Norton v Lyle?

Prime for prime, I think Norton would win, probably by stoppage in the second half of a 15-rounder. Possibly on points.

 

I guess none of you saw Lyle vs Foreman....

 

Lyle, for all of his muscle and intimidation was more of a boxer than a banger. All of the damage he did to Foreman came off his back foot, Norton never really got outboxed, even by Ali.

 

Ken outboxes Ron over the distance. Much better skills.

 

Lyle had a solid chin and decent stamina. He was also strong as hell and a good banger. I think these qualities would lead him to a stoppage win within 10 rounds.

 

Ken Norton faltered badly when fighting big bangers of heavyweight division. As a result, it is probable that it wouldn't be any different if he fought Ron Lyle.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Lyle early, or Norton by late stoppage.

This depends on how Ron takes Kenny on. He sometimes had a nasty tendency to box boxers and slug sluggers. I consider Norton to have really been an unorthodox boxer, certainly no kind of mobile cutie, but definitely a highly skilled stylist, who when aged gave LeDoux an impressive boxing lesson, and Cobb a primer on countering off the ropes. He had the jab, an excellent multiple hook, especially to the body, and the definitive looping overhand right of his heavyweight generation, plus an excellent right uppercut when he positioned himself to execute it. About the only punch missing from his arsenal was the straight right, but the one over the top he decimated Bobick with sorta made up for it.

If Lyle starts fast and seeks to blow the normally slow starting Ken out quickly, he may well succeed. But turning professional at age 30, he was older when his punch for pay career began than Norton was when he upset Ali. If Ron tries to box with Ken, Lyle probably gets taken out late. Ron has to blow him out quickly, and if he goes for a knockout in the first couple of rounds, he'll get it.

 

He certainly did a far better job of it over seven rounds against LeDoux than Lyle just had, and a much better job than the vastly faster punching Dokes managed twice.

I'm not sure that there was a heavyweight at the time who was better at utilizing eye catching body shots expressly for point scoring purposes. With LeDoux, he repeatedly hooked to the middle of Scott's torso in such a clean and clear way that all three judges could clearly see them. [No question this would have been a very clear UD for Ken in Vegas, or some other neutral turf, despite the ending.] He smartly keyed Young by targeting the body, a risky strategy when boxing for a decision win, but it paid off [and ultimately got him into Canastota at an extremely early date].

 

I saw Foreman vs. Lyle many times... that doesn't mean shlt! Don't be fooled by that fight. Lyle was a big and strong guy with good power but he wasn't the KO artist that Foreman was and did not hit nearly as hard as Shavers or even Cooney. Norton was stopped once before he peaked (later avenged by KO), once by Foreman (2nd round, so was Frazier), the other 2 KO losses were when he was past prime (Shavers and Cooney). Prime Norton vs. Lyle? I don't see Lyle getting the job done. Norton by decision.

 

I think this would have been a good fight, If you look at Lyle's record while he could punch most of his wins were decisions once he moved up in class. Norton had trouble with pressure punchers but Lyle really did not fight that way....a lot of people judge Lyle by the Foreman fight but Big George avoided a lot of punchers on his way up and he could be hit and winded....Lyle could stop Ken but IMO this fight goes the full route and Norton could take it.

 

That's basically my opinion.

 

Inspiring me to watch some full Norton fights.

 

Lyle would stop Norton. Norton is one of the most overrated fighters ever based off of giving Ali problems. He was pretty mediocre. I still cant believe hes in the hall. The only HW champion to have never won a championship fight. Ugggh.