[imagesource: Steve Mcarthur/AAP]

Youness Baalla does not embody the much-fabled Olympic spirit.

The Moroccan boxer was headed for a loss during his heavyweight bout against New Zealand’s David Nyika when he channelled his inner Mike Tyson, and attempted to bite Nyika’s right ear.

Somewhere in the world, Evander Holyfield just felt a cold shiver down his spine.

Baalla’s bite was not spotted by the referee, and he ended up losing 5-0. However, reports The Telegraph, the boxing task force running the Olympic competition saw it later, and disqualified him for unsportsmanlike behaviour:

“He didn’t get a full mouthful,” Nyika, 25, explained. “Luckily he had his mouthguard in and I was a bit sweaty. I don’t remember what I said to him but I gave him a little bit of a cheek. I have been bitten once on the chest before at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. But c’mon man this is the Olympics.”

Exactly.

The Moroccan isn’t the first boxer since Tyson to go for the jugulear, but it’s the Olympics, man.

Let’s see the incident:

If that video doesn’t work, here’s the same clip on Twitter:

Morocco’s Youness Baalla tried to bite the ear of New Zealand’s David Nyika!!! #Boxing #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/N6LJIqjb6S

— Ben Damon (@ben_damon) July 27, 2021

The attempted bite took place in the third round, but Nyika managed to keep his cool and see the fight through.

Thankfully, such unsportsmanlike behaviour is overshadowed by the joyous reactions that gold medals inspire, and the history being made by athletes from every corner of the globe.

[source:telegraph]