Tyson knew exactly what he was doing. He knew he was going to lose so the best thing he could do in the circumstances in terms of creating enough controversy over the fight to make people want to watch him again was to bite Holyfield. If he'd just lost the fight it'd have serioulsy dented his PPVability and people would have been saying he was finished. Biting Holyfield's ear gave him the opportunity of at least one more massive payday.