CANASTOTA, NY – NOVEMBER 27, 2011 – The International Boxing Hall of Fame joins the worldwide boxing community in mourning the loss of 1970s heavyweight contender Ron Lyle, who passed away yesterday in Denver, CO at age 70 from complications from a sudden stomach ailment.
Ron Lyle
“Ron was an tough fighter who added so much excitement to the dynamic heavyweight scene of the 1970s,” said Hall director Ed Brophy. “We were saddened to learn the news of his passing and we offer our condolences to the entire Lyle family.”
Lyle was born on February 12, 1941. Following a 29-4 amateur career that included the 1970 National AAU Heavyweight Championship, he turned pro in 1971 in Denver. During his career he posted a 43-7-1 (31 KOs) record that includes wins over Vicente Rondon, Buster Mathis, Oscar Bonavena, Jimmy Ellis, Earnie Shavers, Joe Bugner and Scott LeDoux. He lost to Muhammad Ali in a 1975 world title shot. Lyle’s 1976 bout with George Foreman (KO by 5) was one of the most exciting in heavyweight history and was The Ring’s “Fight of the Year.”
Lyle was a frequent visitor to Canastota for the annual Hall of Fame Weekend.
“Whenever he came to the Hall, he was so great with fans, always willing to talk about his career and recall the many ring battles his fans remember so well,” said Brophy.
For more information, please visit the Hall of Fame’s official website at www.ibhof.com
IABA UPDATE (EGAN AND SHEEHAN WIN GOLD AT OLYMPIC TEST EVENT)
IRISH AMATEUR BOXING ASSOCIATION
Ken Egan and Con Sheehan claimed light-heavyweight and super-heavyweight gold following wins in the finals of the Olympic Test Event at the ExCel in London today.
But Belfast middleweight Conrad Cummings had to settle for silver after he lost his 75Kg final to Russia’s Maxim Koptyakov.
Egan was trailing 7-3 to Brazilian light-heavyweight Yamaguchi Florentino at the end of the first but surged 17-14 ahead by the end of the second en route to a 22-20 win.
The win was Egan’s third in four days in London.
Sheehan, meanwhile, claimed an impressive 16-4 victory over Evgenios Lazaridis of Greece to finished on top of the 91Kg+ podium.
Cummings was 3-2 ahead at the end of the opening stanza against Koptyakov, but the Russian held a two point advantage at the end of the next round and posted an 11-8 win.
Today’s wins ensured that Ireland will be taking home two gold, one bronze and two silver medals from the dress rehearsal for boxing at the 2012 Olympic Games.
The Irish team are due to arrive home via Dublin Airport at 9:10am on Monday.
Olympic Test Event ExCel London
November 24th Quarter-finals
81Kg: Ken Egan (Ireland) beat Xuan Bao (China) 13-6
November 25th Quarter-finals
56Kg: Declan Geraghty (Ireland) lost to Worapoj Petchkoom (Thailand) 12-13
60Kg: David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) beat Donato Consenza (Italy) 12-8
November 26th Semi-Finals
60kg: David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) lost to Eugen Burhard (Germany) 9-13
75Kg: Conrad Cummings (Ireland) beat Esquiva Florentino (Brazil) 19-13
81Kg: Ken Egan (Ireland) beat Damien Hooper (Australia) 15-11
91Kg: Tommy McCarthy (Ireland) lost to Vassily Levit (Kazakhstan) 9-16
91Kg+: Con Sheehan (Ireland) beat Mohammad Arjaoui (Morocco) 11-7
November 27th Finals
75Kg: Conrad Cummings (Ireland) lost to Maxim Koptyakov (Russia) 8-11
81Kg: Ken Egan (Ireland) beat Yamaguchi Florentino (Brazil) 22-20
91Kg+: Con Sheehan (Ireland) beat Evgnios Lazaridis (Greece) 16-4
Irish squad
56Kg: Declan Geraghty (Crumlin)
60Kg: David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)
75Kg: Conrad Cummings (Holy Trinity)
81Kg; Ken Egan (Neilstown)
91Kg: Tommy McCarthy (Oliver Plunkett)
91+Kg: Con Sheehan (Clonmel)
Team manager: Des Donnelly
Coaches: Billy Walsh & Zuar Antia
Physio: Conor McCarthy
IABA UPDATE (NATIONAL INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIPS QUARTER-FINALS)
The 2011 National Intermediate Championships are now at the semi-final stages after three sessions of quarter-finals were decided at the National Stadium over the last 24-hours.
Michael Frayne progressed at the expense of Taylor McGoldrick in the opening bout of tonight’s session, followed by victories for JP Delaney and Thomas Roohan.
Eamon Walsh, with a 15-6 decision over Ciaran Flynn, also advanced, and Roman Seredjuks denied Cork their third win of the day at the Championships.
Denis O’Driscoll and Ciaran O’Griofa emerged with semi-final berths, O’Griofa securing victory by a four-point margin over Conor Tohill.
European Youth silver medalist Gary Sweeney posted a 22-10 verdict over Kyle Holmes to stake his claim as one of the contenders for the 85kg title, while Andrew Hanley progressed from his last four-clash with his own Bray BC team-mate Barry Keegan.
Kris Sikora kept the flag flying for the St Francis club in Limerick, while Michael McDonagh outpointed Michael Kaliec 11-8.
Christopher Devanney beat Robert Kraska in a high-scoring heavyweight three-rounder and Antoine O’Griofa got the decision on a count back over John Paul Rea following a 10-10 tie.
Earlier today, the Riverstown BC in Cork were celebrating on the double from the afternoon session, David Roche and Mark Fitzpatrick advancing at the expense of Stephen Mulholland and Martin Wall.
Liam Green progressed after Jonathan Dowling was retired because of a cut. Christy Joyce took the early route to victory over Conor Tighe, while Kyle Roche, Ryan Flanaghan, Stephen Coughlan and Jamie Quigley also booked their tickets into the last-four.
Paul McGrath go the afternoon session underway with a 17-7 win over Jason Smith, followed by positive verdicts for Patrick Ward and Danny Tourish, who recorded an 12-5 decision over Ger McDermot.
Emmet Brennan, Eamon Tighe, Chris Blaney, Alfredo Meli and Bernard Roe won the final five quarter-finals of the session.
The Championships continue next Friday and Saturday with semi-finals.
The finals will be held on Friday, December 9th.
2011 National Intermediate Championships
Quarter-finals
Saturday November 26th (2pm)
54kg: Paul McGrath (Ballincarrow) beat Jason Smith (Blessington) 17-7
91Kg: Patrick Ward (St Pats Tribes) beat Audrius Grakalskis (Springhill) 21-8
91Kg: Danny Tourish (Twin Towns) beaat Ger McDermot (St Annes) 12-5
60Kg: Daryl Fitzgerald (St Pauls) beat Conor Forward (Dockers) 15-13
64Kg: Jamie Quigley (St Pauls) beat Kevin Loonam (St Carthages) 11-9
64Kg: David Roche (Riverstown) beat Stephen Mulholland (St Malachys) 10-9
64Kg: Stephen Coughlan (Bray) beat Niall McFeeley (St Canices) 14-8
67Kg: Ryan Flanaghan (Pegasus) beat Anton Brady (Dunfanaghy) 16-5
67Kg: Mark Fitzpatrick (Riverstown) beat Martin Wall (Crumlin) 19-16
67Kg: Noel Murphy (Macroom) W/O
71kg: Kyle Roche (St Michaels) beat Noel Sommers (St Matthews) 14-9
71Kg: Christy Joyce (St Michael’s Athy) beat Conor Tighe (Ballincarrow) RSC2
71Kg: Liam Green (Ballincarrow) beat Jonathan Dowling (Paulstown) RSCI2
71Kg: Emmet Brennan (Corinthians) beat Ger Griffin (Corpus Christi) 27-10
75Kg; Eamon Tighe (Ballincarrow) beat Michael Reilly (Holy Family) 10-8
75Kg: Chris Blaney (Navan) beat Shane Egan (Bracken) 14-5
75Kg: Alfredo Meli (Immaculata) beat Eddie Byrne (Wexford CBS) 11-5
75Kg: Bernard Roe (Dublin Docklands) beat John McDonagh (Olympic)
Quarter-finals
Saturday November 26th (7pm)
81Kg:Michael Frayne St Marys) beat Taylor McGoldrick (Holy Trinity) 16-11
81Kg:JP Delaney (Immaculata) beat Damien Ramsey (Ligoniel) 19-4
81Kg: Thomas Roohan (Ballincarrow) beat Julio Carvello (Monkstown) 16-8
81Kg: Eamon Walsh (St Annes) beat Ciaran Flynn St Marys) 15-6
85Kg: Roman Seredjuks (Golden Cobra) beat Niall Healy (Bantry) RSC3
85Kg: Denis O’Driscoll (Dungloe) beat Michael J McDonagh (Dealgan) RSC3
85Kg: Ciaran O’Griofa (Conamara) beat Conor Tohill (St John Bosco) 13-9
85Kg: Gary Sweeney (Mike Flaherty) beat Kyle Holmes (Geesala) 22-10
91Kg: Andrew Hanley (Bray) beat Barry Keegan (Bray) RET3
91Kg: Kris Sikora (St Francis) beat William Close (Abbey) 12-8
91+Kg: Michael McDonagh (Olympic) beat Michael Kaliec (St Colmans) 11-8
91+Kg: Christopher Devanney (Dockers) beat Robert Kraska (Portlaoise) 21-14
91+Kg: Antoine O’Griofa (Conamara) beat John Paul Rea (St John Bosco) 10-10 c/b 54-32
Quarter-finals
Friday November 25th
64Kg: Stephen Carroll (Drimnagh) beat Jamie Kennedy (Toome) 16-11
67Kg: Paul Upton (Holy Family GG) beat Petro Ursu (Lucan) 11-7
51Kg: Stephen Treacy (Ryston) beat Gavin McComb (Immaculata) 16-10
51Kg: Hughie Myres (Ryston) beat Myles Casey (OLOL) 15-11
54Kg: Gary McKenna (Smithboro) W/O
54Kg: Michael Nevin (Portlaoise) beat Joel Scullion (All Saints) 13-13 c/b 73-65
54Kg: Carl McDonald (Golden Cobra) beat Patrick Nevin (Sparticus) 10-5
57Kg: Liam Hanrahan (Holy Family) beat Ryan Peake (Ballyhaunis) 24-7
57Kg: George Bates (St Mary’s) beat Gerard Matthews (St Pauls) 19-6
57Kg: Paddy Joyce (Ryston) beat William Keane (Riverstown) 23-10
57Kg: Christopher Nevin (Holy Family) beat Alan O’Connor (Palmerstown) RET2
60Kg: Anthony Upton (Holy Family GG) beat Ciaran Keogh (St Saviours) 14-4
60Kg: Jason Conroy (Crumlin) beat Jason Scully (Portlaoise) 13-5
60Kg: Barry O’Hara (Immaculata) W/O