By Norm Frauenheim –
LAS VEGAS – Mike Tyson lost his cool and Evander Holyfield lost part of his ear.
Manny Pacquiao scored an upset that eventually transformed him into a worldwide celebrity, Filipino Senator and presidential contender.
Julio Cesar Chavez lost for the first time.
Floyd Mayweather never lost there or anywhere.
Welcome to MGM’s Grand Garden Arena. It’s still standing, a place that has seemingly seen it all, endured it all, throughout a long run of the drama, chaos and crazy that only boxing can deliver. Sometimes, it’s theater. Sometimes, comedy. Sometimes, absurd. Sometimes, scary. Often dangerous. And always unpredictable.
The ride, exhausting and exhilarating, continues Saturday with a milestone card featuring lightweights Tank Davis versus Frank Martin and light-heavyweights David Benavidez versus Oleksandr Gvozdyk. It’s number 100 for the 30-year-old arena near the intersection of Tropicana and The Strip. It’s a moment to remember – and in some cases perhaps a reason to forget – a lot of what happened in the world’s busiest boxing arena over the last three decades.
Throughout the week before Saturday night’s first bell, that’s what the sprawling hotel and casino has been doing. It’s been remembering with a museum that features video and mementos. Holyfield’s long-lost ear lobe isn’t among them. From gloves to scars, however, so much else is.
For a sportswriter who was there for the inaugural card – Chavez’ first defeat in 90 fights, a split decision loss to Frankie Randall in January 1994 – here are 10. From controversial to dramatic, I’ve put them in categories.
The Craziest
The Bite Fight. There’s only one. It’s more infamous than famous, it was a heavyweight fight that shut down a casino and a city.
In the third round of the Tyson-Holyfield rematch on June 28, 1997, Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield’s right ear. The arena erupted. Gunshots were heard in the parking lot. Blackjack tables were overturned on to the casino floor. A member of the Arena’s maintenance crew said he had found remains of Holyfield’s ear on the ring’s apron. He showed it to the media, a piece of flesh that he displayed like a relic. He placed it on the middle of a white napkin.
But apparently it was lost in a cab enroute to the emergency room where it was hoped that the bloodied Holyfield could be re-united with the missing earpiece.
Biggest Upsets
Pacquiao over Oscar De La Hoya, Dec. 6, 2008. Pacquiao, dominant in the lightest weight classes, jumps to welter in a fight against the bigger De La Hoya, one of the giants of his generation. Fans and media feared for Pacquiao. Pacquiao dominated, forcing De La Hoya to quit and retire after eight rounds.
Holyfield 11th-round TKO over Tyson, November 9,1996. Holyfield wins an 11th-round TKO. Tyson had gone into the fight heavily favored. Holyfield had been struggling. He had even been diagnosed with a heart problem. But his heart was huge and healthy. He was fearless in attacking Tyson, the bully of his time.
Biggest Knockouts
Pacquiao, KO of Ricky Hatton, May 2, 2008. In the last moment of the second round, Pacquiao lands a left hand that launches Hatton into mid-air. From a ringside seat, you could see the bottom of Hatton’s shoes. He was out before he hit the canvas.
Juan Manuel Marquez, KO of Pacquiao, Dec. 8, 2012. After a frustrating three losses to Pacquiao, a bulked-up Marquez took out his frustration in a third rematch. In the sixth round, Marquez ducked an attempted Pacquiao combo and delivered a straight right hand. Unconscious, Pacquiao, fell, face first, onto the canvas.
Dominating Performance
Marco Antonio Barrera, UD over Naseem Hamed, April 7, 2001. Barrera was one of the great featherweights and junior-featherweights of his generation. But Hamed was the show. As it turned out, he was also the victim. Barrera schooled him from round-to-round. Barrera looked frustrated by Hamed, who kept him waiting while he made a circus-like entrance. He dropped into the ring on a long cable attached to the Arena’s ceiling. Barrera waited, tapping one foot onto the canvas like an impatient teacher. The teacher then delivered a painful lesson.
Biggest Controversy
Timothy Bradley, SD over Pacquiao, June 9, 2012.
Boxing wouldn’t be what it is without scorecard controversies. But few have ever been as noisy as Bradley’s split-decision over Pacquiao, the Filipino’s first loss in seven years. Two judges had it 115-113 for Bradley. The third had it 115-113 for Pacquiao. The crowd and most of the media had Pacquiao winning easily. At the time, I was covering the fight for The New York Times. Going into the 12th round, I had my story written and ready to send. Then, the scores were announced, forcing at least one writer into panicked rewrite.
Biggest Event
Mayweather, UD over Pacquiao, May 2, 2015.
Since the Mike Tyson era, it was the one fight that generated attention from fans and media that had lost interest in boxing. Tickets and credentials were at a premium. Mayweather went on to win a careful decision. The pay-per-view did record numbers, 4.6 million buys.
Biggest Dud
Mayweather, UD over Pacquiao, May 2, 2015
Instead of fireworks, there were yawns. Mayweather’s defensive genius explains his unbeaten record. But the record pay-per-view audience paid to see the edgy drama that is created by fighters willing to risk it all. That didn’t happen.
Master Heavyweight
George Foreman, 10th-round KO of Michael Moorer, Nov. 5, 1994.
Foreman, outsmarted by Muhammad Ali in Zaire in the 1974 Rumble In The Jungle, outsmarted a much-younger man two decades later. At 45, Foreman became the oldest heavyweight champ ever. With hands wrapped in gloves instead of wrapped around cheeseburgers, Foreman delivered a crushing knockout of a 26-year Michael Moorer in a memorable, feel-good story.
