New controversy: Did Mike Tyson bite another boxer?
Boxing
By
Mirror
| Nov 15, 2020
Lennox Lewis has recalled his infamous press-conference fight with Mike Tyson, confirming his old rival did bite him during the melee.
The two went head-to-head back in 2005, in one of highest-grossing pay-per-view events in boxing history.
Lewis would go on to knock out Iron Mike, successfully defending the unified heavyweight title in front of a fervent crowd in Memphis, Tennesse.
But the fight almost never went ahead, after the two were involved in an ugly skirmish, days before the highly anticipated bout.
In Lewis’ new documentary, ‘Lennox: The Untold Story’, the legendary British fighter’s close friend Courtney Shand opened up on the tension leading up to their first meeting.
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“The moment we got together for the press conference, there was so much tension,” Shand said.
“I remember when we got to New York, the night before the press conference he said: ‘If Mike makes one move for me forget about all the money, I’m not backing down from him. I’m not backing up from him.'”
On the altercation itself, which saw both fighters and their security teams embroiled, Lewis has revealed that although he landed the blows, Tyson got his own brand of revenge.
He added: “All of a sudden I’ve seen him take his hat off, throw it on the ground and start marching towards me.
“Boom. I was on it – the first three punches were mine and the first bite was his.”
Tyson was fined £260,000 for the incident, but it wasn’t his first offence, after he was suspended from the sport for biting a chunk out of Evander Holyfield’s ear in 2002.
The 54-year-old is set to step in the ring for the first time in 15 years later this month, as he takes on Roy Jones Jr in California.
Jones Jr and Tyson have rightly gone down in boxing folklore as two of the best to ever do it, but there bout has come in for criticism due to the fighters’ advanced years.
Promoter Frank Warren admitted he wouldn’t be watching an event, he labelled as “sad”.
Warren said: “It's on BT and I work with BT. For me, I have no interest in it.
“By interest I mean I don't like the idea of guys that age fighting. I know it's going to be a so-called exhibition match but I have no interest.
“They're obviously doing it for money and I think it's quite sad they're doing what they're doing.
“They should not be doing it, boxing is a young mans game.”