Holyfield-Tyson II
Encyclopedia
Holyfield-Tyson II is a name used to identify the boxing
match between Mike Tyson
and Evander Holyfield
on June 28, 1997, in which Tyson bit Holyfield's ear
. The fight was originally billed as Holyfield-Tyson II: The Sound and the Fury and was a follow-up rematch of the first Tyson-Holyfield
fight.
The fight took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
, Nevada
. The referee
officiating the fight was Mills Lane
, who was brought in as a late replacement when Tyson's camp protested the original selection of Mitch Halpern
(who officiated the first fight) as the referee.
As the third round was about to begin, Tyson came out of his corner without his mouthpiece. Lane ordered Tyson back to his corner to insert it. Tyson inserted his mouthpiece, got back into position and the match resumed. Tyson began the third round with a furious attack. With forty seconds remaining in the round Holyfield got Tyson in a clinch, and Tyson rolled his head above Holyfield's shoulder and bit Holyfield on his right ear, avulsing a one-inch piece of cartilage from the top of the ear, and spitting out the piece of ear on the ring floor. Holyfield pushed Tyson away at which Lane called for a time-out. As Holyfield turned to walk to his corner, Tyson shoved him from behind. Lane sent Tyson to a neutral corner as an enraged Holyfield gestured for the referee to look at his bitten ear. The fight was delayed for several minutes as Lane debated what to do. Lane's original inclination was to immediately disqualify Tyson, but after the ringside doctor determined that Holyfield was able to continue despite the bite, Lane announced he would be deducting two points from Tyson and the fight would continue. Bobby Czyz
, who was calling the fight with Steve Albert
for Showtime, said, "I wonder how this would have played in Mitch Halpern
's eyes," and Albert told Czyz, "Oh my goodness, that's a thought, Bobby." As Lane explained the decision to Tyson and his cornermen, Tyson asserted that the injury to Holyfield's ear was the result of a punch. "Bullshit
," retorted Lane. The fight was resumed.
During another clinch, Tyson bit Holyfield's left ear. Holyfield threw his hands around to get out of the clinch and jumped back. Lane did not stop the fight this time, so the two men continued fighting until time expired. The men walked back to their respective corners when the fight was then stopped.
After the fight was stopped, Tyson went on rampage at Holyfield and his trainer Brooks while they were still in their corner. Tyson took swings at the people in his way, but was taken back to his corner by security. Announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. read the decision: "Referee Mills Lane has disqualified Mike Tyson for biting Evander Holyfield on both of his ears."
Later, Tyson was walking back to his locker room when a fan tossed a bottle of water in his direction. Tyson climbed over a temporary railing and up into the stands, made obscene gestures to the crowd, and made his way up the side of a stairway. Tyson was suspended and his license withheld.
One of Tyson's former trainers, Teddy Atlas
, predicted before the fight that Tyson, unable to cope with fighting a man whom he could not intimidate, would deliberately get himself disqualified.
In the documentary Tyson he claimed he did it as retaliation for the headbutting.
On October 16, 2009 at the 4pm Oprah Winfrey Show Tyson apologized to Holyfield. Holyfield accepted his apology and forgave Tyson.http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Mike-Tyson-Apologizes-to-Evander-Holyfield-Video
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
match between Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
and Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
on June 28, 1997, in which Tyson bit Holyfield's ear
Ear
The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....
. The fight was originally billed as Holyfield-Tyson II: The Sound and the Fury and was a follow-up rematch of the first Tyson-Holyfield
Tyson-Holyfield I
Tyson-Holyfield I or Tyson vs Holyfield I, also billed as Finally, was a professional boxing match fought between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson on November 9, 1996 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The referee officiating the fight was Mitch Halpern...
fight.
The fight took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. The referee
Referee (boxing)
The referee in the boxing is the individual charged with enforcing the rules of that sport during a match.-The role of the referee:Referees have the following roles:*Gives instructions to both boxers before the fight...
officiating the fight was Mills Lane
Mills Lane
Mills Bee Lane III is a retired boxing referee, a former boxer, was a two term Washoe County District Court Judge, and television personality...
, who was brought in as a late replacement when Tyson's camp protested the original selection of Mitch Halpern
Mitch Halpern
Mitchell Howard "Mitch" Halpern was a renowned boxing referee who officiated some of boxing's biggest matches....
(who officiated the first fight) as the referee.
Background
In the previous Tyson-Holyfield fight, seven months earlier, Holyfield, who opened as a 25-to-1 underdog (eventually pulling to 15-to-2), floored Tyson for the second time in Tyson's career in the sixth round, and scored a TKO over Tyson in round 11. Holyfield dominated Tyson throughout the fight, winning almost every round.The fight
The fight began with Holyfield dominating Tyson. Holyfield won the first two rounds. At 2:19 of the first round, an overhand right from Holyfield stunned Tyson, but Tyson fought back immediately pushing Holyfield backwards. At 0:32 of round two, Holyfield ducked under a right from Tyson, in so doing head butting Tyson and opening a large cut over his right eye. Tyson had repeatedly complained about head-butting in the first bout between the two.As the third round was about to begin, Tyson came out of his corner without his mouthpiece. Lane ordered Tyson back to his corner to insert it. Tyson inserted his mouthpiece, got back into position and the match resumed. Tyson began the third round with a furious attack. With forty seconds remaining in the round Holyfield got Tyson in a clinch, and Tyson rolled his head above Holyfield's shoulder and bit Holyfield on his right ear, avulsing a one-inch piece of cartilage from the top of the ear, and spitting out the piece of ear on the ring floor. Holyfield pushed Tyson away at which Lane called for a time-out. As Holyfield turned to walk to his corner, Tyson shoved him from behind. Lane sent Tyson to a neutral corner as an enraged Holyfield gestured for the referee to look at his bitten ear. The fight was delayed for several minutes as Lane debated what to do. Lane's original inclination was to immediately disqualify Tyson, but after the ringside doctor determined that Holyfield was able to continue despite the bite, Lane announced he would be deducting two points from Tyson and the fight would continue. Bobby Czyz
Bobby Czyz
Robert Edward "Bobby" Czyz is a retired American boxer. A New Jersey native of mostly Polish and Italian descent, he is both a former world light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion.Czyz was born in Orange, New Jersey...
, who was calling the fight with Steve Albert
Steve Albert
Steve Albert is a sportscaster. He has served as a play-by-play announcer for the New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, Golden State Warriors, New York Mets, and Cleveland Cavaliers...
for Showtime, said, "I wonder how this would have played in Mitch Halpern
Mitch Halpern
Mitchell Howard "Mitch" Halpern was a renowned boxing referee who officiated some of boxing's biggest matches....
's eyes," and Albert told Czyz, "Oh my goodness, that's a thought, Bobby." As Lane explained the decision to Tyson and his cornermen, Tyson asserted that the injury to Holyfield's ear was the result of a punch. "Bullshit
Bullshit
Bullshit is a common English expletive which may be shortened to the euphemism bull or the initialism B.S. In British English, "bollocks" is a comparable expletive, although bullshit is commonly used in British English...
," retorted Lane. The fight was resumed.
During another clinch, Tyson bit Holyfield's left ear. Holyfield threw his hands around to get out of the clinch and jumped back. Lane did not stop the fight this time, so the two men continued fighting until time expired. The men walked back to their respective corners when the fight was then stopped.
After the fight was stopped, Tyson went on rampage at Holyfield and his trainer Brooks while they were still in their corner. Tyson took swings at the people in his way, but was taken back to his corner by security. Announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. read the decision: "Referee Mills Lane has disqualified Mike Tyson for biting Evander Holyfield on both of his ears."
Later, Tyson was walking back to his locker room when a fan tossed a bottle of water in his direction. Tyson climbed over a temporary railing and up into the stands, made obscene gestures to the crowd, and made his way up the side of a stairway. Tyson was suspended and his license withheld.
Aftermath
As a result of biting Holyfield on both ears and other behavior, Tyson's boxing license was revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and he was fined USD $3 million plus legal costs. The revocation was not permanent; a little more than a year later on October 18, 1998, the commission voted 4–1 to restore Tyson's boxing license.One of Tyson's former trainers, Teddy Atlas
Teddy Atlas
Theodore A. "Teddy" Atlas, Jr. is a well-known boxing trainer and fight commentator.-Personal life:...
, predicted before the fight that Tyson, unable to cope with fighting a man whom he could not intimidate, would deliberately get himself disqualified.
In the documentary Tyson he claimed he did it as retaliation for the headbutting.
On October 16, 2009 at the 4pm Oprah Winfrey Show Tyson apologized to Holyfield. Holyfield accepted his apology and forgave Tyson.http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Mike-Tyson-Apologizes-to-Evander-Holyfield-Video