Tyson vs Holyfield - Where were you when it happened?

I was a teenager at the time. And just getting into boxing. But I remember the general sense was that Holyfield had too many wars behind him (even then!) and Iron Mike would pretty much brush him aside on the way to becoming undisputed again.
I was definitely surprised when I checked the result the next day(!) Personally, I've never been sure who would have won a fight between them when it was first supposed to happen. I'm perfectly open to the idea that Holy always had his number. But I also feel it's reasonable to hold the view that a slightly younger more physically dynamic Tyson (pre prison) may have had a bit too much for a greener (at heavy) Holyfield, if he had his head right.

 

Lived in Bellerose, Queens, watched it in our basement with some of my friends who came over and my uncle. I had no idea Holyfield even stood a chance but my uncle bet on him and I lampooned him for doing it.

5th round Tyson landed some great combos and we were all on our feet, 6th round Holyfield dropped Tyson I don’t remember the combo, I was so pissed about the headbutt in the 7th too.

It literally felt like a dream couldn’t believe that it was stopped.

Good times though

 

Erfurt - Germany

 

crackhouse St. Petersburg, Florida... got the news and was shocked as ****

 

Which fight?
The first fight I watched at home with my brothers, couple friends and Dad

The rematch, I went to a friends house. It was the middle of the morning. He went upstairs to fall asleep and his creep of a stepdad watched it with me. It turns out many years later he was abusing his step daughter and a grandkid

Lucky me,he was just into young girls and 13 year old boys where not his cup of tea!!

 

Funnily enough, this was the fist boxing match I ever saw. I was just 5 or 6 at the time. My family went to hang out with other people they knew and I was in a room with kids running around. I watched the first round, then went back to play with the kids. All of a sudden I heard a loud scream and all the adults were shouting and talking. I ran back into the living room and saw the gruesome ear biting happen in slow motion. Everyone was on their feet yelling and in disbelief at what they saw.

Hell of a way to be introduced to a sport.

 

Had friends over watching the fight. We live in Atlanta so we were pulling for Holy but not in a way we really believed he could pull it off. Remember being surprised how big Holy looked. Still after his wars with Bowe, and Tyson still having part-to-most of his aura of invincibility in his post-prison run, no one expected it. It was a HUGE huge shock. True in retrospect Holy's head is his third arm and he should've been called on it. but God what a ruckus when Holy Ko'ed Iron Mike. It was like an earthquake. It remains one of my favorite boxing memories.

 

Watching WWF I think.

 

The odds for the first, were 26-1 Tyson as the fave IIRC though, I saw it years later.

 

The first fight, at home. Had 3 other 'erberts round for a curry night/early morning.


Very memorable fight/night.





All viewed on a huge 32" CRT.......

 

My pops had a fight party for both fights, the first fight was Epic! And we rooted for Holyfield, it was "bedlam" in our house when Holyfield got the stoppage. I still have the PPVS on VHS tape.

 

25-1, no?