Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, 58, slapped Jake Paul during a tense face-off following their weigh-in on Thursday, setting the stage for their much-anticipated Netflix-backed fight. The altercation occurred as the two fighters met for the last time before their eight-round bout at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Security quickly separated the pair after Tyson’s open-handed slap landed on Paul’s cheek, drawing shocked reactions from the crowd.
Tyson, who weighed in at 228.4 pounds, said little to the audience, adding only, “Talking’s over,” before departing with his entourage. Paul, who weighed in at a similar 227.2 pounds, dismissed the slap, mocking Tyson as “an angry little elf” and promising to knock him out during the fight.
The bout, reportedly earning Tyson a $20 million purse, has stirred strong reactions within the boxing world, with many questioning the ethics of a match featuring Tyson nearly four decades after his debut and nearly two decades since his last professional fight. The event, streaming live on Netflix, is set for eight rounds of two minutes each, a format designed to accommodate Tyson’s age while still presenting a thrilling contest for fans.
