There are ways to emulate Mike Tyson … and there are ways not to. Moroccan heavyweight Youness Baalla went the wrong direction Tuesday in the Tokyo Olympics.
Baalla was losing a one-sided fight to David Nyika in the Round of 16 when he evidently attempted to bite Nyika’s ear during a clinch in Round 3. Nyika was able to pull away before he suffered an injury and felt fortunate afterward.
The Kiwi won the fight 5-0 to advance to the quarterfinals.
Morocco’s Youness Baalla tried to bite the ear of New Zealand’s David Nyika!!! #Boxing #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/N6LJIqjb6S
— Ben Damon (@ben_damon) July 27, 2021
“Did you see that? I don’t think the ref saw it. She was the closest one,” Nyika said. “He didn’t get a full mouthful. Luckily he had his mouthguard in and I was a bit sweaty. I don’t remember what I said to him but I gave him a little bit of a cheek.
“I have been bitten once on the chest before at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. But c’mon man, this is the Olympics.”
Nyika added on Instagram: “The heat of battle can bring the best AND the worst out of people. This is part of sport. I have nothing but respect for my opponent and can appreciate the frustration he must have felt. Please don’t reach out to him if you have nothing nice to say.”
Olympic boxing officials later disqualified Baalla for “very clearly intended to bite the ear/face of his opponent in the third round of the bout.”
Of course, the incident reminded everyone of the night Mike Tyson gnawed off a portion of Evander Holyfield’s ear in 1997.