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28.06.

1997: Mike Tyson Bites Off a Piece of Holyfield’s Ear

1997: Mike Tyson Bites Off a Piece of Holyfield’s Ear
Photo Credit To Wikipedia Commons

Story Highlights

  • Historical event:
  • 28 June 1997
  • This was a boxing match for the WBA (World Boxing Association) Heavyweight Championship. Holyfield dominated during the beginning. Tyson got angry in the third round and, when they found themselves in a clinch, he bit off a piece Holyfield’s right ear. Tyson was fined a $3,000,000 penalty and banned from competing for more than one year.

On this day a scandalous boxing match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield took place, in which Tyson bit his opponent and tore a piece of his ear with his teeth. 



The place of the event was the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas (MGM Grand is one of the three largest hotels in the world). This was a boxing match for the WBA (World Boxing Association) Heavyweight Championship.

Tyson was 30 years old and Holyfield was 34. Interestingly, Tyson was notably shorter than Holyfield. Holyfield dominated during the beginning. Tyson got angry in the third round and when they found themselves in a clinch, he bit off a piece Holyfield’s right ear.

It was a two-and-a-half cm long piece of cartilage from the top of the right ear. Tyson spat that bit onto the floor.

The judge stopped the match and thought about disqualifying Tyson, but when Holyfield’s doctor confirmed that he can still fight, the match continued.




Only when Tyson bit Holyfield’s left ear as well did the referee stop the match and disqualified him. Tyson was fined $3,000,000 penalty and banned from competing for more than one year.

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