Evander Holyfield has officially called out Mike Tyson. The 58-year old former undisputed heavyweight champion wants a third fight with Iron Mike and he has dared Tyson to “sign the contract”:
📝 Evander Holyfield has tonight issued this statement, officially calling out Mike Tyson for a trilogy: “Sign the contract and get in the ring, Tyson. The world is waiting and it’s on you now. I’m ready.”
⏰ Tyson (54 years old) and Holyfield (58 years old) last fought in 1997. pic.twitter.com/895HV5uCGh
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) December 1, 2020
Holyfield is the oddsmakers’ favorite to face Tyson next. According to MyBookie.ag, the Real Deal is a -150 odds on favorite to land the next Tyson fight. Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is next on the odds board at +300 while former champions Riddick Bowe and Shannon Briggs come next at +500 and +800, respectively.
There’s no doubt that Evander Holyfield is the best fight out there for Iron Mike if the latter decides to “fight” again. Tyson and Holyfield were the best heavyweights in their era. They fought twice, including the one where of the most bizarre incidents in boxing history happened.
The Bite Fight
It was on June 28, 1997, when Evander Holyfield defended the heavyweight championship against the man he won it from seven months earlier. Mike Tyson had won eight fights in a row since his shocking loss to Buster Douglas in 1991. He had won the WBC and WBA titles during the run but saw his streak ended by a betting underdog Holyfield on November 9, 1996. A rematch was set the following year. The event was officially dubbed as “The Sound and Fury” but it will be remembered in sports history as the “Bite Fight”.
Today in 1997, Mike Tyson bites Evander Holyfield’s ear off. #TodayInSports 🤕🥊
— #TodayInSports (@TodayInSports3) June 28, 2020
Holyfield dominated the early rounds and appeared like he was ready to coast to a decision. He employed the same roughhousing tactics on Tyson, preventing the latter from going off like the raging bull he was. Iron Mike kept on complaining about headbutts after one opened a cut over his right eye. Eventually, Tyson became frustrated and in desperation, he bit Holyfield’s right ear.
Despite the foul, the doctors ruled that Holyfield could fight on despite losing one inch off his top ear. The fight was allowed to continue but at the end of the round, it was discovered the Tyson bit Holyfield’s left ear too and when the second bite was revealed, Tyson was disqualified and his boxing license would then be revoked.
Iron Mike’s Reason
For a long time, many wondered why Tyson did what he did. We’ve seen too many boxers get frustrated during fights. Most of them foul their opponents with headbutts or low blows. But never before have we seen a boxer bite his opponent’s ear, not once but twice. And if you watch the replays, Tyson spitted off the chunk of Holyfield’s ear on the ring.
New post (WATCH: Mike Tyson Admits He Bit Evander Holyfield’s Ear Because He ‘Wanted to Kill Him’ At That Moment) has been published on BCNN1 – Black Christian News Network – https://t.co/CNtYExCM9w pic.twitter.com/fdJbUPNpsd
— BCNN1 (@bcnn1) November 19, 2020
In July 1997, Tyson issued a televised apology claiming that he “snapped” during the fight. He asked for forgiveness but at that time, it was more like he merely wanted to get his boxing license back. Tyson would later get licensed again and years later, he and Holyfield became “friends”.
A week or so before last weekend’s Roy Jones bout, Tyson revealed to reporters why he bit Holyfield’s ear. According to Iron Mike, he wanted to “kill” Holyfield at that very moment. He pointed to Holyfield’s “dirty tactics” as the reasons behind his actions. And he even joked that he “might” bite Holyfield again if he “does what he was doing to get bitten”.
The Trilogy Fight
A trilogy fight usually happens when fighters split their first two bouts and a decider is needed. In the case of Tyson vs Holyfield, it’s 2-0 in favor of the Real Deal. Still, it’s a fight that interests not just their fans but the entire sporting world as well. After his draw with Jones, Tyson hinted that he will “fight” again, saying that he will be better in the next one.
Evander Holyfield calls for trilogy bout with Mike Tyson https://t.co/eZV1gCo5fd via @MMAFighting
— MMA Alley (@MMAAlley) December 1, 2020
Even before Tyson and Jones fought, Holyfield had made it known that he wants another Tyson fight. When the viral Iron Mike training videos surfaced earlier this year, Holyfield also began showing footage of himself training rigorously, as if he wanted to challenge Tyson. After the Tyson vs Jones draw, Holyfield posted on his Twitter account that he is ready for war.
In a recent interview, Tyson revealed that the only roadblock to the third fight is Holyfied’s team and that he would like to speak personally with Holyfield. With Holyfield now daring Tyson to sign the contract, it may only be a matter of time before we see these two boxing legends share the ring one final time.
Steve Richardson
Steve Richardson started writing content online in 2013 and has yet to slow down. Since joining our team at GamblingSites.org, he has covered sports, casino news, gambling laws, and much more! …
