Jake Paul is lucky. A slap is nothing, Mike Tyson has done far worse

Mike Tyson is all set to make a return to the boxing ring after a long hiatus and the fans are surely buzzing. The boxing legend will be facing Jake Paul on November 15, Friday in Dallas, Texas, and the event will be livestreamed on NetFlix. As has been synonymous with his career, controversy always follow Iron Mike everywhere.

Before the Paul fight, Tyson first snapped at a lady reporter, who asked what he would do if he lost the fight to the Problem Child. And then on Thursday, he would take things a step further and proceed to slap Paul right across his face during their face-off after the weigh-ins. Paul was rattled as Iron Mike had to be restrained by people and the boxing legend simply said, “talk is over.”

While Paul may have delivered some words of his own after the slap, many feel he got lucky given Tyson’s infamous and controversial run-ins with former opponents and even a passenger on a flight.

Tyson punches a nagging passenger

In April 2022, Mike Tyson was caught on camera during an altercation on a JetBlue flight in business class, where he repeatedly struck a fellow passenger seated behind him. Reports from eyewitnesses suggest that the man, who appeared intoxicated, had been persistently bothering the boxing legend with taunts, pushing Tyson’s patience to the limit. The situation escalated when the passenger allegedly threw water at Tyson, prompting the former heavyweight champion to respond physically. Tyson’s reaction, while intense, seemed to be the breaking point after enduring prolonged harassment.

Getting revenge for idol Muhammad Ali

One of the most remarkable fight stories from Mike Tyson’s life goes back to when he was just 14 years old. Meeting his hero Muhammad Ali, Tyson promised that one day he would avenge Ali’s loss to Larry Holmes. Amazingly, Tyson made good on that promise eight years later. In 1988, Tyson faced Holmes in a headline bout in Atlantic City. Before the fight, Ali approached Tyson, reminding him of his vow with a simple message: “Remember what you said—get him for me.” Tyson fulfilled his promise, defeating Holmes in under four rounds.

Death threat and a bite to Lennox Lewis

Ahead of his 2002 clash with Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson made waves by proclaiming that his aim wasn’t just to fight but “to kill him.” This wasn’t Tyson’s only fierce pre-fight statement. Before his 1991 bout with Donovan Ruddock, he had made an equally unsettling remark, saying, “If he doesn’t die, it doesn’t count…” Tyson’s intensity and extreme declarations added a unique, albeit controversial, edge to his persona in the ring.

The highly anticipated press conference for Mike Tyson’s fight with Lennox Lewis erupted into chaos during their face-off, leading to claims that Tyson bit Lewis amidst a brawl involving around 20 people. It all began when Tyson, standing across the stage from Lewis, suddenly charged toward him, prompting Lewis’s team to step in defensively. Tyson responded by throwing a wild left at one of Lewis’s team members, while Lewis countered with a right aimed at Tyson. This clash set off a full-scale melee as bodyguards and team members rushed the stage, escalating the scene into complete pandemonium.

Eat his children: Tyson’s craziest line ever

Following his crushing 38-second knockout of Lou Savarese in 2000, Mike Tyson launched into a fiery monologue that’s now one of boxing’s most memorable moments. In an interview with Showtime’s Jim Gray, Tyson compared himself first to Alexander the Great, then to Sonny Liston, before aiming fierce words at Lennox Lewis. “My style is impetuous, my defense is impregnable, and I’m just ferocious,” he declared. “I want your heart. I want to eat his children. Praise be to Allah.” Tyson’s intense, unpredictable energy was on full display, leaving a lasting impression on fans and the boxing world alike.

Bites Evan Holyfield’s ear off

This was the defining moment that cemented Mike Tyson’s infamous place in mainstream culture. After losing their first bout, Tyson went into his much-anticipated 1997 rematch with Evander Holyfield determined to reclaim his glory. But late in the third round, Tyson made a decision that would go down as one of the most shocking in sports history. Locked in a clinch, Tyson leaned over Holyfield’s shoulder and bit off a two-centimeter piece of his right ear, spitting it out onto the ring apron. Holyfield, in visible pain, jumped back and spun around, yet astonishingly, the fight continued. Tyson took the opportunity to bite Holyfield’s other ear in the next clinch. The round ended, but the referee called off the match, disqualifying Tyson and adding another notorious chapter to his legend.