The Daily: Mike Tyson
The Daily: Mike Tyson
25 years ago today, what was supposed to be one of the greatest fights of a generation, Tyson vs. Holyfield was derailed by a mid-bout snack. Let’s take a look back in The Daily: Mike Tyson edition.
Mike Tyson lured Evander Holyfield out of retirement for a title shot in November of 1996. Some say Tyson was ducking Lennox Lewis, which may be true. Holyfield, who had retired in 1994, was the next plausible challenge for Tyson and he could not resist the temptation of an unheard-of payday. Holyfield entered the first fight as the underdog and shocked the world with an 11th-round TKO to win the WBA title.
Fast forward to June 28th, 1997, and the Tyson/Holyfield rematch. What was billed as The Sound and The Fury quickly eroded into The Bite Fight. The Vegas crowd turned on the favorite Tyson by the end of the first, chanting Holyfield. After a few headbutts in the third, Tyson lost whatever composure he had left, removed his mouthpiece, and bit Evander’s right ear. After a brief stoppage, Tyson bit Holyfield’s left ear. Mike was then disqualified and his massive $30M purse was withheld.
The Card: 1986 Panini Suportsport Stickers Mike Tyson
Now, if you rewind the clock back to 1986, you will find Mike Tyson becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in history. Then, a 20-year-old Tyson knocked out Trevor Berbick in the second to earn the title.
1986 is also where you find what collectors widely regard as Mike Tyson’s rookie. In fact, it’s safe to say it is a consensus at this point. However, the Beckett database does not have the RC in the listing. Still, like many other non-traditional sets, the hobby has deemed it so.
While boxing cards may never see the kind of prices baseball or football cards do, this card is a standout in an otherwise secondary niche segment of the hobby. As a result, Tyson’s 1986 Supersport has seen high demand over the past several years. High-grade copies often sell for $10K or more, and even raw copies can grab $500 or more. With this in mind, seeing current listings with with asking prices well into six figures shouldn’t be a surprise
