Ken Norton Vs Ron Lyle. Who Would Have Won?

Great fight!! I’m surprised it never happened.
Kenny Norton was a boxer’s nightmare, a great counter-puncher who forced even the great Muhammad Ali to lead and then picked him off for 15 rounds, at one stage breaking his jaw and winning a decision. Norton however could not deal with punchers and was flattened inside one or two rounds by ever decent slugger he faced, Foreman, Shavers, Cooney.
Ron Lyle was a favourite fighter of mine. Who as good at everything but great at nothing, as Joshua would say. He was quick, had good balance and footwork, he could out-box a man (allegedly giving a past prime Ali hell in sparring) but had the underrated punching power, courage and grit to stand and fight like he did against Foreman and Shavers, actually out-slugging the two power punching at times.
In this fight I think it would all be down to Lyle. If he chooses to box careful against Norton and fight too reserved he would be playing into Kenny’s hands, who’d pick him off and counter-punch him all night. Alternatively if Lyle used his punching power and brawling Kenny he could hurt him, stun him and possibly knock him out. It would be a very entertaining fight and very back and forth, I think Kenny would slip and slide with Lyle’s punches, and Ron trying to put his punches together to hurt Norton. Now if you look at the times Lyle has performed best it was against stand-up and trade fighter, Jerry Quarry actually schooled him with his mediocre defense and countering skills, for that reason I’m giving Norton the nod by close decision.
W15 Ken Norton SD