BITE OF THE CENTURY; TWICE-BITTEN HOLYFIELD WINS AS TYSON DQ'D.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer

Once again, Mike Tyson fell victim to his own vile nature.

In perhaps the most bizarre moment in the bizarre history of prizefighting, Tyson was disqualified when he bit champion Evander Holyfield on each ear here Saturday in the rematch of their fabulous Nov. 9, 1996, fight.

Apparently, Tyson was retaliating for what he believed was an intentional head butt in the second round that caused a cut below his right eye, a butt that appeared to be accidental.

However, an incredulous sold-out crowd at the MGM Grand didn't buy it: As Tyson, a convicted rapist, made his way down the corridor to his dressing room, he was booed mercilessly and pelted with whatever the spectators had in their hands.

If Tyson wasn't reviled before, he was now.

``It goes to show you have no courage when you try to foul and get out of a fight,'' Holyfield said. ``Fear causes people to do the easy thing or the quickest thing. . . There was no courage there whatsoever.''

Tyson, who made $30 million for this, said he was justified in light of the the butt and the fact referee Mills Lane failed to penalize Holyfield.

``No one warned him, no one took any points from him,'' said Tyson, who also was cut by a butt in the first fight. ``What am I to do? This is my career. I can't continue getting butted like that. I got children to raise. And this guy keeps butting me trying to cut me and get me stopped on cuts. I gotta retaliate.''

The scene in the third round was surrealistic.

With about 30 seconds to go and the fighters' heads side by side, Tyson took a chunk out Holyfield's right ear. In interviews afterward, it was obvious that a small piece of Holyfield's ear was missing.

In response, Holyfield threw a wild punch, then grabbed his ear and jumped into the air in a fit of anger.

``When he bit me the first time, I couldn't believe it,'' Holyfield said. ``. . . He caught me with a good shot and bit my ear and spit it out. I'm missing part of my ear.'' As Lane stopped the action to determine what had happened, Holyfield headed to his corner and Tyson pushed him forcefully in the back, causing him to fall against the ropes, at which time Lane jumped in to gain control.

Several minutes later, after doctors determined that Holyfield could continue, Lane took two points from Tyson, one for the bite and one for the push. The fight then continued.

The fighters, both overcome by anger, squared off in the center of the ring and winged punches wildly in an incredibly intense moment. Then, the first time their heads again came together, Tyson bit through Holyfield's left ear.

After the round ended, Lane decided he had seen enough and stopped it.

``The first bite, you could actually see teeth marks in the ear,'' Lane said. ``. . . Then, after they wrestled together again, if you will, (Holyfield) jumped back again and you could see another mark.

``One bite is bad enough. Two bites is the end of the search.''

Lane's decision set off a short melee in the ring, when Tyson apparently went after someone in Holyfield's camp. However, security people and others in the ring were able to restrain him and control the volatile situation. There were also scuffles in the stands.

As Tyson left the ring, the booing started and didn't let up. And as he walked past the crowd, obviously incensed, he and random fans yelled and screamed at one another until he made his way into a tunnel leading to the dressing rooms and disappeared.

Nevada State Athletic Commission officials said Tyson is temporarily suspended and 10 percent his purse (the legal limit) will be withheld pending an emergency meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

In the fight itself, Holyfield (34-3, with 24 knockouts) won the first two rounds, although no telling blows were landed. Tyson (45-3, 39 KO's), who landed several good punches, was winning the third but lost the round because of the two-point deduction.

Of course, it was meaningless in light of the strange events. This one won't be remembered for boxing. It will be remembered as the night Mike Tyson appeared to lose his mind - and Holyfield lost part of his ear.

In a preliminary bout, Julio Cesar Chavez (100-2-1, 84 KO's) ensured a lucrative matchup with fellow Mexican Miguel Angel Gonzalez for the WBC super lightweight title when he easily outpointed outclassed Larry La Coursiere (22-7-1, 11 KO's) over 10 rounds.

Earlier on the card, Gonzalez (42-1, 31 KO's) knocked out equally overmatched Roberto Granciosa (31-18-3, 16 KO's) after three rounds of another scheduled 10-rounder bout.

Chavez was frustrated by La Coursiere, who ran around the ring in effort to survive. Chavez knocked him down once, hit him on the bridge of his nose and landed a few meaningful punches but was never able to put enough together to hurt him.

Still, the outcome was never in doubt.

``I will look better and be prepared when I fight for the title,'' Chavez said. ``It was boring for me. My opponent ran from me.''

Granciosa was hurt and went down late in the third round and couldn't continue.

Although her nose bled throughout a scheduled eight-round women's bout, Christy Martin (32-1-2, 25 KO's) battered Andrea DeShong (13-5-1, seven KO's) until the fight was stopped 1:43 into the seventh round.

Robert Garcia (28-0, 22 KO's) of Oxnard stopped Mexican Angel Andama (28-25-1, 12 KO's) at 1:09 into the fifth round of a scheduled 10-round junior lightweight bout.

Garcia, who had won the first four rounds on all cards, was pounding Andama on the ropes when the fight was stopped.

Garcia, the No. 1 contender, is in line to fight the winner of the October Arturo Gatti-Gabriel Ruelas fight for the IBF title.

``I'm looking forward to it. I don't care who wins,'' Garcia said.

And Lonnie Bradley (26-0-1, 20 KO's) retained his WBO middleweight championship when he knocked out John Williams (18-5, 11 KO's) 45 seconds into the eighth round.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1--color) Evander Holyfield has his bloodied right ear checked out by his corner during the third-round stoppage.

(2--color) Mike Tyson protests to referee Mills Lane the disqualification in the third round for biting Holyfield's ears twice.

Associated Press