Eight facts about Evander Holyfield vs Mike Tyson II

JUNE 28 represents the 20th anniversary of the evening Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfieldโ€™s ears during their world heavyweight title rematch at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Here, Press Association Sport revisits eight facts surrounding the best-known night in โ€˜Iron Mikeโ€™sโ€™ career.

mike tyson returned to boxing two years later and beat julius francis and lou savarese on british soil (jon buckle/empics)
Mike Tyson returned to boxing two years later and beat Julius Francis and Lou Savarese on British soil (Jon Buckle/Empics)

1. Holyfield v Tyson II was billed as โ€˜The Sound and The Furyโ€™.

2. It had originally been scheduled for May 3 1997 but, after Tyson suffered a cut over his left eye during training, it was postponed until June 28 of that year.

3. Tysonโ€™s former trainer Teddy Atlas had told reporters the night before the fight that if he did not secure an early knockout he was โ€œgoing to try to disqualify himself, either by elbowing, or throwing a low blow, butting or bitingโ€.

4. Holyfield afterwards required eight stitches in his right ear.

the fight was the last tyson bout to be promoted by don king (toby melville/pa)
The fight was the last Tyson bout to be promoted by Don King (Toby Melville/PA)

5. This was the last Tyson fight to be promoted by Don King.

6. โ€˜The Biteโ€™ was named the 1997 Event of the Year by The Ring magazine.

7. Holyfield v Tyson II was then the highest grossing fight in history.

8. Mitch Halpern, who oversaw the first fight, was again chosen as referee until Tysonโ€™s managers John Horne and Rory Holloway asked the Nevada State Athletic Commission that he be replaced. Mills Lane took Halpernโ€™s place.

Don’t miss this week’s issue of Boxing News for a special feature on the Bite Fight

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