Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
It kinda pains me to post this b/c I’m a big Iron Mike fan & didn’t want to go back down this road. He’s come a long way and is such a humble different person now. But at the same time, this was a big event in sports history so I had to share!
June 28, 1997, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas.
Tyson, in his usual black trunks and shoes without socks, begins the bout more cautiously than the first fight with Holyfield last November 9, when Holyfield stunned Tyson in the 11th round of a one-sided beating. On this night, Tyson throws several long right-handed bombs, just as he did in the first bout against Holyfield, but this time, for some odd reason, he seldom uses his jab.
Midway through the opening round, Holyfield hammers Tyson with hooks and jabs, then rocks Tyson with a right uppercut and left hook that momentarily wobbles the former champ. Tyson is unable to unload his big overhand, but with only seconds left, he finally lands a vicious blow to Holyfield’s ribs.
Seconds into Round 2, Holyfield leans into Tyson and accidentally head butts him, above his right eye, opening a gash. Referee Mills Lane immediately signals head butt, but he does not take a point away, infuriating Tyson and his corner. Tyson’s frustration and anger grows as Holyfield smartly and craftily nullifies Tyson’s power. Holyfield charges forward time after time, turning up the pressure as Tyson backs up and abandons the jab that his trainer, Richie Giachetti, had ordered him to use.
Holyfield wins the first two rounds on all three judges’ scorecards. Tyson is clearly frustrated and irritated. As the third round is about to begin, Tyson storms out of his corner. But he is not wearing his mouthpiece. No one notices except Holyfield.
Holyfield points to Tyson’s mouth and looks toward Lane, illustrating that his opponent does not have a mouthpiece. Lane orders Tyson back to his corner to get the mouthpiece. Tyson then shoots back out of his corner, immediately catching Holyfield with a solid right and then a ferocious combination. The crowd goes wild, chanting “Holyfield! Holyfield!” and then “Tyson! Tyson!”
Breathing heavily, Tyson stumbles back as Holyfield charges and nails him with a solid right to the ribcage. Tyson counters with two solid hooks, but neither makes the champion budge. Suddenly, with 40 seconds left in the round, the fight takes an ugly and ghastly turn: Tyson gets Holyfield in a clinch, rolls his head above Holyfield’s shoulder, spits out his mouthpiece, and then in an inexplicable and gruesome move, crunches down hard with his teeth on Holyfield’s right ear and bites off a chunk.
WRITTEN BY Rick Weinberg & FULL STORY HERE
