Why the most infamous night in boxing history ended with a bitten ear
In short: On June 28, 1997, the WBA World Heavyweight Championship match between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson descended into chaos. Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield's ear, leading to a disqualification that shocked the sports world. Decades later, the event remains a cultural touchstone, evolving from a violent rivalry into an unlikely friendship.
The 1997 rematch, dubbed The Bite Fight, followed a 1996 upset where Holyfield defeated Tyson. Tensions were high, fueled by Tyson's camp objecting to referee Mills Lane, who had officiated the previous bout where Holyfield frequently clashed heads with Tyson. During the second round of the 1997 fight, a head-butt from Holyfield caused a cut over Tyson's eye, which referee Lane deemed accidental. Frustrated by what he perceived as repeated, unpunished fouls, Tyson bit a one-inch piece of cartilage from Holyfield's ear in the third round.
Referee Lane initially allowed the fight to continue after a two-point deduction, but the match was permanently halted after Tyson bit Holyfield's other ear during a later clinch. The disqualification was historic; commentators noted it was the first time in over 50 years that a title bout had ended this way. Tyson was fined $3 million and had his license revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, though it was reinstated in 1998. The fight generated $180 million in total revenue.
The aftermath saw the incident permeate pop culture, appearing in references from Jay-Z lyrics to the video game Fallout 2. However, the personal trajectory of the fighters took a surprising turn. After retiring, the two men reconciled, with Holyfield publicly forgiving Tyson. By 2017, Tyson was presenting Holyfield for his induction into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. The pair eventually leaned into the notoriety of the event, collaborating in 2022 to market ear-shaped cannabis edibles called Holy Ears.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson II
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