In a dramatic pre-fight encounter, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson slapped opponent Jake Paul during their final face-off on Thursday, just before their highly anticipated bout backed by Netflix.
At 58 years old, Tyson landed a right-hand slap on Paul’s cheek after the official weigh-in ahead of their fight scheduled for Friday at AT&T Stadium.
The unexpected incident prompted a rapid response from security, who quickly intervened to separate the two fighters before ushering Tyson away.
Having weighed in at 228.4 pounds while clad only in Versace briefs, Tyson said little before departing the stage, simply stating, “Talking’s over.”
Jake Paul, the 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer, responded to the slap, claiming he felt no pain from the blow that startled the audience. “I didn’t even feel it — he’s angry. He’s an angry little elf… cute slap buddy,” Paul remarked, weighing in at 227.2 pounds.
He concluded his comments with a bold promise to knock Tyson out, dramatically declaring, “He must die.”
Tyson is set to earn $20 million for the fight, which will feature eight two-minute rounds and will be streamed live on Netflix.
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The matchup has sparked controversy in the boxing community, with many critics questioning the validity of Tyson returning to the ring nearly four decades after his professional debut and 19 years since his last sanctioned fight.
