Mike Tyson explains why he “wanted to k.ill” Evander Holyfield during rematch: “I was really mad about my head being bumped and everything”.
Holyfield beat Tyson in 1996 with an 11th-round stoppage before Tyson was disqualified in their rematch the following year.
The former “baddest man on the planet” took a chunk out of his rival’s ear in their second meeting and was later banned from boxing.
Tyson has revealed he was angered by Holyfield using his head in their two fights.
“No, I bit him because I wanted to kill him,” Tyson told Fox News. “I was really mad about my head being bumped and everything. I really lost consciousness of the whole fight. It took me out of my fight plan and everything.
“Listen, good or bad, I’m not going to let anyone take my glory. So, I’m going to confront everything that I have to confront… Hey listen, I done it. I got to handle the responsibility of it. That was my glory. And I took responsibility for it.”
When asked if he would do the same if he was in that position again, Tyson added: “I hope not.
“I say, ‘No, never ever again’ but I might do it again. Well if he does what he was doing to get bitten, I would bite him again, yeah.”
“This is my career. I’ve got children to raise and this guy keeps butting me, trying to cut me and get me stopped on cuts. I’ve got to retaliate. What else could I do? He didn’t want to fight. I’m ready to fight right now. Regardless of what I did, he’s been butting me for two fights. I got one eye. He’s not impaired. He’s got ears. I’ve got to go home and my kids will be scared of me. Look at me, look at me, look at me!”
Tyson had already been given two chances to fight that night – when the first bell rang and when referee Mills Lane allowed the contest to continue after he had chewed off a chunk of Holyfield’s right ear and spat it on to the canvas – so his victim act fell on deaf ears, so to speak. “Bullshit,” said Lane. “The butt was an accidental butt. How many times do you want him to get bit? There’s a goddamn limit to everything, including bites.” Lane had been reluctant to stop the fight but decided enough was enough. “One bite is bad enough, two bites is dessert.”
Sympathy was in short supply for Tyson and, after he went home and calmed down a bit, he knew it. “I shouldn’t have done that,” he told his wife Monica. “My fans are going to hate me.” She reassured him, telling him that everybody makes mistakes. Soothed by those comforting words, Tyson smoked some weed, drank some liquor and went to sleep.
Tyson fight for the first time in 15 years when he clashes with fellow ring legend Jones Jr in Los Angeles.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion was last seen retiring on his stool after the fifth round of his fight with Kevin McBride in 2005.
He and Jones Jr will fight over eight rounds in what has been officially termed an exhibition bout, much to the chagrin of both men.
