Fifteen years ago today, Mike Tyson famously famously took a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear during their fight in Las Vegas. Holyfield was awarded the winner after Tyson was disqualified for the biting incident. (V.J. Lovero/SI)
GALLERY: Biting in Sports | Rare Photos of Mike Tyson
SI VAULT: Tyson drags his sport to new depths (7.7.97)
My friend and I went to an Allman Brothers concert the night of the fight. We ordered it on Pay Per View, and had the VCR set to record should we not get home in time after the show.
On the way home, we got a call from my friend’s brother, who had also ordered the fight.
Him: “Did you see the fight?”
Us: “Not yet. What happened?”
Him: “Well, I’ll just say that it was very ‘interesting,’ and ended in the third round.”
From the SI article above:
With less than a minute left in the round, and with no apparent provocation, Tyson got Holyfield in a clinch, rolled his head up and above Holyfield’s shoulder and spit out his mouthpiece. What happened next was amazing, assuming you could believe your eyes. Tyson’s mouth reached Holyfield’s right ear and with a savagery that went well beyond what even his promoter could market, Tyson crunched down hard with his teeth and took a chunk right off. It was no saving grace that Tyson spit it out.
Someone posted the entire fight to YouTube:
The fight, er…the bite, was sick and twisted and bizarre. But, watch the aftermath. The entourages rushing the ring…Tyson’s manager going on the defensive…
Wild stuff.
Hey, so this guy was once allowed in a ring with Mike Tyson.
Sure, it was early in Tyson’s career and we didn’t yet know the boxing phenom he was to become, but c’mon…the guy had MAN BOOBS.
If you look up “sacrificial lamb” in the dictionary, there’s a picture of Mike Jameson.
And, as if the man boobs weren’t enough to let you know that Tyson was —- literally —- punching above his weight class, the guy didn’t even have a cool nickname. He was announced as “Irish Mike Jameson.”
No “Iron Mike Tyson.”
No “The Real Deal Holyfield.”
“Irish.”
“Irish Mike.”
Even Rocky, a fictional character, got “Italian Stallion.”
That’s low, Mike.
Makes me think back to those Saturday morning 1980’s WWF matches when a superstar like The Ultimate Warrior would fight some no-name dude in unicolor briefs. The Ultimate Warrior would come running in to some upbeat song, strobe lights, wearing a fringed robe. His opponent: “John McFarrrrrrrrrrrrrlane!!!”
He should have had a sign on his back that said “Just here for the ass-kicking.”
Video of the fight here.
