Evander Holyfield vs Mike Tyson 1: 30 years since the odds were upset

Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield 1 marked Tyson’s first defence of the WBA heavyweight title that he won against Bruce Seldon. The event was dubbed Finally and brought together two of the most recognised fighters on the planet. This rivalry dates back to 1984, when Holyfield qualified for the 1984 LA Summer Olympics, went on to win a bronze medal, while Tyson was not selected and lost on points to Henry Tillman. Fast forward to November 9, 1996, Tyson stepped into the ring to face Holyfield, with his WBA title on the line. Big Fight Weekend takes a trip down memory lane to 1996 to relive Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield 1.

Evander Holyfield vs Mike Tyson 1: “The Real Deal” upsets the odds

Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield 1 almost never seemed like it would happen, and when Tyson went to prison for rape in 1992, it seemed further away than ever. However, Tyson was released from prison in 1995, and “Iron Mike” still had the pull with the public, and fought Peter McNeeley, who, despite putting up a great fight, was knocked down twice in the opening round, which led to Vinnie Vecchione entering the ring and referee Mill Lane disqualifying McNeeley. 

Tyson won three consecutive fights before stepping into the ring to face Holyfield for the WBA title. “Iron Mike” was a huge favourite with the bookies and started quickly against “The Real Deal.” An early right cross from Tyson shocked Holyfield, but that was as good as it got for Tyson. Holyfield’s superior timing stood out, with several sharp counters early on. A punch after the bell from Tyson was telling as Evander retaliated, where many would have gone into their shell against Tyson.

What was noticeable in the early part of the fight was Holyfield’s strength as he pushed Tyson back in a clinch on more than one occasion, which unsettled Tyson and seemed to annoy “The Baddest Man on the Planet.” The rounds went by quickly, and Holyfield stayed disciplined, with Tyson failing to land anything of note. Tyson was being thoroughly outboxed when, in the fifth round, he appeared to hurt Holyfield.

In the seventh round, Holyfield dropped Tyson with a body shot, the first knockdown he had experienced since his historic loss to Buster Douglas. In the coming rounds, Tyson appeared to become more agitated, following accidental clashes of heads and Holyfield’s sharp counters. Holyfield landed a big shot at the end of round 10 that sent Tyson staggering. Tyson looked finished at the end of the tenth, but came out for the following round and was quickly tagged by Holyfield, and Mitch Halpern had seen enough, waving the fight off and awarding Holyfield the shock victory!

What happened next?

Tyson and Holyfield met the following year in a rematch that will live on in boxing folklore, with Tyson disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ear. Tyson’s career never quite recovered, with Tyson suffering defeats against Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams, and Kevin McBride.

Inexplicably, Tyson returned in 2024, losing by unanimous decision against Jake Paul, aged 58. Exhibitions against Floyd Mayweather and others have been mentioned, but to the relief of many, Tyson has not returned to the ring since. 

The Big Fight Weekend verdict on Evander Holyfield vs Mike Tyson 1

Evander Holyfield vs Mike Tyson 1 felt like it was never going to happen, and when it finally did, most were expecting Tyson to blow Holyfield away, but “The Real Deal” was too sharp and strong for “Iron Mike”, who had only limited success.

What would have happened if they’d fought before Tyson went to prison? We will never know, but one thing we do know is that when they did finally meet, “The Real Deal” tamed “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”

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