Legendary boxing referee Mills Lane, who disqualified Mike Tyson for biting off Evander Holyfield’s ear in 1997, has died aged 85.
Lane’s son, Tommy, told the Reno Gazette-Journal that his father, who suffered a stroke 20 years ago, died peacefully at a Nevada hospice.
“He suffered a significant decline in his overall situation,” Lane Jr told the newspaper. “It was a quick start. He was comfortable and he was surrounded by his family.
Known for shouting “Let’s go” before officiating fights, he was a highly respected official who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013.
Born in 1937, Lane enlisted in the Marines in 1956 and attempted a professional career as a boxer, then became a judge when that didn’t work out before returning to the ring as a third man.
He officiated several controversial heavyweight fights, including the second meeting between Holyfield and Riddick Bowe in 1993, which was cut short by the ‘fan man’ and then put a sobbing Oliver McCall out of his misery in his rematch from 1997 with Lennox Lewis.
Although known for putting Tyson’s corner in his place in his controversial rematch with Holyfield in 1997, he wasn’t even supposed to be the referee of the night.
Mitch Halpern was the chosen man, but complaints from Tyson’s camp saw Lane intervene.
His last fight as a referee was in 1998 when the legendary Tommy Hearns beat Jay Snyder.
“He was a fair and honest guy,” Hearns later said. “He allowed you to do what you were supposed to do in the ring.
“I had a lot of respect for Mills Lane. I always liked it when he said, ‘Let’s go!’ »
He rose to fame on Celebrity Deathmatch in the years after his retirement, but his stroke in 2002 made him difficult to talk to.
Tributes have since poured in, with Lewis among them, writing: “Just heard the news that legendary boxing figure and referee Mills Lane has passed away. I am deeply saddened by this loss.
“I have always found him to be a fair and equitable referee, both watching him referee other fights and when he was the third man in the ring in some of my own fights.
“My deepest condolences go out to his family. May he rest forever in love and peace. Bless!”
Promoter Frank Warren, meanwhile, tweeted: “All in Queensberry send our condolences to the family and friends of legendary referee Mills Lane.”
The promotion company, Top Rank, wrote: “The third man in the ring on many legendary boxing nights, Top Rank mourns the passing of Mills Lane. We extend our condolences to his family and friends. »