Anyway... Lyle did have a great, great fight with Foreman. Add the Shavers battle, and as CDogg says, he surprised the hell outta Ali in a performance he never gets his due for. Fairly good boxer, GREAT puncher, who made an excellent fist of a career under adverse conditions (starting so late, and competing in the Golden Age).
The report seems to be he was in good shape for his age, and appears to have died rather suddenly from an undisclosed stomach complaint. You would reasonably guess bowel cancer.
Notwithstanding the fact that the bowel and stomach are totally different locations in the alimentary canal, that is indeed a reasonable guess.
I know that. What Im saying is people making a report (associates, family, etc) would probably not make that distinction. Someone of Lyle's age dying rather suddenly would likely be cancer-related.
I agree- Cancer can kill in a few weeks, if it is discovered in an advanced state and people elect not to have it treated,preferring to let it go rather than go through with the treatment. That's 3 HW's of that era dead now in a very short space of time.athetic:
Yes. Reminds you a little of that period in 2009 where we lost three prominent names in the blink of an eye almost.
These were three guys all of whom fought somebody who fought the other guy to just one degree of separation LeDoux: Fought Foreman, who Fought Lyle, who fought Ali, who fought Frazier.:egypt: Now, let's see can we do it with Forrest, Arguello and Gatti and in how many stages..... ..........Arguello fought Jose Luis Ramirez, who fought Pea Whittaker, who fought Oscar, Oscar fought {both} Shane {and Gatti}, and Shane fought Mosley who fought Forrest who fought Baldomir who fought Gatti. I am the fucking man, I am.
It's when I said "he wasn't that old" and you leapt in with "he was 70".....as if Lyle had overstayed his welcome or something :: Now be a good lad and see if you can tidy up my name-association-game for Gatti, Vernon and Arguello.
You said he must have relatively young. I did nothing more than let you know his age. You off your meds?
Looks like a stomach ulcer turned into an abscess and became septic. Probably some crappy nurse who didn't wash her hands before changing his drainage port. Horrible way to go. I imagine it probably could have been prevented.
There was a Recent Ali Documentary Where his OPPONENTS Did Most of the Talking...Ron Lyle was 1 of them & was VERY Pleasant to Listen To, as he Gave Recounts of his Interactions w/Ali...Dude Did Time in Prison for Armed Robbery & Turned his Life Around Thru Boxing...Admirable Story... Certainly NOT a Great Fighter, but Lyle Gave EVERY INCH Of Himself in the Ring...REED's SHOCKED to Learn that Dude was 70, as he Could've EASILY Passed for Mid 50's or So... R.I.P., Mr. Lyle... REED:Lok:
He turned pro at 30 after being in jail for 7 years. R.I. P. Ron Lyle. - One of the fighters who made the 70s such a great time for the division. Like you said...not a great fighter, but still a really good heavy who gave two of the greats of the time all they wanted.
