Moroccan Boxer Disqualified from Tokyo Olympics for Attempted Ear Bite

Is Youness Baalla following in the footsteps of Mike Tyson? The boxer allegedly tried to bite the left ear of his opponent David Nyika during the third round. He approached his open mouth to the New Zealander David Nyika’s ear, while holding him with his arms, a bit like Mike Tyson during the famous 1997 fight against Evander Holyfield. But fortunately, Nyika managed to dodge.

If the Sri Lankan referee and the five judges did not notice the incident during the match, won by the New Zealander by unanimous decision, the organizers reported the illegal action. "Baalla clearly intended to bite his opponent’s ear or face in the third round," the IOC’s Boxing Task Force (BTF) said in a statement. The Moroccan boxer was "disqualified for his intolerable action".

A little later on his Instagram account, David Nyika said that these are things that can happen without it being an intention to harm. "The heat of battle can bring out the best but also the worst in people. That’s part of sport," he wrote. "I have respect for my opponent and I can understand the frustration he felt. Please don’t contact him if you have nothing good to say to him," he added.