This content is protected Read about this in RL’s book don’t remember how the spar with JF went but it’s cool to see the footage.
The same adoration Lyle showed as an amateur is what he carried into the ring in 75 and why he froze and lost a fight he could have won.
You think Lyle could’ve beat Ali? He looked like he was doing some work in there - been a bit how close was it?
Lyle always spoke very highly of Frazier as a fighter after they worked together. Joe was like Dempsey in that he couldn't take it easy in sparring.
Ron gave it a good go but a lot of people who claim that he was beating Ali until the stoppage don't realise that Muhammad was in one of his lazy moods and gave rounds away by doing virtually nothing giving Ron the lead on workrate. As soon as Muhammad got serious you saw what happened.
I don't know if it was lazy, Might've been looking for an opening he couldn't snatch being patient? or just genuinely having a hard time of it?...Lyle could fight and If it only took getting serious wouldn't you save yourself being punched in the face by Ron Lyle ASAP? I think it was Lyle at his tip top best the fight of his life (which it often was for Ali's opponents) and Ali wasn't expecting that hard of a fight he was in-shape but took longer to get into it. Paez was shocked by Dorsey and couldn't pull himself out of his head despite the official disparity Ali on the other hand had a rare sort of mental strength and dug deep, cleared his head - I'd have to watch it again to even have a 0.2$ but that won't be for a long time lol.
I think like in almost all of Ali's post Foreman bouts Ali barely trained, took the opponent lightly , barely fought in the bouts themselves and underachieved after working so hard and so long to regain his title .. Ali was 216 for Foreman , 212 for Frazier, 217 for Lubbers ... starts post Foreman he was well into the mdi 220's for the rest of his career ... Through Frazier three he was still a hell of a fighter , he dropped between Frazier and Norton more than a bit and post Norton was another drop .. my point is that vs Lyle he was disinterested, not in amazing shape, barely threw a punch for many rounds and could have been edged but Lyle froze ... he took bombs from Foreman and Shavers but froze w Ali ...