A part of his right ear. That’s the price Evander Holyfield had to pay in 1997 after he clashed against Mike Tyson for the second time in his career. But what he gained that day was far better and iconic, to say the least—a WBA Heavyweight Championship and a lifelong opportunity to boast winning over Iron Mike, who was on a blistering 46-2 record at the time. Notably, this was Tyson’s second match in a row against Holyfield, after he had lost the first one. Perhaps the sheer humiliation of losing again clouded the Baddest Man on the Planet’s vision as he bit into his opponent’s right ear, cleanly tearing off a one-inch piece of cartilage from Holyfield’s ear and spitting it out onto the ring apron. 

And, as expected, the repercussion was far and wide with a disqualification starting the chain of unfortunate events. But, more on that later as…

The community is not yet done with the duo, which was clear after Holyfield’s latest Instagram upload. Still in peak shape with an evident six-pack abs, the 62-year-old Holyfield continues his rigid training, looking more than ready to pick up the gloves at a moment’s notice. Not one to back up from a challenge, ‘The Real Deal’ has made his wish clear about a blockbuster trilogy with Mike Tyson on multiple occasions. All fans needed was a push to rally again for the dream fight. But that’s not all! Rap icon Snoop Dogg, thanks to a recent post by Holyfield, has unwittingly been pulled into this much-discussed debate. So, what exactly happened?

Evander Holyfield, Snoop Dogg, and God’s plan

Less than two weeks later, the boxing community will see their beloved Kid Dynamite in the ring four years after an eight-round exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr, that resulted in a controversial split draw. As Jake Paul comes all guns blazing—with a carefully curated and sometimes head-scratching marketing strategy, complete with a fat suit—fans seem more interested in a Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield bout. Why, you ask? Well…

The revelation came after Evander Holyfield gave his followers a glimpse into his intense training regimen via an Instagram post on November 1. The boxing legend shared a post-workout video, visibly drained and sweating profusely, but still dedicated to his fitness journey. He captioned the post, “Life is good and so is God. Thankful every day.” 

Interestingly, the 62-year-old chose Snoop Dogg’s 1993 track ‘Tha Shiznit’ which includes a reference to Holyfield in the lyrics. But did you know the boxer wasn’t even aware of his fun, little cameo in the song until he heard it in a club one day? And as per the icon, his life’s changed for the better since then. “Everybody like Snoop Dogg. So every time we meet up, they say that slogan,” Holyfield said talking about meeting fans and other industry insiders. But that’s not even the only sing the rapper gave a shout out to the former WBA Heavyweight Champion—he was also mentioned in the 1992 song Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang.

Having said that, the veteran boxer’s recent upload had…

Fans at crossroads over a Holyfield vs. Tyson trilogy

“He was an awesome counter-puncher. I’d say the best ever. I always wondered how he could be so good and so humble,” Mike Tyson had confession back in 2022 when talking about the man who beat him two times in a row. However, Holyfield had other plans and picked George Foreman as the hardest-hitter he’s ever faced. So evidently, there was a budding rivalry between the two magnanimous personalities. The only thing missing? Another fight after the 1997 one went down in shambles. Hence, fans didn’t leave an opportunity to bring that up in the boxer’s recent IG post.

One fan was quick to rally for a trilogy, declaring, “Holyfield vs. Tyson 3,” aligning with the boxing legend’s wish for a highly-anticipated match once more. Notably, the 62-year-old had openly challenged Mike Tyson multiple times, only to get turned down. After Tyson’s exhibition match vs. Roy Jones Jr in 2020, ‘The Real Deal’ had alleged, “My side tried to make the fight happen and we got nothing but excuses,” before adding, “No more excuses. This is the fight that must happen for both our legacies. Saturday night you said you were ready to fight me, so sign the contract and get in the ring, Tyson. The world is waiting and it’s on you now. I’m ready.” 

To this, Tyson had responded, “Maybe Evander needs to talk to me because every time my business associates talk to his business associates, it doesn’t turn out well…So, I don’t know. If you could see what we made tonight, if these guys really care about the welfare of Evander, they would have had this fight with Evander. Maybe we’ll do another, but whoever he’s with, whoever is handling him is totally wrong.”

Having said that, others were not so kind with their comments.

One user went on to support Tyson, stating: “Have you watched Holyfields last fights? Don’t be ridiculous, man is smoked.” The user pointed out ‘The Real Deal’s last fight, a boxing exhibition match against MMA legend and  former UFC light-heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort in 2021, where he suffered a devastating TKO loss.

Although one of their fights went on to have a bad rep due to Tyson’s infamous bite, Holyfield’s impressive skills didn’t go unnoticed. The next user pointed out exactly that, stating, “He countered Tyson every shot that Tyson threw. Tyson would get killed.”

Meanwhile, others made it a point to show their respect. An Instagram user appreciated Snoop Dogg with his comments, “Always thought that was cool that Snoop referenced Real Deal Holyfield in his rap.” The next one showered both boxing legends with heaps of praises, “Mad love Unk you & Tyson still got that prime swag,” admiring their physique despite their old age.

Do you think Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson trilogy should happen? Who do you think will win if it ever comes to fruition?