Mike Tyson may have slapped Jake Paul at their intense weigh-in face-off on Thursday night, but it seems that the social media star actually instigated proceedings.
In one of the most viral moments of their fight build-up, Tyson hauled off and hit Paul as they were going head-to-head for the final time. And while it appeared to be relatively unprovoked at first, it now seems that it was a result of a cheeky move from boxing’s most notorious troll.
Paul didn’t appear too phased by the smack, and has compared himself to Chris Rock, who was famously hit in the face by Will Smith during the 2023 Oscars. It was his first time feeling the power of the legendary heavyweight, just hours before they meet in the ring on Friday night.
In front of a packed Toyota Music Fatory in Irving, Texas on Thursday night, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson stepped on the scales for their ceremonial weigh-ins. Despite being considerably taller and hitting a career high weight of just over 227lb, Paul was still a pound lighter than his rival.
After stepping on to the raised weigh-in stage, both men made their way over to the right side of the stage for one final face-off after months of build-up. And things got heated when Tyson slapped Paul in the face just seconds after they came head-to-head.
The moment instantly went viral, and has already garnered tens of millions of views on Paul’s own Instagram alone, as well as across X and YouTube. It was the perfect moment for final promotion ahead of tomorrow night’s fight, which broadcasts live as part of the Netflix subscription package.