No one had this one on their “things that will happen in 2022” Bingo card. Former heavyweight champions Holy Bites and Evander Holyfield have partnered to create the Holy Bites cannabis edible – a name with a direct reference to a famous fight between the two in 1997.

The two former boxing rivals have created a partnership under the newly formed brandhouse called Carma Holdings, which will offer the line of THC-infused and Delta 8-infused edibles created by Tyson’s company, TYSON 2.0. Carman Holdings will also launch Holyfield’s own cannabis line in 2023.

Tyson, who already has made forays into the cannabis industry, said in a press release that “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.”

They will join a growing cannabis edible marketplace that continues to expand what it offers to the cannabis curious.

The Bite Fight in Las Vegas

The two met (for the second time) as heavyweights on June 28, 1997, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Holyfield, the heavyweight champion coming into the fight, retained his title after the bout. But it’s the way he retained his title that makes the fight memorable.

In the third round of the fight, Tyson, who had lost the first two rounds, bit Holyfield’s ear, tearing a one-inch piece of cartilage from Holyfield’s ear and spitting it out. Referee Mike Lane allowed the fight to continue after Holyfield’s doctor cleared him to resume the fight. But Tyson then bit Holyfield on his left ear, and the match ended.

Lane disqualified Tyson and Holyfield won. No one who watched that ear-biting moment in 1997 would have expected these two men would one day become business partners.

Mike Bites and Holy Ears Cannabis Edibles

TYSON 2.0 already offers Mike Bites, a cannabis edible. The company sells its products in more than 100 locations across California. Like Mike Bites, Holy Ears are all-natural, gluten-free and vegan. Consumers can buy Holy Ears infused with THC, Delta-8 and other hemp-cannabinoid varieties.

Initially, customers can find Holy Ears through Verano retailers in Arizona, Illinois, Nevada and New Jersey. The TYSON 2.0 website also offers them for presale.

In the press release, Holyfield said the infamous Bite Fight changed their lives, making them realize that even powerful athletes suffer from a great deal of pain.

“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,” Holyfield said.