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It was 1976. World events that year included the election of the 39th President of The United States Of America Jimmy Carter and the Montreal Olympic Games. At those Montreal Olympic Games, Cuban Teofilio Stephenson won his second heavyweight gold medal. A young light welterweight by the name of Sugar Ray Leonard won gold before going on to make his own piece of boxing history, as did the Spinks brothers.
In the professional ranks, Muhammad Ali was into his second reign as World Heavyweight Champion. At the start of 1976, Ali, now thirty four years of age, was coming off the momentous “Thrilla In Manila”, a fight in which Ali and Joe Frazier left their souls in that Philippine ring.
The first major heavyweight fight though of 1976 was a crossroads match up between two former Ali victims, George Foreman and Ron Lyle. Foreman, himself a former Olympic Gold Medallist in 1968, had ripped the World Heavyweight Championship in two brutal rounds from Joe Frazier in 1973. Two destructive defences and one year later Foreman was an ex-champion after being outsmarted by the incomparable Ali in eight rounds in Zaire.
If you forget Foreman’s bout against the frightful five in Toronto in 1975, the matchup with Lyle would be the ex-champions first pro start since losing his title. Lyle, aged thirty four, was a late starter to the pro game. Having served a seven and half year stretch in prison he had his first pro fight at aged thirty, however he built up a good record defeating such names as Buster Mathis and Oscar Bonavena. His only professional defeat in four years was a points loss to Jerry Quarry. In his title challenge to Ali in Las Vegas in May 1975, he gave a great account of himself before being stopped in eleven. On the comeback trail, Lyle scored a good win over Earnie Shavers before signing to meet Foreman in the first month of 1976.
The gaudy city of Las Vegas would again be the host as George Foreman and Ron Lyle would try to reestablish themselves in the heavyweight fold. What followed on January 24, 1976, would be one of the most memorable and bizarre slugfests in heavyweight history.
At the weigh in, Foreman enjoyed a six pound weight advantage at 226 pounds. The former champion was also six years younger than Lyle.
In round one the fight started as it meant to go on with Lyle throwing a big right. Foreman managed to dodge it and tried to establish control with his left jab. At the close of the first, Foreman was shaken for the first time but smothered his foe to survive the round.
Round two was bizarre. Again after Lyle missed a wild right, he found himself being peppered by the Foreman jab. Lyle was then driven to the ropes but countered with a shuddering right, ending a session that amazingly was only two minutes long. Round three followed the same pattern with Lyle countering an open Foreman from the ropes.
The bell rang for round four and began one of the most dramatic rounds ever in heavyweight boxing. After catching Foreman with an overhand right, Lyle followed this up with a series of uppercuts and hooks to score the first knockdown of the fight. With all thought of defence abandoned by both men, big shots were winged. With Foreman still looking hurt, he connected with a massive right hand to even the score in knockdowns. Was the fight turning? Well, it was but back in Lyle’s direction when again with Foreman abandoning all defence, he was clattered by a right. The fourth ended with Foreman flat on his face in a grotesque position.
After the manic fourth round, both men were exhausted. Something had to give. Lyle’s punches seemed stronger in the fifth but all of a sudden it looked like he had punched himself out. Foreman, out of sheer desperation, landed a big left. Twenty unanswered punches later Lyle with his back against the ropes, slumped to the canvas before being counted out.
It was a bout that had more action in five rounds than most have in twelve. Although lacking in any technical excellence, undoubtedly it was a dramatic fight. It may have been the best five round heavyweight bout in history. Certainly round four must be in any fight fan’s list of one of the best rounds ever.
As for the aftermath of this fight, Foreman would not fight for the heavyweight title until 1991. After beating Joe Frazier for the second time in 1976, he was outpointed one year later by Jimmy Young before retiring for a decade. We all know about the amazing comeback that followed!
As for Lyle, he carried out on fighting but would never again fight for the heavyweight crown eventually retiring in 1995 after launching a comeback.
