THE REACTION

EVANDER HOLYFIELD,

traveling in South Africa:

“No comment.”

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JANICE HOLYFIELD,

Evander’s wife:

“Tyson needs to get help, to be in control of his anger.”

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MILLS LANE,

referee who disqualified Tyson after the third round of the fight after the second bite:

“It was exactly correct. I have faith and respect for the commission. It was the commission’s call, and I was not surprised by it.’

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MUHAMMAD SIDDEEQ,

a high school teacher who said he became Tyson’s spiritual advisor while the boxer was serving time in an Indiana prison for rape:

“The end of Mike is when God says, ‘OK, it’s over. You’ve got to come on home.’ God has a mission for Mike bigger than boxing.”

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OSCAR GOODMAN,

Tyson’s attorney:

“He means a lot of money and this town is about money. People wouldn’t live in 125-degree heat without a good reason.”

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BILL CAYTON,

former Tyson manager:

“They are a superb group of commissioners, and their conclusion was extraordinarily accurate. It couldn’t be wiser.”

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KEVIN ROONEY,

former Tyson trainer:

“Basically it’s a death sentence for him, really. Right now he’s 31. He’s really in the prime of his life. So he really has another good four years to really excel.”

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ROCK NEWMAN,

former Riddick Bowe manager:

“There’s a national hue and cry to destroy Mike Tyson. That played a big part in this decision. Another well-publicized, highly administrative, high-tech lynching of a famous, rich black man.”

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PETER McNEELEY,

Tyson’s first opponent in his comeback after three years in jail for rape:

“Tyson had a crisis in his head and this was the way he chose to get out of it. I think something like this was bound to happen with him.”

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FLOYD PATTERSON,

former heavyweight champion and now chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission:

“Our children now know that such a terrible display of brutality will be met with a harsh penalty, and that it will not be tolerated in any state.”

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LARRY HOLMES,

former heavyweight champion:

“It’s their loss if they don’t give him a license. He’s still a big draw, and people are going to want to see him.”

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ANGELO DUNDEE,

veteran trainer:

“I don’t think you will see the same Tyson again. His skills will definitely erode. They already eroded during his time in prison.”

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DR. FERDIE PACHECO,

worked on the pay-per-view telecast of the fight:

“He will deteriorate more. He’s not too good right now. In a bizarre way, this adds to his box-office appeal. People will go to see him get beat up. The American public loves to see a guy who’s up get brought down.”

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BUTCH LEWIS,

boxing promoter:

“Hopefully while the year goes on, he can kind of deal with Mike Tyson, the person. People say he should have straightened himself out those three years in prison, but I don’t agree a prison is a place to sit around and get yourself together.”