Ron Lyle vs Ray Mercer who wins?

It's possible that Mercer could have avoided a knockdown, but he would really feel that beating that Lyle would put on him. Lyle had another way to win if a ko didn't come, he was fairly skilled at "plan b", which was to move and box a bit. HE was very limited, and it wasn't his natural style, but he did win a few like that, like over Oscar Bonavena and in the rematch with Larry Middleton. He would hit Mercer very hard and often, and win a clear decision.

 

I agree with red cobra

 

Yeah I pick Lyle by a decision, but he'd take some very hard shots in the process.

 

Just remember, he took some pretty hard shots from Earnie Shavers, and got up from some thunder thrown by Foreman before he caved in.

 

I already picked Mercer to win, and incidently I saw the fights that you're referring to.

 

I think the Fedor Em scenario is plausible.

Chin - Edge for Mercer. He was only down was in his prime and survived an aggressive, peaking Lennox Lewis for 10 rounds. I believe Lewis hits every bit as hard as Foreman, but even if you don't agree there - Lyle was still stopped by Foreman whereas Mercer wasn't staggered a single time against Lewis.
Additionally, Lyle was taken out of the fight by a single punch from the relatively light-hitting Ali. Mercer took Morrison's bombs, a lot of punishment from Damiani, Lewis' bombs and Klitschko's for 6 rounds when he was defenseless.


Power - Even. Both are pretty hard hitters.

Boxing Skill Even. Both were pretty limited and outboxable. Mercer did a pretty good job with the jab and pressure against Lewis. Then again, Lyle was ahead against Ali, but Ali seemed to be satisfied in doing nothing or little for a lot of rounds, with his rope a dope.

Heart Both score excellent.

Stamina Slight edge to Mercer. Although he wasn't always active, he usually kept pressing forward and kept composure. Being tired seemed to play a significant role in Lyle's losses to Ali and Foreman.

 

Mercer UD

 

Lyle couldn't even beat a mediocre cruiserweight in Jerry Quarry.
Mercer dominates and wins by KO.

 

But it was Mercer's weak fitness which cost him his fights with Holmes, Holyfield and Lewis. :think

 

Lyle, by close decision.

 

I don't think it was lack of fitness that cost him against Holmes; he just shouldn't have fought that way (up close with Holmes on the ropes). You are right about the other two, though.

 

Mercer late KO. Lyle's chin is not as good as mercers and there are question marks over fitness. Everthing else is pretty even, but Mercers better stamina and chin would win out.

 

I kind of agree.
Mercer was definitely way out of shape in the Lewis fight (about 238 pounds if i remember right). I remember him huffing and puffing through that one. And he still almost won !

I seem to remember he was in a bit better condition for Holyfield and Holmes though, but maybe tiring more than them in the later rounds. I think Holmes would have outboxed him regardless but the Holyfield fight was close.

Mercer was 210-220 pounds when he was coming up, at age 30. He won the olympics as a mature fighter (27 year old) at 200 pounds.

Lack of conditioning was probably a big reason he never stayed a consistent top-level fighter as a professional.
He did better than expected against Holyfield and Lewis but some of his other results around that time were very disappointing.

 

He was lighter against Holyfield and Holmes, but in equally bad condition (actually, against Holmes I think he was in slightly worse shape). I tend to remember Mercer being at his best in the 220-225 lb range.

To be quite honest, I've never seen such an able contender so comprehensively discredited (as a boxer, an athlete and a human being) as he was against Jesse "Boogieman" Ferguson.