Former rivals Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield will face off one more time on August 9, but this time the gloves are off. No, they're not having a bare-knuckle brawl in the streets of Las Vegas. Tyson will be inducting Holyfield into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. The two will come together again after occasionally referencing or parodying the infamous 1997 re-match in which Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield's ear, resulting in his disqualification. Is it still a tough subject? Things have cooled off a bit since the ear-biting fiasco, but it's still a bit intriguing every time they're in the same place together.
Rich Marotta, the founder and president of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, wasn't afraid to toot his own horn at the decision of have Tyson induct Holyfield. Boxing, and Las Vegas for that matter, are all about entertainment, and it's obviously a big deal any time those two legendary names are put together (via CNN):
"'This is the kind of thing we showed is possible in boxing last year at our inaugural induction ceremony,'" Marotta said. "'Former and even current rivals coming together under the same roof to celebrate boxing. Everyone checks those rivalries at the door.'"
Of course Tyson and Holyfield themselves must realize the magnified marquee value their names combined have (via Yahoo):
"Tyson called the opportunity to meet with Holyfield again and help induct him into the Nevada Hall a 'privilege and high honor.' Holyfield was seemingly more subdued but no-doubt sincere in saying, of Tyson's involvement, 'that's great.'"
Now, everyone knows that Tyson had a lot of punching power, but according to TMZ, Holyfield doesn't put him at the top of his list of hardest hitters. The boxer who rung Holyfield's bell the hardest? George Foreman.
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