George Foreman went on to defeat Joe Frazier in their rematch, but after three more fights, he lost to Jimmy Young in 1977. He retired and would not fight again until launching an incredible comeback a decade later. In 1994, Foreman made history by knocking out Michael Moorer in the 10th round to regain the Heavyweight Championship. He was the oldest heavyweight champion to win a legitimate world title at the tender age of 45. He last fought in 1997, losing to Shannon Briggs, via majority decision.

Ron Lyle on the other hand, never achieved the same success that Foreman did after the fight. He went on to defeat popular fighters, such as Scott LeDoux and Joe Bugner. Unfortunately, Lyle was afterward obliterated in the first round by Gerry Clooney and retired in 1980. 15 years later, he made a brief comeback, had four successful fights, and retired for good in 1997. Mr. Lyle passed away on November 26, 2011.

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