Holyfield is turning his misfortune in the ring into an auditory edible opportunity.
Despite once being fierce rivals in the ring, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield are now all ears.
How else would you explain Holyfield’s willingness to partner with Tyson’s cannabis brand, TYSON 2.0, to capitalize on one of the most famous (or infamous) moments in boxing history?
Under the newly formed brand house Carma Holdings, the pair will sell TYSON 2.0 ‘Holy Ears’ — a nod to the 1997 bout in which Tyson bit off part of Holyfield’s ear.
The cannabis partnership will deliver the THC-infused edibles, which are all-natural, vegan, and gluten-free, in THC, Delta 8, and other hemp-cannabinoid varieties starting on Nov. 14 in Arizona, Illinois, Nevada, and New Jersey. And yes, they are ear-shaped.
“From Mike Bites to Holy Ears, now cannabis fans around the world can experience the same wellness benefits that plant-based products have brought me,” Mike Tyson, TYSON 2.0, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer, said in a release. “It’s a privilege to reunite with my former opponent and now long-time friend, and turn years of fights and knockouts into a partnership that can make a positive impact and heal people,”
Back in March, Tyson released ear-shaped cannabis gummies called “Mikes Bites.” The relationship (and forgiveness?) started when Tyson pitched the idea of the gummies to Holyfield back in 2019 on an episode of his Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson podcast, per The Mirror.
It’s one of the most absurd sports stories we can remember. Back in March, Holyfield said he’s way past the incident and forgave Tyson when the two collaborated on Mike’s Bites.
“I say, everything that ever happened, at some point in time, I did it,” he explained. “Mike bit me, I say I bit somebody too – it just wasn’t on TV. I bit a guy in his shoulder, he dropped me, and I didn’t know when you had a concussion, you’ll bite too.”
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On Monday, Holyfield explained how it isn’t about forgiveness, it’s about helping other people heal in a way they weren’t able to while going punch-for-punch in the ring.
“Mike and I have a long history of competition and respect for one another. And that night changed both of our lives. Back then, we didn’t realize that even as power athletes, we were also in a lot of pain,” Holyfield said. “Now, nearly 20 years later, we have the opportunity to share the medicine we really needed throughout our careers. I’m honored to join the Carma family and partner with Mike and the TYSON 2.0 team to launch Holy Ears, and soon my own line of cannabis products.”
TYSON 2.0 launched back in Oct. 2021, while Carma Holdings will officially launch Holyfield’s cannabis line sometime in 2023. That’s good news for Holyfield. With product available in over 1,000 retailers across 40 states, TYSON 2.0 and Ric Flair Drip have generated $50 million in revenue.
And what better endorsement for Holy Ears than from Tyson himself, who reflected on what could have been:
“If I was on cannabis, I wouldn’t have bit his ear,” Tyson said.
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