Floyd Patterson VS Ron Lyle

[Scypion]

Who wins? Does it go the limit?

[gilgamesh]

Lyle wins by KO in the 4th or so. Patterson would need all of his speed and elusiveness to make it that far, but i do think he'd have sense to known he can't slug it out with Lyle right from the jump, but he could only avoid him for so long.

[Scypion]

Lyle wins by KO in the 4th or so. Patterson would need all of his speed and elusiveness to make it that far, but i do think he'd have sense to known he can't slug it out with Lyle right from the jump, but he could only avoid him for so long.

I imagine that would be the consensus of most here. Some probably think it would be like Liston all over again. Lyle was a monster, but Liston was a bigger monster. So, I think that Floyd might have a chance here. Patterson did beat some bigger guys like Bonavena, Chuvalo, Charlie Powell, Tod Herring, etc., and Lyle lost to Quarry and Jimmy Young a couple of times.

[gilgamesh]

I don't think it would happen for Lyle as quick as it did for Liston because he isn't as technically sound as Liston, but it does feel like he's inevitably gonna catch Patterson sometime.

[goose 5]

If this takes place in 1972, Patterson could beat a green Lyle.

[Scypion]

If this takes place in 1972, Patterson could beat a green Lyle.

I am talking about both fighters in their prime here. I think that Floyd was prime during the late fifties and could hit pretty hard at that time, especially with his left hook. I would think that he would bulk up to as heavy as he could, maybe coming in over 190 lbs. Of course, if Lyle was around during the late 50's, I doubt that Cus would let Floyd fight him.

As for Lyle against Foreman, I don't believe that George was at his best for that fight, still hung over from the Ali fight, even though it was more than a year earlier. Also, Foreman had some ring rust.

Ali just seemed to toy with Lyle in their fight.

[goose 5]

Peak Lyle knocks out prime Patterson, imo.

[elmersalsa]

I think that Ron Lyle was all wrong for Floyd Patterson. Plus, Lyle was a big puncher, like Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams. Patterson was the reason that Big Cat never got a title shot early. He would have also be too strong and too big for Floyd.

[Scypion]

The consensus here is Lyle by KO. If correct, that would put Jimmy Ellis closer to Floyd because Ellis went 12 rounds with Lyle in Denver in 100 degree heat. Denver is Lyle's home town, and Jimmy was 34 at the time. I am referring to a thread about Patterson and Ellis at Light Heavyweight. More evidence that Patterson (and Ellis) should have stayed at Light Heavy.

[gilgamesh]

Ellis and Patterson probably could've won more fights or been more dominant as Light Heavyweights, but they most certainly made more money as Heavyweights.

I would imagine fighting for the Heavyweight Championship pays the same as about 4 or 5 Light Heavyweight title bouts. Probably even to this day it's still like that.

Nothing has that cache like "Heavyweight Championship of the World"

[Scypion]

Ellis and Patterson probably could've won more fights or been more dominant as Light Heavyweights, but they most certainly made more money as Heavyweights.

I would imagine fighting for the Heavyweight Championship pays the same as about 4 or 5 Light Heavyweight title bouts. Probably even to this day it's still like that.

Nothing has that cache like "Heavyweight Championship of the World"

Patterson and Ellis both made more money at heavyweight (especially Floyd, Ellis did not end up making much as WBA heavyweight Champ with fights being cancelled, etc.). However, I believe that barring accident, they both would have lived longer if they stayed at light heavy, maybe much longer.

It is like the old question, "Would you trade some years of your life for millions of dollars?" I would rather have the extra years if they were healthy, happy years, but that is just me.

Of course, I would love having people know that I was the "Heavyweight Champion."

[gilgamesh]

Do you mean they would've had more years due to just taking less damaging punches? Because they may not have been the case really. They may have wound up fighting more total bouts, and winding up even more damaged or just as damaged, and simply less well off in the process.

Weight wise Patterson was never too far above Light Heavyweight anyway.

[Scypion]

Do you mean they would've had more years due to just taking less damaging punches? Because they may not have been the case really. They may have wound up fighting more total bouts, and winding up even more damaged or just as damaged, and simply less well off in the process.

Weight wise Patterson was never too far above Light Heavyweight anyway.

No, but he fought bigger guys as well as Ellis. I believe that Ellis' first fight with Frazier was his most damaging even though his dementia started much later. Same thing with Patterson with the first bout with Johansson.

It may have happened if they stayed at light heavyweight. but they both took harder hits in their heavyweight bouts. Just my opinion, but I think the harder hits contributed more to their dementia later on.

BTW, Jimmy Ellis only stopped because he got poked in the eye and lost vision in one eye. Otherwise, he might have fought much longer. Patterson ended up divorced from his first wife because he refused to quit fighting and fought until his bout with Ali in 1972 when he was 37.

[scorpio83]

Lyle would pound Patterson down behind his jabs and body punches to set up with a big right hand to knock him out in 5 rounds.

[Scypion]

I guess that I am the only one here that thinks that a prime Patterson would have much of a chance against Ron Lyle. Late 50's Patterson had a pretty good left hook right up through the Johansson fights (Just ask Ingemar). After that he seemed to lose his punching power, but still was a good boxer.

[elmersalsa]

I guess that I am the only one here that thinks that a prime Patterson would have much of a chance against Ron Lyle. Late 50's Patterson had a pretty good left hook right up through the Johansson fights (Just ask Ingemar). After that he seemed to lose his punching power, but still was a good boxer.

Ain't the punch is the last thing to go in a boxer?