ron lyle vs ken norton

Most likely, Ron Lyle would stop Ken Norton in an early round.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Bad matchup for Norton

 

Rounds 1-4 would be Lyle, Rounds 5-10 is Norton's domain.

Problem is....once Lyle starts backing Norton up....Norton gets TKO'ed.

 

Yes ,if you didn't allow Norton to come forward he was lost.
He initially tried to back Foreman up, but with no success and found himself the Wildebeest pursued by the Lion,with predictable results.

 

Lyle by early ko. I seem to recall reading that Lyle said he wanted to fight Norton badly in the 70's, and it was the one fight that he never got.

 

Norton has a chance as long as he can keep most of the bout centre ring. A big ask,though.


One of those style things which contributes to making boxing a fascination of ours. Norton was a better fighter,all in all,and would rate higher on most people's lists but Lyle would be a dangerous fight for him. Even though Ken would always do better against an Ali or Young than Lyle would.

 

I'm with the consensus Lyle picks. If it goes past 8 though, it gets interesting.

 

In a ten fight series, each man may have had multiple victories IMO. I don't understand so many seeing this as a foregone conclusion for a Lyle victory (or to many a blowout).
Was it his fight against post-Ali stupid Foreman who still left Lyle in a lifeless puddle? Was it his KO of a gassed Shavers in Denver after being saved by the bell in the 2nd from being out like a light. Let's see, that's a loss and a near miss there. Lots of other losses to contenders. Wanna show me some real resume building WINS Lyle ever achieved?
Quarry said he buckled his knees with a left hook in the 1st round and knew then that Ron could be hurt and I don't see a whole lot of difference in Jerry and Ken's "pop power".

 

He thought he was going to get it too. But for whatever reason the fight wasn't inked and they gave Ron Joe Bugner instead on the date. It wasn't a last minute substitute or anything like that. Ron knew well in advance that this was what he was getting. I'm not sure if Ron sued over this, because he wanted Ken bad.

 

Id pick lyle but i have footage of them sparring and norton did fine. Of course that was 71 when lyle green as it gets.

 

Lyle seemed very respectful of Norton in it. He was supposed to spar Frazier but opted out on the advice of Ali who warned him not to saying that Frazier might hurt him.

 

Lyle was so raw at that time .. Lyle did spar with Frazier and had very high regard for Joe ..

 

Lyle had power but he wasn't the killers that Shavers and Foreman were.

For instance, Shavers blew declined Ellis out in round as easily as he did Norton.

Yet Ellis took Lyle the full 12 rounds.

Something to consider.