In the previous Tyson-Holyfield fight, seven months earlier, Evander Holyfield, who opened as a 25-to-1 underdog (eventually pulling to 15-to-2), floored Mike Tyson for the second time in Tyson's career in the sixth round, and scored a TKO over Tyson in round 11.
•
Bobby Czyz, who was calling the fight with Steve Albert for Showtime, said, "I wonder how this would have played in Mitch Halpern's eyes," and Albert told Czyz, "Oh my goodness, that's a thought, Bobby."
Mike Tyson | Mike Oldfield | Mike Harris | Evander Holyfield | Mike Nattrass | Mike Leigh | Mike Watt | Cicely Tyson | Mike Mignola | Mike Gordon | Mike | Mike Nichols | Mike Rutherford | Mike Wallace | Mike Stern | Mike Huckabee | Mike Ditka | Mike Figgis | Mike Rowe | Mike Reid | Mike Portnoy | Mike Piazza | Mike Mills | Mike Varney | Mike Mansfield | Mike Easley | Mike Douglas | Mike Wallace (journalist) | Mike Viola | Mike Howlett |
Meanwhile, Mike Tyson had twice defeated Donvan "Razor" Ruddock to become the number one contender to Holyfield's titles.
•
With Holyfield in need of an opponent, a match between Holyfield and former WBO Heavyweight champion Francesco Damiani was announced, with the bout to take place on November 23 in Holyfield's native Atlanta.
By this time, Holyfield had regained the WBA Heavyweight title by twice defeating Mike Tyson while Moorer had regained the vacant IBF Heavyweight title after defeating Axel Schulz.
•
Evander Holyfield vs. Michael Moorer was a professional boxing match contested on April 22, 1994 for the WBA, IBF and Lineal Heavyweight Championships.
Foreman, however, would eventually be stripped of both the WBA and IBF titles after refusing to fight Tony Tucker and Axel Schulz respectively.
•
Holyfield would make his mandatory defense against Vaughn Bean, defeating him via unanimous decision, while Lewis faced mandatory challenger Željko Mavrović, also winning his fight via unanimous decision.
•
The two men had previously fought each other on April 22, 1994 for Holyfield's WBA, IBF and Lineal Heavyweight championships.
•
Evander Holyfield vs. Michael Moorer II was a professional boxing match contested November 8, 1997 for the WBA and IBF Heavyweight championships.
Evander Holyfield vs. Vaughn Bean, billed as "The Power and the Glory", was a professional boxing match contested on September 19, 1998 for the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles.
In a close fight, Moorer was able to gain the victory by majority decision, becoming the first southpaw to win a major heavyweight championship in the process.