“He tried to kill me,” Mike Tyson regrets on landing a punch that unleashed Evander Holyfield’s ferocious fury

Mike Tyson recalls landing mean body shot to Evander Holyfield, that turned the tide in their infamous bite-battle.

“He tried to kill me,” Mike Tyson regrets on landing a punch that unleashed Evander Holyfield’s ferocious fury

Mike Tyson chimes in on details of his matchup with Evander Holyfield (Source: IMAGO)

Boxer Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield had an infamous encounter in 1997. The Baddest Man on the Planet had bit off part of Holyfield’s ear, leading to a disqualification. “The Real Deal” and “Iron Mike” had been major boxers in the golden era of the sport, in the heavyweight division. They fought each other in 1996 and 1997.

After Holyfield emerged victorious in their first meeting through an 11th-round stoppage, they went on to meet again in a hyped-up second fight. A fight infamous for its historic “bite”. Holyfield had cut Tyson above the eye, in retaliation to which, he had sunk in his teeth, twice.

The duo have since become close, with Tyson praising his former rival. In an interview with Holyfield on his ‘Hotboxin’ podcast, Tyson said of Holyfield that he is a good guy. In another interview with the 2014 issue of The Ring Magazine, Tyson mentioned the same. Speaking on Holyfield he had said:

[Coming into the fight] I just thought he was awesome. I had great admiration and respect for him. But I just thought he could never beat me; and I won the first round...In the first round I hit him hard to the body. Next thing I know, i am on the ropes. 10 rounds, 11 rounds! I wish I never hit this guy in the body. He tried to kill me; I heard him scream and he really tried to kill me. He is a splendid guy. And that's why I despise him so much. Cause I adore him so much!

Aggrieved by Holyfield’s usage of sudden headbutts, Tyson had planted his notorious bite. Speaking to Ring Magazine, Tyson described Holyfield as the best puncher and the best he’s ever faced. He said:

Great champion: chin, heart, determination, work ethic, demeanor. He threw terrific shots with both hands and with bad intentions...

The duo has even launched their own cannabinoid edibles venture, shaped in the pattern of the infamous bit-off ear!

Mike Tyson discusses life in Cleveland in a resurfaced video

Mike Tyson was a resident of the Cleveland, Ohio area from the 1980s to 1999. The boxing legend has decades of memories and stories worth sharing. These include being baptized in the presence of Jesse Jackson, promoter Don King, and a crowd of about 700 onlookers. He even had stories to tell about his mansion, which he sadly abandoned in 1999 until it became a church.

Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson (Source: IMAGO)

The boxer is full of stories, even outside the spectrum of fights. Tyson rose from family struggles, and even consequential substance abuse and temper tantrums. He turned his way around and joined Hollywood even, in limited acting stints. He even has cannabis product ventures of his own.

Talking to Bizzy Bone in the ‘Hotboxin’ podcast, Tyson discussed life in Cleveland. He spent more than a full decade there and had stories to tell. A video has surfaced, of this clip, on X (formerly Twitter) that entails his experience and narrative.

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