Finished Ron Lyle Book...Discussion

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020.


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  1. TheMikeLake

    TheMikeLake Well-Known Member Full Member

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    The Ron Lyle story is fascinating. The book actually didn't press him for details of the murder he was accused of, but after serving only about half of the sentence his career started at 30 years old.

    I wonder how Lyle would have done 10 years prior, if his career would have started then. He was 100 percent dedicated to the craft and was always in shape. Very good chin and very good puncher. But, he could settle down and box too. He was comfortably ahead of Ali for 10 rounds before getting stopped, and of course the Foreman fight.

    Not really sure of the question I'm asking other than just to be glad to have more knowledge of this guy who became an elite boxer at such an advanced age. Between first lacing up the gloves to fighting top ten contenders was like 3 years. Remarkable.
     
    TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020
    TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020
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  2. TheMikeLake

    TheMikeLake Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Imagining his career started 8 to 10 years earlier in the paid ranks, I think he would have been in the top 10 fairly easily and the top 4 or so which is what he was most of his real career anyway.

    Lyle vs. Liston, a young Ali, Floyd Patterson, Johasson, Folley, all pretty intriguing match-ups, imo.
     
    TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020
    TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020
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  3. Noel857

    Noel857 I Am Duran Full Member

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    Thinking of buying this book.Would you recommend it?
     
    Noel857, Jul 6, 2020
    Noel857, Jul 6, 2020
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  4. TheMikeLake

    TheMikeLake Well-Known Member Full Member

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    It was free on kindle unlimited if you have that option. Either way, I really liked it but it's a bit redundant in places. But I learned a lot about the man and that era of heavyweights.
     
    TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020
    TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020
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  5. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    If you're referring to "Off The Ropes" ... I enjoyed the book, too.

    People always go on and on about Cleveland Williams, but Ron Lyle was stabbed to death. And prison doctors aren't the top of the line. But somehow he was revived, with the help of 36 blood transfusions.

    Can you imagine how good Lyle may have been if he hadn't been mortally wounded?

    Tends to take a bit out of you.

    You could say we never saw him at his best.
     
    Dubblechin, Jul 6, 2020
    Dubblechin, Jul 6, 2020
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  6. TheMikeLake

    TheMikeLake Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I think it said he was clinically dead 2 times too. Not to mention the long stretches he was in "the hole" like up to 90 days at a time. He had a million chances to pack it in mentally and physically. His dream never came true of being champion, but the fact he was a handful of rounds away from being there are about the longest odds anyone has overcame.
     
    TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020
    TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020
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  7. Toney F*** U

    Toney F*** U Boxing junkie Full Member

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    I’m really looking forward to reading this book, I don’t really know much about his personal life but something tells me he went through some very tough times, I’ve always admired how successful he became despite starting at such an old age
     
    Toney F*** U, Jul 6, 2020
    Toney F*** U, Jul 6, 2020
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  8. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I would. I read the book in 3 days.
     
    William Walker, Jul 6, 2020
    William Walker, Jul 6, 2020
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  9. klompton2

    klompton2 Boxing Junkie banned Full Member

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    It was a good book but the characterization of the second Peralta fight was way off. They acted like Lyle got robbed. I think the draw was the perfect decision. Lyle pressed the action trying to corner Peralta but he simply could trap him and whenever he got Peralta on the ropes or in a corner Peralta fought himself out of danger like a terrier. Peralta faded a bit down the stretch but Lyle simply couldnt catch him. Its an interesting fight due to the drama around whether the much bigger Lyle could catch the aging ex LH.
     
    klompton2, Jul 6, 2020
    klompton2, Jul 6, 2020
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  10. TheMikeLake

    TheMikeLake Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I also found it interesting that nobody would touch an undefeated Lyle, but after the Young loss he finally got thae shot. Boxing is unfair a lot of times.
     
    TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020
    TheMikeLake, Jul 6, 2020
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  11. sweetsci

    sweetsci Well-Known Member Full Member

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    The title shot against Ali was scheduled before the Jimmy Young "tuneup". Ron was lucky he still got the title shot.

    Did the book say anything about Lyle losing interest in his later years? Between 1971 and 1974 he had a great run, working his way up the rankings and beating several top-10 and top-15 contenders in the process, including Ellis and Bonavena. Lyle was 30-1-1 (21) between 1971 and 1974. But it seems like starting in 1975 he was fighting less frequently, going 9-6 (6) between 1975 and 1980. Of course, losing to George Foreman and Muhammad Ali is nothing to be ashamed of, and slowing down in your mid-thirties is not uncommon.
     
    sweetsci, Jul 7, 2020
    sweetsci, Jul 7, 2020
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  12. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    It's been a while since I read it (couple years). It was interesting reading about his fights with Ellis and Bonavena.

    I was most interested in the part covering his second murder charge on New Year's Eve 1978.

    There was a chance he would've been in the mix for a vacant WBC title fight in 1978, but that arrest and charge basically ended his career.

    I always wanted to see Norton-Lyle.
     
    Dubblechin, Jul 7, 2020
    Dubblechin, Jul 7, 2020
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  13. robert ungurean

    robert ungurean Богдан Philadelphia Full Member

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    I liked the book alot. Read it twice. If you like boxing biographies this is a must IMO. Interesting man.
     
    robert ungurean, Jul 7, 2020
    robert ungurean, Jul 7, 2020
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  14. West of Hollywood

    West of Hollywood Active Member Full Member

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    "Boxing is unfair a lot of times."
    Unfortunately this an understatement of epic proportions.
     
    West of Hollywood, Jul 7, 2020
    West of Hollywood, Jul 7, 2020
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  15. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    This content is protected


    This content is protected
     
    he grant, Jul 7, 2020
    he grant, Jul 7, 2020
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