Mills Lane, a famed boxing referee who was the third man in the ring when Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield’s ear in one of the most memorable moments in the sport’s history, died Tuesday. He was 85.
Lane died in his home in Reno, Nevada, with his wife, Kaye, and two sons with him. His son, Tommy, said his father had recently taken a turn for the worst and was placed in hospice care on Friday. Lane suffered a stroke in 2002.
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“There is some relief that he is not trapped in that condition, but we all will miss him,” Tommy Lane said.
He added that his father was also a judge and district attorney in Nevada and was respected for his fairness and toughness in the courtroom as well as the boxing ring.
“In addition to his legendary status in the boxing world, Mills B. Lane was a pillar of justice in Washoe County. He was a no-nonsense dedicated District Attorney who put victims of crime and public safety first,” Washoe County District Attorney, Christopher J. Hicks, said in a statement.
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“My family and I, as well as the entire Washoe County District Attorney’s Office, mourn his loss. May he rest in peace.”
Mills Lane took up boxing while serving in the U.S. Marines Corps. The Savannah, Georgia, native enrolled at the University of Nevada in Reno, where he graduated with a law degree in 1963. While at the school, he won an NCAA boxing championship in 1960 and took up refereeing.
“Let’s get it on!” was his slogan he used to start the fight.
He was the referee when Holyfield won the heavyweight title from Buster Douglas and again when Tyson was disqualified in his second bout against Holyfield after intentionally biting his ear.
He officiated more than 100 title fights, calling matches for Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes and Lennox Lewis among others. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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