George Foreman says Ron Lyle hit him so hard he went numb. The former heavyweight champ picked Lyle as the hardest puncher he faced in his long career.
Foreman, who started boxing in 1969, fought across four decades and became the oldest ever heavyweight world champion. He's known for his own thudding punches, but it was Lyle who left a lasting impression on him.
The two faced off in 1976 in what became Ring Magazine's Fight of the Year. Foreman recalled the impact of Lyle's punches:
"This guy hit me so hard that it didn't even hurt."
That's high praise from a man who traded blows with legends like Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. Foreman said Frazier couldn't hit like Lyle, and Ali only knocked him down when he was exhausted.
What made Lyle stand out? Foreman pointed to his fearlessness:
"He was completely unafraid. He challenged me at ring center and wouldn't back up."
Foreman said only Sonny Liston in sparring had similar success standing toe-to-toe with him.
The fight itself was a slugfest. In the fourth round, Lyle knocked Foreman down twice, while Foreman scored one knockdown of his own. Foreman ended up winning by knockout in the fifth round with a flurry of unanswered shots.
Lyle was well-known for his power even before facing Foreman. He'd challenged Muhammad Ali for the world title in 1975, losing by stoppage in the 11th round. Despite his punching prowess, Lyle never won a world title himself.
Foreman's career spanned an incredible length of time. He stepped away from boxing for a decade before making a comeback in 1987. His return led to more memorable fights, including wins over Michael Moorer and Ken Norton, and a loss to Evander Holyfield.
But it's clear that among all the punchers Foreman faced in his long career, Ron Lyle's power stood out the most.
