‘Iron’ Mike Tyson is one of the sport of boxing’s all-time greats and still holds the record to this day of being the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. Tyson’s last match would come in 2005 when he would lose by knockout to Kevin McBride in the 6th round. However, one of Tyson’s most controversial, infamous, yet well-known moments is when he bit a portion of Evander Holyfield’s ear off.
Many would compare this moment to when King Richard actor Will Smith would slap stand-up comic Chris Rock at this year’s Acadamy Awards. As a result, Smith would step down from his position at the Academy of Motion Arts & Sciences and be banned from attending the Oscars for the next decade. However, one Twitter user would post how stark of a difference in punishment Smith received in comparison to Tyson after biting Holyfield’s ear.
Whereas Will Smith has been banned from all Academy events for the next ten years, Mike Tyson was banned from boxing by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for only 15 months for biting off a piece of Holyfield’s ear in their rematch.
In other news around Mike Tyson, the former Heavyweight Champion of the world recently shared his plan to revive boxing to its so-called glory days in a recent interview with the New York Post.
“Every weight class has a tournament,” he said. “They have so many titles because when it’s a title fight you get more money. That’s good. But they should unify every weight class, and separate them up and start all over again [in a tournament for each class’ champ].”
As boxing is currently structured, with several different promoter fiefdoms, the best matchups do not always happen in the sport.
“If I was still a young fighter, I’d say, ‘You’re letting these guys eat around you, letting these guys live around you?’ They’re supposed to be your food! And you’re letting them eat, letting them get stronger. It’s just crazy. That’s my mentality. I want your total surrender or your total destruction, either one.”
04/09/97
Mike Tyson was banned from boxing by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) for 15 months for biting off a piece of Holyfield’s ear in their rematch.03/27/22
Will Smith has been banned from all Academy events, for 10 years, the AMPAS announcedREALLY?
— ن Americanblogger † ✡︎🇺🇸 (@CivilianBlogger) April 8, 2022
