Prime Ron Lyle vs Prime Jack Dempsey

[uncle ben]

Who would have wrecked whom?? Lyle was 6'3 220 pounds of power. Dempsey was 6'0 188 pounds of ferocity.

[The Old LefHook]

Heights are notorious in sports statistics, and boxing is no different. Dempsey was taller than Lyle by a wink and a nod.

[Willie Pep 229]

Dempsey's usually listed as 6' 1" sometimes 6' 1 1/2" - and 192 1/2 (for Firpo, which is likely his most powerful moment).

But OLH is correct the numbers tend to change from fight to fight ( I'm talking about their height not weight) so one should look at all "tale of the tape" with a touch of su****ion.

[billeau2]

This fight would tell us so much about things we debate here every day. Virtually impossible to say who would win imo, but I will say... bad stylistic match up for Dempsey. Might look something like the Razor Rudock Tyson fight, cept Lyle was a two handed fighter who threw all punches in the book. Rudock, by the time he fought Tyson relied upon his left hook, uppercut and heft.

[HOUDINI563]

I was a big fan of Lyle back in the 70’s. Watched all his televised bouts and watched him train in 72-73. Thing is he was slow and easily outboxed. Dempsey was hyper fast (Arcel - “the speed!”). He would get inside of Lyle within seconds and tear him up. Dempsey KO 5.

[markusmod]

This fight would tell us so much about things we debate here every day. Virtually impossible to say who would win imo, but I will say... bad stylistic match up for Dempsey. Might look something like the Razor Rudock Tyson fight, cept Lyle was a two handed fighter who threw all punches in the book. Rudock, by the time he fought Tyson relied upon his left hook, uppercut and heft.

Tyson-Rudock is actually a very good comparison to how it could play out.

[The Old LefHook]

I would think that head-motionless, lumbering Lyle would have precious little chance against a man who hits as hard and possesses the reflexes of a croucht panther. Lyle is all posed to be hit; Dempsey will immediately oblige over and over again, smashing the poor negro to smithereens faster than he did to big Jess Willart.

Wait 'til Ronnie feels Jack's thwacks in 4-6 oz. horsehairs. He is gonna think he has been buggert by ol' Jack.

[Dr. Z]

Don't undersell Lyle. He almost beat prime Foreman, ad IMO was ahead on points vs a guy names Ali after 10 rounds. IMO the stoppage was debatable.

50/50 match

[Willie Pep 229]

Don't undersell Lyle. He almost beat prime Foreman, ad IMO was ahead on points vs a guy names Ali after 10 rounds. IMO the stoppage was debatable.

50/50 match

I think I said this before . . . If it was 1940 the stoppage was questionable - Lyle didn't look terribly hurt - but for the mid 70's is was not an unusual stoppage. Lyle wasn't being competive for almost a half a minute - I think that the Benny Paret and Davey Moore deaths shook things up pretty bad in the early sixties and that playing opossum ( if that is what Lyle was doing) or just trying to weather an assault and wait for your opponent to punch himself out, were now off the table. Right or wrong.

Anyway that's the way I saw it, but you can tell at thr end Lyle looks clear headed.

[billeau2]

I think I said this before . . . If it was 1940 the stoppage was questionable - Lyle didn't look terribly hurt - but for the mid 70's is was not an unusual stoppage. Lyle wasn't being competive for almost a half a minute - I think that the Benny Paret and Davey Moore deaths shook things up pretty bad in the early sixties and that playing opossum ( if that is what Lyle was doing) or just trying to weather an assault and wait for your opponent to punch himself out, were now off the table. Right or wrong.

Anyway that's the way I saw it, but you can tell at thr end Lyle looks clear headed.

Either way... that was a 50 50... Either man could have been the last man standing. Foreman was lucky, Lyle matched him. Lyle is a phenom. Started boxng late, was techically excellent at a time when it mattered... Developed and channeled that toughness. heard him speak. he spoke simply and very intelligently.