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9th November 2020
By: Noah Abrahams
On this day 24 years ago, ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson and Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield went to war in the first of two incredible WBA world heavyweight championship bouts.
Whilst not quite the infamous ‘Bite Fight’, the 1996 slug fest wasn’t far off for entertainment value, Holyfield hungry and Tyson back to winning ways post-prison.
The pair, however, were first acquainted over twenty years before meeting in the ring as professionals.
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Preparation for the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games brought the American’s together as they sparred for a single round whilst training with the national team in the build-up to the tournament.
Whilst only Holyfield made it to the Games (winning a bronze medal), it is said that the sparring session was so intense, it had to be stopped after just three minutes.
Pat Nappi – the Head Coach of the US Boxing Team, split the two athletes apart. Reflecting on the initial meeting with Holyfield, Tyson said: “I whooped his ass. He ain’t ever forgot that and I ain’t ever forgot that.”
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Billed as ‘Finally’, the long-awaited professional match-up between the two took place on the 9th November 1996 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Plans for an original fight on the 18th June 1990 went down the drain when Tyson lost the title to James (Buster) Douglas by a 10th-round knockout in the February of that year. The fight was then re-scheduled for the 8th November 1991, but Tyson was put behind bars.
An 11-round thriller did eventually take place and it was Holyfield who came out the victor on fight night. An upset that to this day remains one of the greatest in boxing, Holyfield also became the first person since Muhammad Ali to win a heavyweight championship belt for a third time.
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Only once in 11 rounds did Tyson actually hurt the WBA’s third ranked Holyfield. ‘The Real’ deal was famous for fighting only after he initially took a beating and that’s exactly how it went down.
Tyson flew out of the blocks in the first round, speedily firing a right cross and using his strength to plummet Holyfield briefly onto the ropes. ‘Iron Mike’ tried to wear his opponent down in the opening three minutes, but Holyfield, having accepted his punishment, began to tie Tyson up.
Controlling the fight from the early stages, the first round went to an initially defensive, but effective challenger.
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Neither athlete could restrain themselves, pure passion resulting in both men unable to hold back both before and after the opening/closing bells.
The second round exposed Holyfield’s tactics. The former Olympian would drive Tyson into the ropes, blocking any attacks and moving him backwards. Holyfield kept his opponent firmly on the back foot, a deadly second round combination to the head a summary of the evening.
Tyson was outboxed for the majority of the bout. Losing the third and fourth rounds, it was in the fifth that the champion’s corner realised that they would be in for a long night. Tyson landed a fierce combination, ‘Iron Mike’s’ best of the fight. Holyfield barely flinched.
A controversial sixth round was perhaps the most exciting of an historical evening. Tyson was cut over his left eye and hit the canvas. Holyfield caught the WBA belt holder with a left hook to the chest as Tyson rushed in with a bleeding eye from an accidental head butt moments before.
A second headbutt followed at the end of round seven and resulted in Tyson being examined by a ring-side doctor. Crying out in pain, ‘Iron Mike’s’ knees buckled and head went.
By the tenth round, the fight was all but over for Tyson. A brutal combination from Holyfield sent Tyson staggering across the ring, the champ out on his feet and defenceless. Saved by the bell, Tyson’s corner allowed for an 11th round, legendary referee Mitch Halpern watching on eagerly as he prepared to intervein.
The 11th round was devastating for Tyson. Holyfield left nothing to chance and fully unleashed the deadliest of combinations onto his opposite. Tyson was finished.
Halpern stopped the fight just 37 seconds into round 11 of 12. Post defeat, Tyson praised the new title holder.
“Thank you very much. I have the greatest respect for you,” Tyson said.
In the same venue, but with a different referee (Mills Lane), the WBA heavyweight championship re-match needs no introduction! Billed ‘The Sound and the Fury’, the ‘Bite Fight’ took place a little more than seventh months later on the 28th June 1997.
The question still remains – Will there ever be a third fight?
Two Of Boxing’s Greatest – Re-live Tyson v Holyfield 1 here:
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