Mike Tyson’s fight with Evander Holyfield has already gone down in the history books as one of the most dramatic nights in boxing, but the life of its referee is just as dramatic.
The role of a referee can be difficult – from having to make split-second decisions that can either affect a fighter’s career or their lives, to putting yourself in harm’s way if a brawl breaks out or an accidental punch comes towards you.
From Badou Jack punching two referees in his career all the way to Tony Bellew praising a referee for saving his life against Oleksandr Usyk, it is clear how important the job is.
Perhaps nobody knows better how to be a referee than someone who was first a boxer.
Mills Lane was a boxer, referee, and TV court judge in his lifetime
Mills Lane, the referee who officiated Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield II, in which Tyson, who broke the eye socket of a former gang leader, bit the ear of Holyfield and was disqualified, did not start his career in boxing as a ref.
Lane instead was a professional boxer himself, accumulating a record of 10-1 with six knockouts before changing careers. He avenged his only loss to Artie Cox.
Now inside the ring but without the gloves and boots, Lane refereed multiple high-profile fights, including Lennox Lewis’ fight with Henry Akinwande. Akinwande was disqualified in the fight, less than three weeks after Lane disqualified Tyson, for excessive clinching.
Lane’s final fight as a referee was Thomas Hearns vs Jay Snyder in 1998. Lane was a highly-praised referee, unlike the recent referee who pushed Claressa Shield’s heavyweight opponent to the canvas.
Following this, Lane became a judge on the television show ‘Judge Mills Lane’, which ran from 1998 to 2001.
Mills Lane cursed at reporter following Mike Tyson disqualification
Following his disqualification of Tyson after multiple bites, Lane was questioned by the press who said:
“Why did you stop it?”
A dumbstruck Lane responds: “How many times you want him to get bit? There’s a goddamn limit to everything you know, including bites.”
Lane was then asked about Holyfield’s headbutt towards Tyson, which Tyson has claimed was the reason for his biting.
Lane rejected any validity to the claim of Holyfield breaking rules:
“[That’s] b——-, the headbutt was an unintentional butt!”
Lane was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013. He passed away in 2022.