Ron Lyle on meeting Frazier and Ali - 1971 (training routine included)

From Lyle’s “off the ropes” . Just thought you guys might be interested. I spoke it all out as it’s on my kindle so there may be some typos in there. Frazier is Fraser now deal with it.

“I met Muhammad Ali in the fifth street gym at Miami Beach Florida on Saturday, Jan 30
There were about 20 fighters working out when I got there at 12:30 pm. I warmed up for half an hour before I arrived. There was a quiet crowd, kids, middle-aged people, elderly, and all gathered around to watch him punch the bag.
I watched Ali carefully as he went four rounds with one of his sparring mates and I could tell that he wasn’t getting in shape. His skin hung on him. Not all of his muscles had hardened yet as they will be tomorrow night. he wait about two £25 at that time, and I’ll expect he’ll be down to around 210 for the Fraser fight I’ll Trainer Angelo Dundee then introduce me and Ali told Dundee to tell the crowd about me and my achievements. Then I spied two rounds with him at three minutes, each nervous sure. After all I was in the ring with the worlds greatest I had read a lot about him and then all of a sudden there I was fighting him. It was an honour to be in the ring with him, I wasn’t allowed to get any reputation by trying to put him away. I wasn’t trying anything special. I simply went out, inspired with him, landed a few, and he hit me some, too, I don’t recall any of his punches hurting. I had heard that Ali’s left his fast and believe me, it’s true. He’s a polished fighter he’s got class. Basically he’s like most fighters. I’ve competed against the movers are the same. There’s a right, then left the footwork and so forth, but Ali has all of them polished and that’s makes a champion one, storing our macho for a ride with him, missed and threw another right right away. “He said when you miss one like that retreat, if you throw a right hand behind a right hand, you’re in trouble” as we box, he told me to relax he could tell I was a little tight after we were, through we talked awhile. He turned to the audience and asked him what they thought of me, and they said I’d be all right. Didn’t clown around with me at all, but he did tell me that Joe Frazier was a little clumsy and that if I would fight Frasier I would make him look bad Lee Ali also told Mike Wallace Frasier was flatfoot that night I left for Fraser camp located at the Concord hotel fancy resort in the Catskill mountains of New York This would be a great place to train for a fight. The wilderness is so peaceful and quiet. It was afternoon that Sunday when I shoot it up in my room and went to Fraser’s training areas one of the hotels convention halls, I workout out a bit and observed Fraser spar two rounds each with three fighters. I would’ve liked to spa with Frasier, but his handlers felt I had enough experience. All of Fraser. Sparring mates are experienced professionals, and Frasier fights for keeps even in training in the ring, his punching all the time, keeping constant pressure on his opponents on, Frasier was finished. I went around with one of his sparring mates, Ken Norton after that Fraser came over and we talked. He told me I had a good defence and moved around well, but that I should throw more punches Fraser weighed about 215 and looked a little sluggish but once again, this was more than a month before the fight, I didn’t hear either Ali or Frasier predict a certain round he would end tomorrow’s nights fight, though both appeared highly confident. I did hear Frasers handlers say they poor Joe would put Ali away within seven rounds. Another reason why it’s impossible to predict the winner is the difficulty in knowing what the mental attitude of the fighter is before my fights, I have to get in tiptop mental shape, too. I like to work alone at night, working out in my mind, how I will fight with my opponent. To be the best you have to know you’re the best and that’s what I want to be.” - Ron Lyle

 

Lyles Routine “Off the ropes” 1971-1972 thereabouts.

6:00AM 4 mile run
New York Central Park

(Loosen up) 3 rounds shadow boxing

6 rounds Heavy Bag
3 speed bag
2 rounds skipping rope
Sparring

(Daily) 1000 push ups under an hour - unspecified number of sit ups (in prison he would run on the spot too)

150-200 Half squats “with a New York phone book perched on each knee”

 

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If you had any film to link I think it’d be cool to addition to the thread.