John Tate vs. Ron Lyle
Posted: 16 Nov 2023, 16:39
15 rounds.
Great fight, and I would pick Lyle by knockout. It would probably end somewhere between the seventh and tenth. Tate uses his long-range jabbing and combination punching to stay ahead for the first five rounds, but Ron's body shots and brutal counterpunches take over by the later rounds.
Ultimately, Big John's lack of durability sinks him in this fight. Lyle had granite whiskers, Tate didn't. Factor in Lyle's top-flight knockout power and it's impossible to imagine Tate surviving until the final bell.
Nothing I write here is intended as disrespect for Big John, who was a big, talented heavyweight who should have amounted to more during his career. Too bad for his shaky chin, otherwise he would have been near the top for years.