Back from the dead – Ron Lyle fights Muhammad Ali May 1975

Stabbed by a fellow inmate, Ron Lyle, doing time for second-degree murder, “died” twice on the operating table before he was 25. Somehow, he survived eight hours of surgery and 36 blood transfusions.

Nine years later, Lyle was at the Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, waiting for the bell to ring. The crowd was buzzing. Lyle was likely thinking about how lucky he was, but getting where he was didn’t involve luck.

Lyle had discovered boxing in prison. His short amateur career was impressive.

After being released from jail, he turned pro in 1971, compiling a record 31 wins in 33 fights, with 20 knockouts. Lyle held wins over former light heavyweight champion Vicente Rondon, Buster Mathias, and top-rated contenders Oscar Bonevena and Jimmy Ellis.

Jerry Quarry out-fought him, and clever Jimmy Young outboxed him, accounting for two of his only losses.

Lyle signed to fight his idol and the heavyweight champion of the world, Muhammad Ali.

“First of all, Ali was a great fighter,” said Lyle to boxingnews24.com several years after their bout. “He was THE man then, and we all tried to keep up with him.”

Ali shocked the world, recapturing the heavyweight title with an unexpected victory over the previously undefeated George Foreman in 1974.

He had fought once since defeating Foreman, scoring a sluggish victory over tough Chuck Wepner. The fight is best remembered for the phantom knockdown credited to Wepner and inspiring Sylvester Stallone to create Rocky.

Ali was eight pounds over his prime Foreman weight when he fought Lyle. His training was suspect. His confidence was, as usual, sky-high. He told everyone (Lyle was listening) that he’d use his “rope-a-dope” tactic to tire the ex-con, but Lyle refused to play the dope.

He had his own strategy in mind and applied it well during the bout.

The fight got off to a slow start. As he said he would do, Ali lay on the ropes, beckoning Lyle to come in guns blazing. The tactic had worked perfectly against Foremen, but Lyle refused, hanging back and jabbing. A few rights landed. Ali was on his toes in round six, jabbing Lyle. The crowd liked it, but Lyle chased and remained disciplined.

Muhammad Ali vs Ron Lyle | Full Fight.

Ali had predicted he would knock out Lyle in round eight. He tried, fighting flatfooted and forcing Lyle to the ropes. Lyle countered with jarring right hands that stopped Ali in his tracks.

Lyle was winning the fight, and Ali knew it.

Ali told the New York Times after the bout that he ‘lost a lot of rounds.’

Being behind didn’t bother him. It bothered his corner.

When round 11 began, Ali had found his second wind. Lyle was gassed after chasing Ali for 10 rounds.

An Ali sharp right hand drove Lyle across the ring. Ali was on him fast, firing combinations with blistering speed, and telling the referee Fred Herandez to stop the fight, which he did a little over a minute into the round.

Lyle wasn’t happy. He staggered to his corner like a guy who had had one too many.

“That right hand was on the button because he was more tired than I was,” Ali said.