The much-anticipated bout between boxing legend Mike Tyson and social media star Jake Paul has already ignited headlines, even before the opening bell. During Thursday night’s weigh-in at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Tyson shocked the crowd by slapping Paul, sparking chaos as security rushed to separate the two.
Tempers Flare Between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson
“Iron Mike,” 58, and Paul, 27, stood face-to-face in a heated staredown that quickly escalated. Paul, unfazed, responded by mocking Tyson with a light slap to his own cheek. “He’s angry. He’s an angry little elf,” Paul quipped to reporters afterward. “That slap was cute, but tomorrow, he’s getting knocked the f— out.”
Paul didn’t hold back, continuing to hurl insults at the boxing icon. “He hits like a b—-,” he added. “It’s personal now. He must die!”
The matchup has drawn curiosity and skepticism, pitting Tyson, a former heavyweight champion renowned for his brutal knockouts, against Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer with a growing professional record. Tyson hasn’t fought professionally since 2005 but remains a fierce competitor. “I’m just ready to fight,” Tyson said during Wednesday’s press conference. “I’ve said everything I had to say. There’s nothing else to say.”
Paul, known for his brash demeanor and quick rise in boxing, is eager to prove himself once again. “I fear no man,” he declared. “I want that old savage Mike. I want the hardest match possible Friday night, and I want there to be no excuses when I knock him out.”
The eight-round, two-minute-per-round fight is sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, making it an official addition to both fighters’ records. Tyson, who boasts 50 wins with 44 knockouts, hasn’t lost his confidence. “I’m not going to lose,” he stated firmly when asked about the possibility of defeat.
Paul, with a 10-1 record and seven knockouts, is riding high on his rapid ascent. “No one has had a boxing career like mine,” he said. “I’ve risen to the top in four years because I’ve taken risks.”