Sonny Liston.. How much of a threat would Lyle be?

Ron Lyle was a tough contender who any champion should take seriously. He rose off the canvas to stop Earnie Shavers and just four months later very nearly beat George Foreman. So yes, he could be a threat to even Sonny Liston. With that said, I think it’s likely that Liston works off that laser accurate 84” left jab to keep Lyle off balance until he breaks him down enough for the finish. But I would expect Ron to land some very good licks along the way.

 

Ron Lyle was a far tougher opponent than Cleveland Williams. He was big, strong and fearless. He wasn't easy to knock down. He wouldn't be like those fighters who were scared to look at Sonny's icy stare. Liston proved somewhat vulnerable to a right hand and we all know Lyle had a good one. I give Lyle a fair chance of upsetting Sonny.

 

Lyles like a better 70s Luis Ortiz whose hypothetical prime version can't be truly counted out against anyone. I don't know if Lyle walks in and knocks out Louis or Liston at their peak. But the possibility that Lyle in his prime could have overwhelmed anyone who ever lived is a serious one.

 

It was the 70s.

If Shavers and Mathis weren't ranked the specific days he knocked him out oh well. Shavers is consenus top 10 for the era. Mathis isn't but he won the Superheavyweight title his prior fight.

 

Lyle was tough, and had power. Liston was tougher, had more power, and was a significantly better boxer. And he had that sledgehammer left jab which would be doing a number on Lyle from the opening bell.

Ultimately, Lyle might get in a couple of good shots--but Sonny ultimately dispatches him fairly easily. KO or stoppage in roughly 6 rounds.

 

Which contender did Lyle's right-hand stop? Did it stop Bugner? Ali? Hell did it win him a single round against Jimmy Young? So, we're left with Shavers who Lyle had to get off the canvas against and was saved by the bell along with Shavers' tiring. A win replicated by the 20-24 Bob Stallings. Lyle has to be the most hysterically overrated fighter here.

 

I've always thought, despite the result of their fight, Shavers may well have been the better fighter over Lyle. He was definitely superior against boxers. Knocked out a past it but still rated Ellis in the first, while Lyle had to go the distance with a shot version who'd fallen out of the rankings, and would retire within months.

Young was admittedly green in their first fight, but even in their second Shavers dropped him and held him to a draw. In Young's very next fight, he shut Lyle out.

Then again Shavers also lost to Stallings who Lyle beat decisively. He was also stopped in the first against Quarry while Lyle managed to go the distance.

 

Why are you hyping him up like this

 

Ron wouldn't be scared and that's his biggest asset .. I see Sonny stopping him in five or six ...

 

Prime Liston would annihilate Lyle.

 

Very big, he is a harder puncher than Cleveland Williams, a stronger man with power in both hands, and with a much better chin, but Liston, I mean prime Liston, would break Lyle in mid to late rounds.

Liston, after Ali's fight, has only a 50/50 chance of beating Lyle, and Liston, after 1968, has zero chance of beating Lyle.