Former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson delivered a slap to his opponent Jake Paul during their final face-off on Thursday, just a day before their much-debated Netflix-sponsored boxing match.
The 58-year-old Tyson struck Paul on the cheek following the official weigh-in at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, setting off a flurry of activity as security moved quickly to separate the two fighters.
Tyson, who stepped onto the scales at 228.4 pounds in Versace briefs, kept his comments brief before departing the stage. "Talking's over," he declared before exiting with his entourage.
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Meanwhile, 27-year-old Paul, known for transitioning from YouTube star to professional boxer, shrugged off the slap. "Didn’t even feel it. He’s an angry little elf...cute slap, buddy," he said.
Weighing in at 227.2 pounds, Paul closed his remarks with a defiant promise to knock Tyson out, punctuating his speech with a loud, theatrical shout: "He must die."
Tyson reportedly earns $20 million for the highly anticipated eight-round, two-minute-per-round showdown, which will stream live on Netflix.
The matchup has stirred up strong reactions in the boxing community, with many questioning the wisdom of Tyson’s return to the ring nearly 40 years after his debut and almost two decades since his last officially sanctioned fight.
