By Geno McGahee
As a huge boxing fan, and a big fan of the 1970s golden era of the heavyweight division, I was very familiar with Ron Lyle, a man that had a war with George Foreman where both men hit the floor and got screwed in a match with Muhammad Ali. Lyle was a monster puncher and had a heart as big as his punch, but what made him into the man was a mystery until now.
Candace Toft does a tremendous job at turning back the clock and bringing the reader back to the childhood of Lyle, which was a common one for many boxers. Boxing has always been the sport that attracted the hungriest and poorest in society, providing an escape for them and Lyle, being one of nineteen children, and with a criminal record, his options was minimal, but he found the sport of kings and made it work.
At 20, Lyle would spend 7 years in prison for a murder but it would be time well spent. He began to search his soul and focused on the lessons his family taught him about faith and hope. Much like George Foreman, Lyle had a very strong mother that stayed there, supporting him, even when he was behind bars.
As his sentence continued, his obsession with the sport continued and his belief that it was what he was meant to do, and he was right. He would have a great amateur career and that would lead to his heavyweight run in a time when the division was never more difficult. Toft does a great job at bringing you along for the ride as Lyle has his ups and downs, including surprising defeats as well as better than anticipated performances.
In 1978, Lyle would face another bout with the prison system. It would be a fight that he would win, but it would end his career and send him into another direction. Instead of becoming bitter, he elected to start a community center and help the impoverished kids, showing them a way and using his life lessons to bring faith and hope.
OFF THE ROPES: THE RON LYLE STORY by Candace Toft is a great read, especially if you are a boxing fan, but it has appeal for all audiences. The beginning of the story resembled a lot of the stories that came with being poor in the 1970s, but the middle and ending is where it mattered. Lyle was tremendously interesting inside the ring and equally outside of it. I highly recommend this book.
