World Heavyweight Division: Ron Lyle Vs George Foreman (1976)

Source:Murmurings of a Boxing Madman- Ron Lyle vs George Foreman, from 1976.

Source:Real Life Journal 

"Big George Foreman was attempting to put back together the pieces that had been shattered in the African jungle by Muhammad Ali. Foreman had been devastated by his loss to The Greatest, hence the length of time he'd spent inactive between Zaire and hooking up with the equally big Ron Lyle. With fifteen months of inactivity under his belt and the ring rust one would expect to go with it, Foreman entered the ring at Caesars Palace for his first real fight since "The Rumble."... 

From Murmurings of a Boxing Madman 

"After losing his title, Foreman remained inactive during 1975. In 1976, he returned to boxing in Las Vegas against Ron Lyle, (who had been defeated by Muhammad Ali in 1975 by a TKO in round 11, while leading on all scorecards by 6-4) in a fight hailed by Ring Magazine as "The Fight Of The Year." At the end of the first round, Lyle landed a hard left that sent Foreman staggering across the ring. In the second round, Foreman pounded Lyle against the ropes and might have scored a KO, but due to a timekeeping error the bell rang with a minute still remaining in the round[citation needed] , and Lyle survived. In the third, Foreman pressed forward, with Lyle waiting to counter off the ropes. In the fourth, a brutal slugfest erupted. A cluster of power punches from Lyle sent Foreman to the canvas. When Foreman got up, Lyle staggered him again, but just as Foreman seemed finished he retaliated with a hard right to the side of the head, knocking down Lyle. Lyle beat the count, then landed another brutal combination, knocking Foreman down for the second time. Again, Foreman beat the count. In the fifth round, both fighters continued to ignore defense and traded their hardest punches. Each man staggered the other and each seemed almost out on his feet. Then, as if finally tired, Lyle stopped punching and Foreman delivered a dozen unanswered blows until Lyle collapsed. The fight was stopped and Foreman was declared the winner." 

Source:Boxing At It's Best- Ron Lyle vs George Foreman, from 1976.

From Boxing At It's Best

George Foreman, knocking out one of the strongest fighters whose ever fought in Ron Lyle. What separates Big George and Big Lyle, I think has to do with the professional training that Forman had that he started as an amateur and of course the 1968 Summer Olympics. 

Ron Lyle, on the other hand learned how to box as a prison inmate in prison and learned how to fight there so he could make a legitimate living once he got out of prison. 

My point here is not to put Lyle down who was one of the hardest hitting and best power-punchers in boxing in the 1970s, but to show that Foreman wasn't just a slugger who would win his fights by landing the last big shot, but he was a boxer who knew how to box: how to take a punch and how to avoid punches. And he also had great training from Archie Moore and others. 

You could probably flip a coin as far as who was the stronger fighter and puncher in this fight. But Foreman was clearly the better boxer. George Forman, two-time World Heavyweight Champion. One of the best heavyweights of all-time. Can't say the same about Ron Lyle.

HBO Sports: Evander Holyfield vs Riddick Bowe- World Heavyweight Championship (1993)

Source:HBO- for the World Heavyweight Championship of Professional Boxing.

Source:Real Life Journal 

"Riddick Bowe defends the heavyweight title against Evander Holyfield - the rematch of their bout one year prior. Hosted by Jim Lampley, George Foreman, and Larry Merchant. Recorded on VHS November 1993."   

From Sterling Wainscott

I remember the Bowe-Holyfield Trilogy of the early and mid 1990s very well, because I got to see all three fights. I was a junior in high school during the first fight in 1992, saw it on pay per view after I begged my dad to order the fight and we ended up watching at least part of it together. 

I've always had a lot of respect for Evander Holyfield, because he's the ultimate of professionalism when it comes to not only pro boxing but pro sports as well. No other boxer has ever worked harder or had more dedication to his craft which generally speaking helped him a lot but it also hurt him.

Evander, ended up fighting too long and losing to guys and getting beat up by guys, that 5-10 years earlier he would've beaten fairly easily. And hopefully he hasn't paid a long-term price for that when it comes to his health, we'll see later. But one problem I had with Evander, is that he seemed to have it a little too easy, he hadn't gotten much of a big challenge in the heavyweight division to this point. George Foreman gave him a pretty good fight in 1991, but Evander won most of those rounds and I wanted to see someone who not only gave Evander a big test but could actually beat him and thats where Riddick Bowe came in.

Evander Holyfield wins the World Heavyweight Championship in 1990 by beating an overweight and overconfident James Douglas. Who probably thought way too much of himself after whipping and knocking out Mike Tyson for the Heavyweight Championship in January, 1990 in Japan. And before Evander fought Riddick Bowe, he defended his title successfully twice against two boxers who were once. Great but at this point of their careers were in the early forties, in George Forman and Larry Holmes. The super fight in the Heavyweight Division of the 1990s, was suppose to be Evander vs Mike Tyson.

With Iron Mike's rape case, Holyfield-Tyson, wasn't going to happen in the early 90s. Again this is where Riddick Bowe comes in: after coming off the 1988 Olympics where he didn't do as well as perhaps he should've, he was looking for a big challenge. And a chance to prove himself and why not fight for the World Heavyweight Championship and win it to accomplish it. 

The Bowe-Holyfield Trilogy was great because you have two great heavyweights at the prime of their careers. Probably the best two heavyweights of the 1990s, who both had a lot of respect for each other, who both knew that they had to be their best to beat the best, who was their opponent. Thats how they both saw these fights and why these fights worked out the way they did, two great fighters both bringing their a games to these fights. 

ABC Sports: Thomas Hearns vs. Marvin Hagler- 1985 World Middleweight Championship

Source:ABC Sports- Tommy Hearns vs Marv Hagler, from 1985.

Source:Real Life Journal 

"Marvin Hagler VS Tommy Hearns (full fight)" 

From Ower Asdf

Hearns-Hagler for the World Middleweight Championship in 1985, might be the best, great, short fight of all-time. But the reason it was a great short fight is because Tommy Hearns made two tactical mistakes: 

One, perhaps not his fault which was to break his hand hitting the top of Marvin Hagler's rock-solid head. Which obviously affected Hearns performance the rest of the fight. But the other mistake which was something he could have avoided was to get into a slugfest with Hagler a man who was a devastating body puncher who would just wear you out. Not that different from a Joe Frazier, but who avoided punches very well and could take a lot of great shots. Not that he had to very often. 

Hearns, being 6'1 and very quick with a great jab, should've worked the outside and pounded Hagler when he had him hurt. But you don't go toe-to-toe with a bulldog, when all you need is a leash to keep him under control. But Hearns landed a lot of great shots, but took too much punishment and breaking his hand essentially ended the fight for him.

HBO Sports: Gerry Cooney vs Larry Holmes- World Heavyweight Championship (1982)

Source:HBO Sports- Gerry Cooney vs Larry Holmes, for the WHC in 1982.

Source:Real Life Journal 

"Larry Holmes vs Gerry Cooney (High Quality) 11th of June, 1982...............Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada WBC Heavyweight World Championship"  

From Katis 

"They met thirty-five years ago under the stars in that neon desert of illusion, Las Vegas, drawn together by hate, cynicism, greed. Mere sports seemed like an afterthought that night. On June 11, 1982, hardscrabble Larry Holmes, whose magnificent bitterness had fueled his rise to the heavyweight championship, met affable Gerry Cooney, young, powerful, Irish, unproven, and feverishly revered. With racism looming over the promotion from the day it first kicked off, Holmes-Cooney became a national Rorschach test with ugly interpretations. More than 30,000 spectators gathered to see Holmes and Cooney wage war, with millions more tuning in on closed-circuit, radio, and pay-per-view. It was the biggest fight of its time and, perhaps, a brief glimpse into the dark heart of America. For Cooney, who suggested something out of Clifford Odets—“Like a bullet! All future and no past”— during the Studio 54 heyday, there would be precious few tomorrows in boxing after what happened at Caesars Palace. For Holmes, whose nasty edge never dulled as the years went gray, there were more riches and glories to come…along with enough bleak memories to last a wakeful life. The following is a media collage of the events surrounding one of the most cheerless fights in history." 

Source:This Brutal Glory- Gerry Cooney vs Larry Holmes, for the WHC in 1982.

From This Brutal Glory

Gerry Cooney vs Larry Holmes, was the classic matchup of the power-fighter vs the power-boxer. Gerry Cooney, is one of the strongest and hardest punching heavyweights of all-time. Who was good enough to fight for the World Heavyweight Championship. But was not a fighter who was built for the distance. 

Cooney didn't move very well standing 6'7 and weighing 230-240 pounds depending on who he fought. He reminds me a little to George Wepner and if he could get to you early and pound you, he could take you out, because he was so strong and so powerful even for a heavyweight. But the problem he had is he fought a lot of strong heavyweights who could move and take punishment. Larry Holmes, perfect example of that.

Larry Holmes, wasn't a one or two-punch knockout artist, but he was a strong powerful heavyweight who moved very well, who had great boxing skills and simply punished his opponents. Reminds me and a lot of others of the great Muhammad Ali. 

This was a fight about who would get to the other first. Could Cooney, take the momentum first, or would Holmes stick and move as he's delivering great punishment to Cooney. That is how Holmes won this fight by attacking Cooney and as a result was able to keep Cooney off him and avoid those huge powerful punches from Cooney. 

Holmes, didn't take out Cooney in a few punches, but instead pounded Cooney over several rounds and eventually wore Cooney out.