Boxing's Top 3 Biggest Scandals
Boxing is a combat sport that has been around for a very long time. Unsurprisingly, that means that there have been a lot of boxing scandals. The biggest boxing scandals often involve violence of some kind.
The Ear-Biting Incident
Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield faced off not once but twice in the 1990s. Unsurprisingly, the infamous ear-biting incident happened in the second fight. Tyson bit off a chunk of Holyfield's right ear in the third round, was penalized, and then bit Holyfield's other ear. He received a temporary ban for this, but the ear-biting incident nonetheless had a damaging effect on the sport.
Griffith Kills Paret
Still, the ear-biting incident can't compare with the actual deaths that have happened in the boxing ring. In 1962, Emile Griffith fought his long-time rival Benny Paret in Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, the fight ended with Paret dying after being pummeled while he was on the ropes. Something that convinced a lot of networks to end the broadcasting of boxing until the 1970s.
Mancini Kills Kim
In 1982, Ray Mancini faced off against Kim Duk Koo in a 15-round fight. Kim lasted until the 14th round. However, he would later die of brain injuries sustained during the fight. This prompted boxing authorities to lower the limit of 15 rounds to 12 rounds in an effort to lower the chances of a similar incident happening in the future.