Ron Lyle and Bonecrusher Smith, late starts but were dangerous fighters

What's more, I believe Smith holds the distinction of being the first college graduate to hold a heavyweight title belt.

 

Well considering the bonecrusher actually won a title I would say he did. Lyle was more of a gatekeeper for me. Yeah, he gave tough fights to Foreman and Ali but in the end he lost those fights. Yeah he beat Shavers and Bugner but again those guys were nothing special. I feel as though Bonecrusher achieved more.

 

Lyle was better but Smith won a title and beat a few champions ( although alphabet) ... Both were very strong and murderous punchers .... Smith took a better punch .. Lyle had a bit more skill but both were slow of hand and foot ...

 

:good

 

Lyle fought in a more competitive age. Alvin 'Blue' Lewis was another heavyweight who started late,so I believe.
Both Lyle and Smith were limited,but as you say dangerous. With more amateur experience in their youth,maybe they could have done better.

 

Good post. :good

I personally feel that Bonecrusher Smith showed more devastating power than Lyle ever did, by obliterating Witherspoon in their rematch for the WBA title.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rN8jL3ylPU[/ame]

 

What a shock that one was ! Particularly after Witherspoon shutting Smith out in their first fight the previous year.

 

Ron Lyle was a lesser version of Ross Puritty , even if not by much.
James Smith was a lesser version of George Foreman .
Smith might have even had the claim to being the man when Tyson decisioned him . I doubt that Lyle could last Tyson . Lyle's biggest win is Earnie Shavers .
Smith had more of those .

 

Ron Lyle as lesser version of Ross Puritty? :rofl:rofl:rofl

Lyle wins: Mathis, Shavers, Ellis, Bonavena

Purrity wins: Green Wlad

 

Off the top of my head, Bugner was their only common opponent.

I think Ron had superior skills and clearly better mobility when he chose to use it. For all his power, decision wins over Bugner, LeDoux, Bonavena, Caldwell, Ellis, Middleton, Stan Ward, Peralta and Stallings are an impressive assortment of results over the distance. Smith did not produce the menagerie of decision wins over opponents of that caliber, certainly not skilled stylists like Bugner, Caldwell, Ellis, Stallings, Middleton, Ward and Peralta.

Living in Denver certainly didn't harm his stamina. (That altitude must have played havoc with Shavers.) Actually was leading a still prime GOAT after ten, and virtually had it clinched on judge Bill Kipp's 49-43 card. Startling to think Ron was already 30 when his professional career began.

Coming back at age 54 to go 4-0 with four knockouts in 1995 is also remarkable, when considering what happened to Shavers at 50 against Yates.

However, in terms of achievement, Smith did win the WBA Title, and by first round knockout at that. Also beat world champions Bruno and then Weaver, both by knockout. I think that Witherspoon, Bruno and Weaver 2X trumps Lyle's win over Ellis and second round knockout of Rondon (a competent WBA LHW Champion then coming off his unification loss to Bob Foster, who would go the ten round distance with Shavers in his next match for Earnie's first major win).

Given a head to head prime for prime showdown, I like Ron to take a decision over James. Smith tended to tighten up and find himself unable to pull the trigger, and Lyle was only outscored by a well prepared and veteran Jerry Quarry, and 2X by peak Jimmy Young. Ron showed with Shavers that he could survive and weather the storm if hurt (although he was saved by the bell ending round two), and he also recovered from an eighth round shelling by Jerry after getting stunned into the ropes by a hook. (This time, Lyle didn't need the bell to save him, recovering completely on his own to return fire.)

 

Well , Puritty also won against Jorge Luis Gonzalez , Joe Hipp and Tommy Morrisson too.
I also count most if not all of Puritty's losses to his credit than to his discredit.

 

That's about right, a poor man's Purrity.

A burned out, way overweight Mathis in his last fight.

A Shavers that Quarry stopped in one... and oh that's right, Quarry shut out Lyle, also.

A former mediocre middle in Ellis in his last couple fights who Boone Kirkman, that Boone Kirkman, had already beat.

A way past it Bonavena at the end of his career.

Not exactly overwhelming in the resume department.

 

If that's what you believe Lyle was, then how do you think '98 Purrity would do against the '76 Foreman who Lyle dropped twice? :think

 

Foreman was garbage at that point, a mentally defeated individual. Million dollar body with a 10 cent brain. It took him a 10 year hiatus and serious reflection to turn that around, tho he did, which was impressive.

Purrity KO7 Foreman (76)