Mike Tyson believes he went from Baddest Man on The Planet to the most hated overnight after he bit Evander Holyfield’s ear in 1997.
Mr Tyson had been out-boxed and stopped in their initial fight a year prior, and looked to be heading for the same result in the rematch.
Iron Mike – who had come out of prison following a rape conviction just two years beforehand – twice sunk his teeth into Holyfield’s ear before being disqualified in round three.
Tyson was fined £2.5million for the ordeal and suspended for 15 months – and plummeted to public enemy number one.
Opening up about the infamous ‘Bite Fight’ on ‘Mike Tyson Undisputed Truth’, he said: “I’m really very grateful that Evander forgave me for this.
“What was I thinking about? He lost a piece of his ear, I lost a piece of money. A lot of money and I lost my licence.
“All I could say is that I snapped. I went through pure hell. I went from the 10th hated man on the planet, which I can handle, to numero uno.
“Then I was forced to read this contrived apology letter at the press conference for the Nevada State Athletic Commission. To make matters worse, I had to read it on my birthday, June 3rd, 1997.
“But now I really am sorry. Me and Holyfield became friends.”
The heavyweight legends’ relationship was so strong they even starred in a 2013 Footlocker commercial where Tyson hands Holyfield back a piece of his ear.
But 23 years after their infamous fight, the pair could be set to do it all over again, after both announcing plans to make comebacks to box in exhibition bouts for charity.
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Speaking on DAZN’s Face To Face, Holyfield revealed: “What the people want is what the people get.
“There’s a good chance [it will happen]. Everything’s about the people.
“The people start it up because no one is just doing it for free. What the people want is what the people get.”
