Heavyweight legend Mike Tyson slapped YouTuber Jake Paul as the two men faced each other for the last time this Thursday, November 14 before their duel in the ring hosted by streaming giant Netflix.
“I didn’t even feel it”
The 58-year-old Tyson slapped Paul with his right hand after the official weigh-in for the boxing fight scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. (4:30 a.m. French time) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
A crowd of security quickly moved in to separate the two fighters after the incident, before “Iron Mike” was removed.
Tyson, who was weighed at 103.4kg after stepping on the scales wearing only underwear, barely spoke before leaving the scene.
“The discussion is over”he simply blurted out before going out with members of his entourage.
Jake Paul, a YouTuber with 20.8 million subscribers who became a boxer, claimed not to have been hurt by Tyson's slap, which sparked exclamations from the audience.
“I didn’t even feel it, he is angry. It's an angry little leprechaun…lovely slap buddy”said Paul, weighing in at 103 kg.
Paul then promised to knock Tyson out, before theatrically roaring into a microphone: “He must die!” »
The organizers insist on the professional nature of the fight, contested with the approval of the Texan commission responsible for licensing for boxing fights, for 8 rounds of 2 minutes, instead of the 12 rounds of 3 minutes often practiced by the pros.
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The match, broadcast live on Netflix, divided opinion in the boxing world. Many observers have expressed concern about seeing a nearly sixty-year-old lined up in a professional fight, saying they fear a serious injury.
