I'm talking prime-toes David Haye (215lb, 6'3", 78" reach) against mid-70s, pre-Foreman fight Ron Lyle (220lb, 6'3", 76" reach). Try to leave your hatred of Haye's personality at the door and focus on what he can do (and should've do against every opponents he ever faces) ::
Lyle might have to be cautious early but there's really only one winner. Lyle just has far too many tools & far too much mental toughness for Haye. He was a well rounded, real fighter, Haye's just a powerful leap amateur.
Haye's power at heavyweight is overrated. He hit Wlad clean a couple of times and nothing much happened, I also didn't think he looked hugely powerful in any other HW fight. He can punch a bit obviously, and he's good at landing the right hand, people always get caught with it, but that's about it, he's not the monster puncher he's made out to be. Lyle would KO him.
I still think Haye's a dangerous puncher at heavy. If only because of the shear commitment he punches with. But when I say Lyle might have to be a 'bit cautious' I don't mean more than that. Or he might not bother with caution and just go right ahead and beat Haye up. Depends how much Haye pissed him off int he build up.
Yep, that's fair. I don't object to him being called a dangerous puncher, and you're right he sure does commit to the right hand. What I object to is people making out he's a proper lights out KO puncher, because he isn't, not at heavyweight.
I think Haye would win this fight over 12. I think a lot of people sell Haye short cos of everything that goes on outside the ring. It's true we don't know how legit his power is at heavyweight because of the few times he fought there, but here we go: is power an absolute neccessity? I never thought Lyle could do anything against someone with handspeed, counter-punching and footwork - he's only really remembered for the no-fear-brawl with slow-ass Foreman, got outpointed by Jimmy Young twice, stopped by Ali.
Could go either way, depending on how Lyle reacts to Haye's punch. I see Haye as a better puncher than MWS, I think the way he downed Ruiz with single shots, made Valuev wobbly with a glancing shot etc was impressive. Also, Haye is good enough technically to land on Lyle, whose defense wasn't all that. I don't see Haye avoiding him for full rounds so he must be able to hurt Lyle to win. That being said, I'd make Lyle the slight favorite, it would seem plausible to think that he walks over Haye and bombs him out. However that mental image could be very misleading considering that they are almost identical in size and Lyle at his day was seen as a big guy
I suspect haye would tear an artery in his toe. His corner and ringside doctors explain that there is no artery there but Haye quits and attacks ERNIE SHAVERS because he was knocked out by RON lYLE WHILE Haye had a "fatal: injury and could have possibly won.
They are not comparable. Wlad is one of the most safety first boxers in the sport, with a glass jaw, content to just jab people into bolivian. Lyle would walk him down and fuck him up, and take the risks necessary to stop him.
True, but the risks might be too costly for him. Apart from perhaps Mike Tyson I don't think anybody could just walk through Haye without any care
Wlad is a bitch. Lyle would go after Haye and he would land. Haye might give him a scare but eventually Lyle would come out on top. I might have some era-related bias here but in my mind Haye is not proven enough at HW that I'd pick him to defeat a legit contender from one of the toughest eras of heavies. Lyle hits him with the same shots that put down Foreman, Haye isn't getting up.
hno: They used 6oz gloves for the Lyle-Foreman fight. Haye would land 2-3 times each time Lyle advanced with that shocking wide-open defense of his, and then skip out of the way like he does.
I'm afraid to say Dark Magnus don't the game and is in danger of being beat three times. You know what it is, he ain't his own promoter.
