Boxing icon Mike Tyson delivered an open-handed slap to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul during their final staredown on Thursday, causing a stir online. The incident occurred after the weigh-in for their much-debated Netflix-sponsored bout set for Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Tyson, 58, landed the slap squarely on Paul’s cheek, prompting security to step in and separate the fighters.
Tyson, weighing in at 228.4 pounds in Versace briefs, made a quick exit after the slap, stating only, “Talking’s over,” as he left the stage with his entourage.
Paul, 27, who weighed in at 227.2 pounds, downplayed the incident, calling Tyson’s slap “cute” and adding, “I didn’t even feel it—he’s just an angry little elf.” Paul then vowed to knock out the former heavyweight champ, declaring, “He must die,” with a dramatic roar into the microphone.
Tyson is reportedly earning $20 million for the officially sanctioned eight-round fight, which has stirred controversy in the boxing world, with some questioning Tyson’s return to the ring nearly 40 years after his debut and nearly two decades after his last official fight. The event will stream live on Netflix.
