In 1997, in what has been called the most famous boxing match in history, world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear.
It has been 25 years since one of the most infamous nights in boxing history – when Mike Tyson infamously bit off a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear.
The two boxing legends were meeting for the second time in the ring, after Tyson had sensationally lost the first fight between them six months earlier.
This time, there was more than just a world heavyweight title at stake – there was also personal pride and revenge on Tyson’s mind.
The fight started off poorly for Tyson, as he was knocked down in the second round. He quickly recovered, however, and took control of the bout.
In the third round, Tyson landed a huge right hand that sent Holyfield reeling. As Holyfield tried to clinch, Tyson bit him in the right ear, causing a sizeable chunk of it to be torn off.
The referee stopped the fight, and Tyson was disqualified. The aftermath was chaos as Tyson tried to attack Holyfield’s trainer in the ring, and then spit out the piece of ear that he had bitten off.
The incident overshadowed what was otherwise a great fight, and Tyson was vilified in the media. He was fined $3 million and had his boxing license suspended for 15 months.
Holyfield was praised for his composure and fair play. He had two more successful fights with Tyson before finally retiring in 2014.
Looking back on that infamous night 25 years later, it was a low point in Tyson’s career. His reputation was badly damaged, and he was never able to fully recover from the incident.
Holyfield emerged from the incident with his reputation intact. He remains one of the most respected figures in the world of boxing, and his fair play that night is still remembered fondly by fans.
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