Beijing 2008: Boxer Bites Opponent, Mike Tyson? Of course everyone remembers the infamous June 28, 1997 championship fight between Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield vs. “Iron” Mike Tyson. It was on that unforgettable evening, that the world saw an unforgettable sight: Mike Tyson (literally) biting a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear off and spiting it onto the canvas.

In the Beijing 2008 games of the XXIX Olympiad, a boxer was disqualified during Olympic competition for biting his opponent.

With Evander Holyfield in the stands, a light heavyweight boxer from Tajikistan was disqualified for biting his opponent on the shoulder during a quarterfinals bout.

With 17 seconds left in the third round, Dzhakkhon Kurbanov was disqualified and tossed from the Olympics after biting the shoulder of Yerkebulan Shynaliyev during a tie up. Shynaliyev, who was leading the bout by a comfortable 12-6, in a disgusted manner, displayed the blood on his bitten shoulder to referee.

The 22-year old, Kurbanov, who would have certainly made Mike Tyson proud, got off to a promising start in these Beijing 2008 Olympics. In the opening week of his first Olympic participation ever, Kurbanov defeated world champion Abbos Atoev in just his first match. In 2005, Kurbanov won the Asian championships as a gifted middleweight fighter.

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