At the weigh-in of the much-anticipated and controversial heavyweight fight on Friday in Texas, boxing legend Mike Tyson slapped YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. The incident happened after both fighters weighed in at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
A Tense Weigh-In
A semifinal bout has been announced between 27-year-old amateur boxer Jake Paul and 58-year-old Tyson in a charged match that has set the boxing world all abuzz. Traditionally, fighters come on the scales before engaging in a final staredown; however, the normally chauvinistic Paul crawled on all fours across the stage to stand up to Tyson’s eye-level to stare him down.
Tyson, who had been relatively composed since the onset of the preparations for the bout, suddenly slapped Paul in the face in a shocking move that sparked instant tension. Security and team members were seen trying to separate the two men amidst shocked reactions and excitement from the audience.
“Talking’s over,” Tyson said as he walked offstage, leaving Paul to sit down and smile. Paul, unfazed by the slap, shot back confidently, “I didn’t even feel it. He’s mad. He’s a mad little elf.”
Paul, never out of a sledgehammer of a provocative line, kept on taunting Tyson: “Mike Tyson, I thought that was a pretty cute slap, buddy, but tomorrow you’re getting knocked out.”
A Weigh-In with Drama
The two fighters weighed in for the fight, with Tyson weighing 16st 4lb (228 pounds), one pound over the weight of Paul. Tyson has not participated in professional bouts since 2005. He is primed to face a challenge against Paul, who has risen to fame for something of an unconventional journey to becoming a boxing superstar.
The Context: Tyson vs. Paul
Indeed, this fight is viewed by many as a circus show rather than being a legitimate title fight; yet it has attracted such a crowd for reasons of drama associated with both fighters. Paul is a fighter in the record books for the controversies he has ignited and exploited these factors to sell fights, and he has found an equally hostile opponent in Tyson, once a world champion who had a notorious reputation of his own.
Contrasting this was the undercard of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano-a bout with two of the brightest stars on the women’s boxing scene. Taylor is women’s boxing’s undisputed light-welterweight champion, while Serrano is the present WBO junior women’s welterweight champion. Both fighters deemed this date as both wanted a rematch after their 2022 classic wherein they weighed in at 9st 11lb (137 pounds).
A Final Viral Moment
The slap has gone viral quickly, with the video now widely circulated online. This is the latest spectacle for what is shaping up to be one unpredictable match-up. Now that’s all there’s left for the question of how both fighters will do when they finally meet in the ring.
(Includes inputs from online sources)
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