Remember the 1997 ‘Bite Fight’, the infamous heavyweight bout in which Mike Tyson bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s right ear in the third round? The brutal match has gone down as the most bizarre in boxing history and, in a few months’ time, some lucky fan will own a bite of that legendary fight; among the hundreds of items up for auction are the gloves that Holyfield was wearing when Tyson went cannibalistic in the ring.

Also included in the sale are bout-worn robes, an exclusive array of WBC, WBA and IBF Championship belts and rings, along with numerous autographed photographs and posters. Ultimately, the top draw of the auction is Holyfield’s Olympic medal that he won at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Currently, Olympic medals are selling for serious money at auction, boosted by the roaring success of the London 2012 Games - whether the trend will persist until November remains to be seen but, however things unfold, Holyfield’s bronze medal is an important piece of boxing history.

Evander Holyfield, five-times World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, has been through a bit of a rough patch lately. Apparently, financial troubles are forcing the boxing legend to sell off his most valuable possessions in an effort to raise some much-needed funds – quite a sad end to a remarkable career that spanned close to three decades. On the bright side, at least someone will have the opportunity to win an Olympic medal without shedding any sweat, tears or blood.

The Evander Holyfield auction is set to take place on 30 November, at Julien’s Auctions, Beverly Hills, California.

Photos: Julien's Auctions