By Geoffrey Ciani – 15/11/2024 – Commentary
Between April 1986 and June 1988, Iron Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield made a lot of noise in boxing.
Tyson took the heavyweight division by storm, and Holyfield took the cruiserweight division by storm. Mike won all 3 major heavyweight titles of the day, earning a valid claim as lineal world heavyweight champion. Holyfield won all 3 major cruiserweight titles of the day, and also earned a valid claim as lineal world cruiserweight champion. It marked Holyfield as the first undisputed cruiserweight champion in division history, and for Tyson, he became the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Leon Spinks last achieved that distinction nearly 10 years earlier.
The two originally agreed to fight sometime in 1990, but those plans were derailed when Buster Douglas scored a shocking upset against Iron Mike. They were later scheduled to fight in November 1991, but it was pushed back after Tyson suffered a rib injury during training. The date was tentatively pushed back to 1992, but those plans fell apart after Tyson was sent to prison. By the time they finally fought on November 9, 1996 – both were past their late 80s and early 90s fighting primes. Tyson was the heavy favorite going into their first fight as Holyfield was widely regarded as a shot fighter. But Holyfield rose to the occasion and scored a dramatic 11th round stoppage to win in an upset. Their rematch took place the following year in June, and this time Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ear twice.
This issue of Rummy’s Corner will provide a quick breakdown and overview of the rivalry between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, from 1990 when they originally agreed to fight, to 1997 when the two had their bizarre and unusual rematch. Please watch and enjoy the video for one man’s opinion. This is Rummy’s Corner (produced and narrated by Geoffrey Ciani).
Last updated on 15/11/2024
