Iron Mike is back.
During the Thursday weigh-in for Friday's hyped boxing bout in Arlington, Texas, Mike Tyson slapped Jake Paul during their staredown.
The 27-year-old boxer and YouTuber crawled towards the former heavyweight champion on all fours, before rising to his feet inches away from Tyson, who immediately struck Paul in the face.
Tyson, 58, last participated in a sanctioned fight on June 5, 2005, and was TKO’d by Kevin McBride.
“I do not have the guts to be in this sport anymore,” said Tyson after that fight. “I don’t want to disrespect the sport that I love. My heart is not into this anymore. I’m sorry for the fans who paid for this.”
However, he has been singing a much different tune in the lead up to this tilt, ominously foreshadowing the return of his alter ego “Iron Mike”.
“I’m always careful when that guy comes out,” said Tyson to Paul’s brother, Logan, on the "Impaulsive" podcast Aug. 20. “Every time I drink or get ready to fight and Iron Mike returns, I break out in handcuffs. Unfortunately, I have to fight and be that guy. I wish I could stop that guy. That guy haunts me. I wish I could stop that guy. I wish that guy died, but he’s here again.”
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