Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight champion known as "Iron Mike," has taken a swing at Evander Holyfield's reputation. In a recent interview, Tyson claimed that Holyfield "isn't the tough warrior that he says he is."
Tyson burst onto the boxing scene in 1985 at just 18 years old. He quickly made a name for himself with a streak of 19 consecutive stoppage wins, 12 of which came in the first round. In 1986, he knocked out Trevor Berbick in the second round to become the youngest WBC heavyweight champion ever.
By age 21, Tyson had unified the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles by defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker. He seemed unstoppable until he met Evander Holyfield.
Holyfield beat Tyson twice, first in November 1996 with a stoppage in the penultimate round. Their rematch in June 1997 became one of boxing's most infamous moments when Tyson was disqualified in the third round for biting Holyfield's ear.
Now, years later, Tyson still has some complaints about those fights. He told reporters:
"I told him 'he butt me'. I complained about it in the first fight."
Tyson went on to question Holyfield's toughness, comparing their physical conditions:
"Listen, Holyfield isn't the tough warrior that he says he is! I got one eye! He's not impaired, he's got ears. I got one eye, if he takes one I got another one.."
The 'bite fight' remains one of the most controversial moments in boxing history. While Tyson's comments might stir up old rivalries, they also remind us of the intense battles these two champions shared in the ring.
