While Jon Jones returns atop UFC 309 this weekend, there’s another massive fight (if you wish to call it that) set to go down this weekend.
Mike Tyson, 58 years young, will return to the ring to face 28-year old Jake Paul in a fight set to stream worldwide on Netflix. The boxing match is sanctioned by the Texas commission and will count as a professional bout, though the wisdom of allowing a near-60 year old to compete against a man 30 years his junior has frequently been questioned.
The pair weighed in Thursday for Friday night’s spectacle at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. And the final face-off saw Tyson and Paul come to blows. Well, blow.
As Tyson walked across the stage to meet the Youtuber, Paul crawled/money-walked into place, and could then be seen stepping on “Iron” Mike’s foot. Whether that was an accident or an attempt by Paul to play mind games, Tyson took offense, and open-hand slapped Paul with considerable force.
Mike Tyson Slaps Jake Paul During Their Final Face Off, Before Their Fight This Friday.😭 pic.twitter.com/Hkfch5lo7o
— Poetik Flakko (@FlakkoPoetik) November 15, 2024
“I didn’t even feel it,” Paul bragged after the slap (despite very clearly feeling it). “He’s angry. He’s an angry little elf. Mike Tyson, I thought that was a cute slap buddy, but tommorow, you’re getting knocked the f*ck out. I’m f*cking him up, baby-o. I’m f*cking him up. He hits like a b*tch. It’s personal now. It’s personal now. He must diiieeee!”
A truly cringe-worthy moment that would make Henry Cejudo proud.
Jake Paul looking foolish in promoting his fights is nothing new, but he’s considered the favorite over yet another senior citizen (this time literally, as Tyson at 55+ would be eligible for seniors discounts in many places). To date, Paul has wins over Anderson Silva at age 47 and Tyron Woodley at age 39. Ben Askren was a “youthful” 36 when he fought Jake Paul (then 24), and coming off hip surgery.
In any case, if “The Problem Child” has daddy issues to this extent, therapy, rather than boxing, might be the better option. In the meantime, Tyson vs. Paul takes place Friday, November 15 in Dallas, TX.
