R.I.P. Ron Lyle

[allworld80]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/2 ... 14213.html

DENVER — Former heavyweight contender Ron Lyle, who fought Muhammad Ali for the title in 1975 and later battled George Foreman, has died in Denver at age 70.

Lyle died Saturday from complications from a sudden stomach ailment, said Ron McKinney, a Salvation Army official in Denver. Details weren't immediately available.

McKinney, a family friend who hired Lyle to start the charity's boxing program in 2002, said Lyle retired from the program last December but continued to work out at the gym every day

"I just saw him yesterday (Friday)," McKinney said. "You looked at him and he looked like he was ready to step into the ring. Shake hands with him, and it's like shaking a piece of steel."

The gym, called Red Shield Cox-Lyle Boxing, would show replays of Lyle's fights every Friday night as inspiration for some of the program's 100 students, McKinney said.

Lyle lost to both Ali and Foreman in the mid-1970s.

[raylawpc]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/2 ... 14213.html

DENVER — Former heavyweight contender Ron Lyle, who fought Muhammad Ali for the title in 1975 and later battled George Foreman, has died in Denver at age 70.

Lyle died Saturday from complications from a sudden stomach ailment, said Ron McKinney, a Salvation Army official in Denver. Details weren't immediately available.

McKinney, a family friend who hired Lyle to start the charity's boxing program in 2002, said Lyle retired from the program last December but continued to work out at the gym every day

"I just saw him yesterday (Friday)," McKinney said. "You looked at him and he looked like he was ready to step into the ring. Shake hands with him, and it's like shaking a piece of steel."

The gym, called Red Shield Cox-Lyle Boxing, would show replays of Lyle's fights every Friday night as inspiration for some of the program's 100 students, McKinney said.

Lyle lost to both Ali and Foreman in the mid-1970s.

Sorry to hear that.

[dempseyfire]

RIP. Always a smart, reflective guy who lived a tough life and made something of himself. Also amazing that his faculties remained fairly strong until the very end despite the huge shots he took throughout his career . . .the Foreman fight alone was about a career's worth of hard blows to the head.

[The Great John L]

Wow, this is very sad indeed. He had Ali on the cards when their fight was stopped, and he had Foreman virtually out several times in their fight.

RIP champ.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Lyle was so close to winning those fights, especially Foreman. You wonder had he won both how he would be viewed.

[jrc26]

Lyle was so close to winning those fights, especially Foreman. You wonder had he won both how he would be viewed.

I don't want to turn this into an Ali argument as usually happens, but that stoppage was ridiculous. He was winning on the score cards at the time. The Ali and Foreman fights, even as losses on his record, were amazing achievements for a guy who got a late start in boxing and coming out of prison.

R.I.P.

[Goodnight, Irene]

I agree with you on the stoppage JRC, but we're in the minority on BOTP.

[Boxingnut]

RIP Ron Lyle. Gave Ali & Foreman terrific fights. True warrior, true gentleman. Amazing interviewee on the Facing Ali DVD. Just reading his book at the moment. Amazing guy, amazing life.

[The Great John L]

I agree with you on the stoppage JRC, but we're in the minority on BOTP.

x3

[BoxBuzz]

I agree with you on the stoppage JRC, but we're in the minority on BOTP.

I don't argue with this premise. However some referee's are serious about the statement "protect yourself at all times" and fighters must heed the trumpet. Sadly Lyle had no one to blame but himself. He may well have gone on to win, if he simply would have appeared to be protecting himself. You can't give the referee an excuse like that, and complain. Lyle owned that moment plain and simple.

And I sincerely mourn his passing. Fate was not overly kind to him with either Ali or Foreman.

[yancey]

I agree with you on the stoppage JRC, but we're in the minority on BOTP.

x4.

RIP, Ron.

[Flump]

Very sad news, a compelling character and significant figure in the Heavyweight division's greatest era, RIP.

[zurdo]

Although Lyle is obviously most remembered for the Ali and Foreman fights< he did pretty damn good against a lot of the second tier Heavyweights of the all time greatest ever era for that division. This guy was a major force for most of the 70s
Earnie Shavers, Joe Bugner , Jimmy Ellis,Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonevena, Buster Mathis , Jose Luis Garcia Gregorio Peralta, Scott LeDoux , Larry Middleton and Jimmy Young. He walloped most of those guys convincingly Of that bunch, only Jimmy Young beat him without trouble . Ken Norton ducked him with good reason. Fight with Shavers is almost as savage as Foreman match. If you haven't seen it on You tube check it out it's a classic!

Even though he was somewhat past his prime fight with Ledoux was also a real blood and guts war.
He was a guy who had lived a hard life and it made him a hard hard man in the ring.
RIP to a true warrior!

[loaded_gloves]

Lyle was out on his feet and defenceless when he was stopped versus Ali, I don't see the controversy at all.

That being said, what a fighter. As several of the newspaper obituaries said, in another era he would've been heavyweight champ. Wow he laid some big shots on Ali.

Great fighter, RIP.