A Moroccan boxer tries to bite the ear of his New Zealand opponent
Moroccan boxer Younes Baala is said to have tried to rip out the ear of his New Zealand competitor, David Nika, on Tuesday at the Olympic Games in… like, in stark memory of the infamous “bite fight” Mike Tyson in 1997.
Balla, 22, had a tough time on Tuesday against Nika, two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, in a ring boxing. The New Zealand athlete easily won the first two rounds when he went to his opponent’s ear during the third and final round.
Nika came out unscathed after he managed to back out in time and Baalah put his cheek in place. The fight continued and Nyika won 5-0, reaching the quarter-finals.
Apparently, the Moroccan boxer escaped warning after his brutal performance.
“That would have been an act of sheer madness,” shouted the commentator.
The video quickly spread on social networks and many remembered the American boxer Tyson when the former world champion bit the piece of the ear of his opponent Evander Holyfield during a fight in 1997. He was unfortunately known as the “Bite Fight” or “Bite 97”.
“David Nika was about to be the victim of an attempt to stab Mike Tyson by Baalla?!” New Zealand journalist Chris Chang said.
Journalist Andrew Gordy described it as “a stark example of someone whose goal in #Tokio2020 was not to win gold, but rather to spread on social media.”
After the quarrel, Nika expressed her surprise at the incident, especially since the referee did not see him.
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He told a local TV channel, “Did you see it? I don’t think the referee saw it. She was the closest. I didn’t think she would get away with it. I tried to bite my cheekbone. Maybe it gave her a puff of sweat.”
With his exit from the Games overshadowed by this incident, Baala called out to New Zealand fans who were sending him hateful messages on his Instagram account.
“To all the people who come from New Zealand, but don’t show respect for yourself,” Baala wrote on his Instagram story. “I will not respond to any direct messages or bad comments from you and I’m sorry, I have great things waiting for me.”
Nika also came out to support Baala, who has been heavily criticized for her work and said, “This is part of the sport.”
“The heat of battle can bring out the best and the worst in people (sic). It’s part of the sport. I have nothing but respect for my opponent and I can appreciate the frustration he felt. Please don’t go near him if you don’t have anything nice to say,” Nyika wrote. .
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