Foreman vs Lyle: Most Exciting Heavyweight Fight Ever

[theone]

Foreman vs Lyle is my favorite fight of all time. I've converted more people into boxing fans playing them that fight than any other.

[man]

my all time favorite. seen it time after time. i
think i know all text by cossell and norton, "the
man next to me", by heart.

[Ambling Alp]

rampage said
"I don't think I can call Dempsey-Firpo a great fight. Bert Sugar calling it the best fight in history just makes me look at him and think, "huh?" It really was a pretty crappy fight, I think. Other than Dempsey getting knocked out of the ring (which, admittedly, is noteworthy), the fight pretty well sucked. It was ugly and completely one-sided, other than the aforementioned event."[/quote]

No it wasn't the best fight of all time.
However it was very exciting. You have to understand the scenario-You are watching a heavyweight title fight (remember there is only one "champion") The champion gets decked immediately in the first round. (For some reason people forget that Dempsey was knocked down twice in the round)
He gets up and knocks down the challenger several times. Then the champion gets knocked out of the ring. He somehow gets back in and survives the rest of the round. Then he knocks out the challenger in the next round.
Not as good as Foreman-Lyle, but pretty exciting.

[Robinson]

Alp

In that context and to watch it live, it is an exciting fight. Like alot
of other bouts under that context.
To watch now, by you and I. I do not feel it is that exciting.
But I do admit to having weird tastes :)

[Goodnight, Irene]

Alp is spot-on in his analysis, though, & I think the point he makes is critical to Sugar's interpretation of that as a great bout.

[rampage]

rampage said
"I don't think I can call Dempsey-Firpo a great fight. Bert Sugar calling it the best fight in history just makes me look at him and think, "huh?" It really was a pretty crappy fight, I think. Other than Dempsey getting knocked out of the ring (which, admittedly, is noteworthy), the fight pretty well sucked. It was ugly and completely one-sided, other than the aforementioned event."

No it wasn't the best fight of all time.
However it was very exciting. You have to understand the scenario-You are watching a heavyweight title fight (remember there is only one "champion") The champion gets decked immediately in the first round. (For some reason people forget that Dempsey was knocked down twice in the round)
He gets up and knocks down the challenger several times. Then the champion gets knocked out of the ring. He somehow gets back in and survives the rest of the round. Then he knocks out the challenger in the next round.
Not as good as Foreman-Lyle, but pretty exciting.[/quote]

I do understand the scenario. I also do realize that Dempsey was down twice, though I neglected to mention it. I'm sure watching that for the people watching the fight live it was exciting. Today, it is still shocking. But to me that is all it is--shocking, and noteworthy, but certainly not a good fight. As I said before, it was sloppy and ugly.

[HomicideHenry]

Its ranks on par with being the most exciting heavyweight fight between two legit contenders, thats for sure. You can argue Dempsey-Firpo, but truth of the matter is Firpo wasnt a genuine contender when he fought Dempsey. He was big and brutal, yes, but nobody knew who the hell he even was...that is until he sent Dempsey through the ropes. He was supposed to be an easy win for Dempsey, but he ended up being almost the perfect foil.

Compare the two rounds of Dempsey-Firpo to the five between Foreman-Lyle, you have one hell of a debate. Thats why I said in the opening line, that this was the most exciting heavyweight bout between two legit contenders, as Firpo wasnt.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

Thats why I said in the opening line, that this was the most exciting heavyweight bout between two legit contenders, as Firpo wasnt.

--- Don't kid yourself, Dempsey/Firpo set the Polo Grounds record of attendence, 82,000

80,000 had paid previously to watch Firpo KO Jess Willard. Firpo was fast tracked to a title by Tex Rickard who put him on the Dempsey promotional program of extensive fights in the Northeast and midwest, something like 9-0, 8KO of era contenders including Dempsey challenger Bill Brennan.

He was well built up by the time of Dempsey.

Firpo was an exotic with a mythical name, The Wild Bull of the Pampas which conjured up much imagery and danger to boxing fans. Moreover the excitment of seeing the title almost change hands to this beast probably set off a few fatal heart attacks in the crowd.

More like who the hay is Ron Lyle? Really now, a great fight he had with Foreman, but don't confuse the importance of the two fights to the fans of the day, plus Dempsey/Firpo much more condensed action.

[yayo]

I'm amazed no-one has mentioned the Thrilla in Manilla

[Goodnight, Irene]

I'm amazed no-one has mentioned the Thrilla in Manilla

Every time I watch it, I can't help feeling the first fight, for action & excitement (as well as skill) ranks higher.

[Jaywheel]

I'm amazed no-one has mentioned the Thrilla in Manilla

Every time I watch it, I can't help feeling the first fight, for action & excitement (as well as skill) ranks higher.

x2

[raylawpc]

Every time I watch it, I can't help feeling the first fight, for action & excitement (as well as skill) ranks higher.

I agree. But part of it, for me, was the anticipation of the event. I remember when the bell sounded for round one that my heart was about the explode out of my chest. Everytime I watch it, I remember how I felt that unforgetable night of March 8, 1971, and the days and weeks leading up to it.

To me, every fight before and since has been just that - a fight. This was an event.

[Goodnight, Irene]

"I agree. But part of it, for me, was the anticipation of the event. I remember when the bell sounded for round one that my heart was about the explode out of my chest. Everytime I watch it, I remember how I felt that unforgetable night of March 8, 1971, and the days and weeks leading up to it.

To me, every fight before and since has been just that - a fight. This was an event." - Ray

Oh, I don't doubt it. I wasn't around for that, though. The best my generation can offer in terms of a mega-Heavyweight event is Lewis-Tyson (I was eighteen at the time, &, boy, was that huge), which, both as a spectacle & hype, doesn't compete with Frazier-Ali I.

However, purely assessing the Ali-Frazier trilogy, I scratch my head at the attention the third fight gets for excitement --- not because it is unjustified per se, but simply because I felt the first fight was the best spectacle, the most exciting (& skillful). Yet, it receives not a tenth the praise of the third fight.

[Robinson]

I agree...I find the first, even the second fight more entertaining than
the 3rd. It seems the 3rd fight is so famous because of the back stories
and drama surrounding it.

I find the thriller in manilla is one that is more famous for legend sake
than anything. Though...having said that, it was one tough, gruelling and
bitter fight.

[allworld80]

In my head, I've always thought Ali/Frazier III, and Norton/Holmes to be the gold standard for HW fights.