Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson slapped opponent Jake Paul during their final face-off on Thursday, just before their controversial Netflix-backed bout. Tyson, 58, delivered a solid slap to Paul's cheek with his right hand after the official weigh-in for Friday's fight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Security personnel quickly stepped in to separate the two fighters, escorting Tyson away. Tyson, who weighed in at 228.4 pounds wearing only Versace briefs, left the stage without much comment, simply stating, "Talking's over."
Paul, the 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer, claimed he was unfazed by Tyson's open-handed slap, which drew audible reactions from the audience. "I didn't even feel it -- he's angry. He's an angry little elf...cute slap buddy," Paul remarked, weighing in at 227.2 pounds. Paul ended his comments with a profanity-filled vow to knock Tyson out, theatrically shouting into a microphone, "He must die."
Tyson is reportedly set to earn $20 million for Friday's officially sanctioned bout in Texas, which will consist of eight two-minute rounds. The contest, being streamed live on Netflix, has sparked widespread debate within the boxing community, with many prominent figures criticizing the idea of Tyson returning to the ring nearly 40 years after his professional debut and 19 years after his last officially sanctioned fight.
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