A Moroccan boxer bites his opponent's ear in the Olympics, the "Tyson" way.. (with pictures)
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Moroccan boxer Younes Baala was excluded from the Tokyo Olympics today, after he tried to bite the ear of his New Zealand competitor, David Nyika, in the round of 16 in the 81-91 kg weight category.
The incident reminded former US champion Mike Tyson of biting Evander Holyfield's ear in 1997. Baala lunged at the New Zealander's ear while holding his arms, but his opponent managed to avoid the attack that occurred in the third round.
He was not noticed by Sri Lankan referee Shirumala Thambo or the five judges.
After a fight dominated by Nyica and won 5-0, the organizers announced the exclusion of the Moroccan boxer and the cancellation of his result, despite his loss.
A statement issued by the International Olympic Committee's Boxing Working Group stated that Baala "had a clear intention to bite his opponent's ear in the third round of the match."
He added that Baala was excluded because of his "unbearable movement during the fight."
Niika tried to downplay the incident in a message on his Instagram account, "The heat of battle can bring out the best and the worst in people. This is part of the sport... I have nothing but respect for my opponent and I can appreciate the frustration he felt."
Bala (22 years old) finished 17th in the last World Championships of 2019.
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