The Bite of the Century: 20 Years Later

[elmersalsa]

On this date, Iron Mike Tyson, bit the ears of the great Evander Holyfield. Your comments. What really happened?
Was Tyson scared of another beat down?
Was Holyfield a dirty boxer?
Would the rematch give us the same outcome?

Your thoughts in a fight that ended the golden era of boxing.

[Syntax Error]

I can't believe it was 20 years ago.

Tyson was petrified that he was going to get his arse handed to him again, he flipped & he bitched out of the fight in devastating style.

Holyfield wasn't the saintly figure that he likes to portray, but he can't hold a candle to Tyson in respect of fighting dirty.

Anyone who doesn't think that Tyson wasn't scared just needs to look back at what Teddy Atlas said on the eve of the fight.

He said that Tyson would look for a way out & try & get disqualified & as we all know, Atlas knows Tyson better than anyone.

In short, the bully got bullied twice & he went into meltdown & the rest is history.

[handsofstone]

20 years eh, crazy, I thought Tyson was actually having a decent 3rd round before he flipped and 1st bit Holyfield, he should've been DQ'd there and then and not allowed the chance to bite him a 2nd time, Holyfield was dangerous with the head no doubt

[Syntax Error]

20 years eh, crazy, I thought Tyson was actually having a decent 3rd round before he flipped and 1st bit Holyfield, he should've been DQ'd there and then and not allowed the chance to bite him a 2nd time, Holyfield was dangerous with the head no doubt

He was DQd after the first bite, but there was confusion was to what really happened.

Tyson even tried to claim that the injury was caused by a punch when Lane confronted Tyson & Giachetti in the corner.

Lane was basically coerced by the commissioner to let the fight continue due to the $$$$$ & Homansky said Holyfield was fit to continue!

A real life doctor advised that Holyfield could continue fighting even though he suffered a human bite which is one of the dirtiest things that can happen due to all the bacteria in the mouth which could lead to sepsis etc.

Anyone in the medical profession knows that if you sustain a bite of any kind, you need to get prophylactic antibiotics as soon as possible.

It's amazing what $$$$$ can do to a person's judgement.

[scartissue]

Got a funny story on this one. When this took place I was up in a remote Canadian fishing lodge with no real contact to the outside world. On the day after this fight, which would have been a Sunday, I asked one of the girls working in the camp if they heard anything about the results of the Tyson fight last night (they had satellite phones and such for the office) and she said, "I think he bit his ear!" I just rolled my eyes, said to myself, "Yeah, right!" and figured I would just get the real results when I get home instead of depending on some ditzy kid. Good laugh on me. I must've said to myself, "You mean he really did bite his ear?" Now for a little bit of irony. I'm here now in the very same camp 20 years later writing this. Tech has improved here a bit with a very slow-moving PC, but I had to respond to this one. Too funny.

[APerno]

Holyfield was a dirty fighter - repeatedly (deliberately) butted Tyson in both fights; leading with his head. - Tyson probably shouldn't have bitten his ear off though; instead, with each butt Tyson should have returned a low blow - it would have been more in keeping with the nature of the game and maybe would have forced (the incompetent) Lane to discipline Holyfield.

[gilgamesh]

On this date, Iron Mike Tyson, bit the ears of the great Evander Holyfield. Your comments. What really happened?
Was Tyson scared of another beat down?
Was Holyfield a dirty boxer?
Would the rematch give us the same outcome?

Your thoughts in a fight that ended the golden era of boxing.

What really happened? Tyson knew he was about to get his ass kicked again and he found a way out. He acted "crazy" like he really wanted to get at Holyfield to try to preserve that "I'm a bad motherf*cker" image.

Was Tyson scared of another beat down? Yes, he knew he'd given the best he could give the first time and it wasn't enough. There was nothing he could do to win.

Was Holyfield a dirty boxer? I would call him a crafty. It takes some veteran experience before you can learn the tricky stuff like "accidental headbutts" that weren't accidents. I don't fault a guy for doing this kinda stuff. I'd do it if I was in their shoes.

Would the rematch give us the same outcome? They could fight 30 rematches and it'd give you the same outcome...Holyfield wins...from here to eternity.

[Syntax Error]

Holyfield was a dirty fighter - repeatedly (deliberately) butted Tyson in both fights; leading with his head. - Tyson probably shouldn't have bitten his ear off though; instead, with each butt Tyson should have returned a low blow - it would have been more in keeping with the nature of the game and maybe would have forced (the incompetent) Lane to discipline Holyfield.

You talk about Tyson as if he was a paragon of virtue.

Tyson was a dirtier fighter than Holyfield & didn't need invites to engage in dirty tactics.

Long before he munched on Holyfield's ear, he was following through with his elbows, biting & hitting after the break.

The most ironic thing about Holyfield/Tyson rivalry & all Mike's whining about headbutts; the worst headbutt during their two fights was committed by Tyson himself, during round 7 of fight 1, when he tried to get out of that fight.

Tyson was/is a student of boxing & probably knows more about the game than most people.

He knows fighters & he realised part way through fight 1 that Holyfield was a real fighter.

By the time of the rematch, he sensed the outcome was going to be similar & he flipped.

The bully got bullied & he just could not handle it for a second time in a row.

[APerno]

Holyfield was a dirty fighter - repeatedly (deliberately) butted Tyson in both fights; leading with his head. - Tyson probably shouldn't have bitten his ear off though; instead, with each butt Tyson should have returned a low blow - it would have been more in keeping with the nature of the game and maybe would have forced (the incompetent) Lane to discipline Holyfield.

You talk about Tyson as if he was a paragon of virtue.

Tyson was a dirtier fighter than Holyfield & didn't need invites to engage in dirty tactics.

Long before he munched on Holyfield's ear, he was following through with his elbows, biting & hitting after the break.

The most ironic thing about Holyfield/Tyson rivalry & all Mike's whining about headbutts; the worst headbutt during their two fights was committed by Tyson himself, during round 7 of fight 1, when he tried to get out of that fight.

Tyson was/is a student of boxing & probably knows more about the game than most people.

He knows fighters & he realised part way through fight 1 that Holyfield was a real fighter.

By the time of the rematch, he sensed the outcome was going to be similar & he flipped.

The bully got bullied & he just could not handle it for a second time in a row.

I wouldn't argue with any of your statements on Tyson; never thought him a 'paragon of virtue' - but that doesn't absolve Holyfield - Tyson earned and got a just reputation for being a dirty fighter, (and certainly isn't remembered for having much character both in and out of the ring) - but I would argue that Holyfield was a dirty fighter as well, yet got a free ride from the media and fans.

I also agree with your earlier post that Tyson was looking for a way to quit. - and in regard to being a bully, Tyson's behavior, in the corner, when he seconds tried to address his cut/swelling, was embarrassing for a prize fighter, (he yelped and complained when they tried to put pressure on it; just like a bully would).

In contrast when Charles (second fight) almost took off Marciano's nose with a punch/elbow, Marciano's corner was aghast and panicked, but all Marciano did was get an embarrassed smile on his face, and apologize to his seconds for causing so much trouble (that's not a bully).

[elmersalsa]

I also believe that the great Mike Tyson was AFRAID of losing by a beat down in the second time around. It would have been, in his eyes, embarrassing. But, people would have not look at it as embarrassing, but that he really lost to a great champion.

[Flump]

I can't believe it was 20 years ago.

Tyson was petrified that he was going to get his arse handed to him again, he flipped & he bitched out of the fight in devastating style.

Holyfield wasn't the saintly figure that he likes to portray, but he can't hold a candle to Tyson in respect of fighting dirty.

Anyone who doesn't think that Tyson wasn't scared just needs to look back at what Teddy Atlas said on the eve of the fight.

He said that Tyson would look for a way out & try & get disqualified & as we all know, Atlas knows Tyson better than anyone.

In short, the bully got bullied twice & he went into meltdown & the rest is history.

This. Knew he was going to get beaten up and took the cowards way out.

[Klee Gluckman]

Tyson was frustrated, he knew how to beat Holyfield but wasn't physically capable of doing it. He showed in the third round what he needed to do but then he also knew there was no way at that stage of career he could fight for 12 rounds too do it.

Tyson knew hed met his maker he wasn't in any shape or form ready to deal with it. A 1988 Tyson with his fitness, Rooney and the high self esteem he had thinking he was going to be a father when Robin faked the pregnancy might have beaten Holyfield. But a self loathing guilt ridden Tyson, no chance.

Tyson bit his ear it was a reflection of where Tyson thought he belonged, a dark place.

[Kalan]

20 years eh, crazy, I thought Tyson was actually having a decent 3rd round before he flipped and 1st bit Holyfield, he should've been DQ'd there and then and not allowed the chance to bite him a 2nd time, Holyfield was dangerous with the head no doubt

Tyson was having an excellent round in the 3rd... That's because he wasn't fear-filled at the moment.. He knew the fight was going to be OVER soon -- as soon as he got the opportunity to bite Holyfield's nose, ear, or part of his face off... Tyson didn't have his mouth piece in so his intent was clear.. His chops were ready for action and he was going to take care of Holyfield by biting an important piece of him off.. He wasn't focused on his punches.

It's like you're losing a round, but all of the sudden you realize you have to take a crap really bad.. And right at that moment you land a hard combination out of the blue and knock your opponent out cold.. You weren't thinking about what you're doing at the moment - so you threw punches instinctively.