Mills Lane, the flinty boxer turned referee who became a judge in Washoe County, NV, before segueing to his own courtroom TV show, has died. His son Tommy Lane confirmed the news to the Reno Gazette Journal. The boxing hall of famer was 85.
A familiar face to boxing fans not just for his presence but also for his pre-fight catchphrase “Let’s get it on!”, Lane reached the peak of his popularity after being the third man in the ring for the 1997 heavyweight title fight between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield in which Tyson bit off part of Holyfield’s ear. The diminutive Lane — who himself fought at 147 pounds — was the one who pried the two apart and, his own shirt stained with Holyfield’s blood, later disqualified Tyson.
Mills Lane tries to separate Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield after Tyson bit Holyfield’s ear in the third round of their WBA Heavyweight Championship Fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 1997. (Jeff Haynes/AFP via Getty Images)
In 1998, Lane hung up his bow tie shorty after he began presiding over his own court show, Judge Mills Lane. The syndicated series produced 700 episodes over three years, before its run ended in 2001. In typical court TV fashion, Lane presided over litigation and — in atypical fashion — employed his catchphrase “Let’s get it on!” at the opening of each case. TNN later aired reruns of the series. It is currently available on Pluto TV.
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The show was produced by John Tomlin and Bob Young for Hurricane Entertainment Group. Judge Mills Lane was distributed by Rysher Entertainment for its first season and Paramount Domestic Television for its last two seasons.
Born in Savannah, GA, Lane attended Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts, where he played football (linebacker) and ice hockey (goaltender). In 1956 joined the Marines, took up boxing and became the All-Far East welterweight champ before being discharged in 1959. He was an National Collegiate Athletic Association welterweight boxing champion in 1960. He went pro and had a record of 10 wins and 1 loss with 6 knockouts.
Lane got his law degree and became a DA and then a District Judge in 1990. He also became a boxing referee during the period, presiding over some 100 title fights. He was the third man in the ring for bouts involving Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis, Thomas Hearns and many, many others. In 1993, Lane was in the ring when the so-called “Fan Man” paraglided into the ring during heavyweight bout between Holyfield and Riddick Bowe.
The person known as “Fan Man” lands at ringside during the Mills Lane refereed title fight between Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield in 1993. (AP)
“There was no fight we wouldn’t put him in,” former executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission Marc Ratner told the Los Angeles Times in 1991. “He was as good as any referee in the world. I don’t care if it was a heavyweight fight or smaller guys, when he said, ‘Break’ and got in between guys, the fighters respected him. Not all referees have that. He was no-nonsense. He took control. There was an aura about him.”
Lane’s other showbiz endeavors included voicing his likeness on MTV’s Celebrity Death Match and an animated judge on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, as well as appearing as himself on Norm, Inside Schwartz, The Challenge and WWE Raw.
He suffered a debilitating stroke in early 2002, leaving Lane partially paralyzed and mostly unable to speak. His son, Tommy Lane, said the Boxing hall of famer had been in hospice for the past week.
“He took a significant decline in his overall situation,” the younger Lane said. “It was a quick departure. He was comfortable and he was surrounded by his family.”
