While the main event between former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and YouTube-star-turned-boxer Jake Paul didn't happen yet, a slap did -- and Iron Mike struck first.
At weigh-in Thursday -- 24-hours before the onece-rescheduled bout -- Tyson slapped Paul clean across the face.
The two were then separated, all part of the somewhat standard pre-fight promotional hype, with Paul mocking Tyson by playfully slapping his own face.
MIKE TYSON HITS JAKE PAUL AT THE WEIGH IN #PaulTyson
— Netflix (@netflix) November 15, 2024
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LIVE ON NETFLIX
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15
8 PM ET | 5 PM PT pic.twitter.com/kFU40jVvk0
"I didn't even feel it," Paul said afterwards. "He's angry. He's an angry little elf. Mike Tyson, I thought that was the cutest slap, buddy. But tomorrow you're getting knocked the f--- out."
Paul later posted on X, writing, "This is a pinch me moment. I got slapped by Mike Tyson."
How much are tickets to the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight?
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The weigh-in -- with Paul, 27, at 227.7 pounds and Tyson, 58, at 228.4 pounds -- came one day after a press conference, where Tyson remained tight-lipped. It also came one day before the highly anticipated heavyweight bout, originally planned for July. It was postponed earlier this spring, after Tyson had a medical episode on a plane.
The rescheduled bout is set for Friday night at the $1.2 billion retractable-roof home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas. While the state sanctioned it as a pro fight with some modifications, others states wouldn't.
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Texas on the other hand agreed to a fight that was eight rounds instead of 10 or 12, with two-minute rounds instead of three, and heavier gloves designed to lessen the power of punches.
As fight time approaches, here's what to know.
When is the Tyson-Paul fight?
The fight takes place Friday, Nov. 15.
What time is the Tyson-Paul fight?
It’s hard to give an exact time for the main event Friday night, but it could approach 11 p.m. CST or midnight EST. The telecast starts at 7 p.m. CST, 8 p.m. EST.
How old is Mike Tyson? How old is Jake Paul?
Mike Tyson is 58 years old. Jake Paul is 27. That's an age difference of 31 years.
Tyson was 50-6 with 44 knockouts before retiring 19 years ago. Paul is 10-1 with seven knockouts in less than five years as a pro, facing mostly mixed martial artists and journeymen boxers.
How, where to watch the Tyson-Paul fight
The fight will stream on Netflix.
While this isn’t the more common, and more expensive, pay-per-view format followed by most major boxing events, it does require a Netflix subscription. Netflix reported more than 280 million subscribers worldwide at the end of the third quarter in 2024.
Netflix will broadcast the bout in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French and German.
A crowd of at least 60,000 is expected.
How much are tickets to the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight?
Compiling data from TicketMaster, SeatGeek and StubHub, upper-level seats are ranging from between $57 to $70 as of Thursday.
Mid-level seats range from $117 to $185, while most lower-level options are $200 and up.
Floor seats close to the ring are going as low as $666, while the most expensive options up close and personal are as high as $50,000.
What are the odds on the Tyson-Paul fight?
Paul is a minus-200 betting favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. That means the payout for a Paul victory would be about half the amount of any bet. The most bet prop is for Tyson to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+275), followed by Tyson to win on points (+1000) and Tyson to win in the first round (+1400).
When was Tyson’s last sanctioned fight?
Tyson retired in 2005 with a record of 50-6, with 44 knockouts, after losing to Kevin McBride. He fought Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition four years ago. Paul is 10-1 with seven knockouts against mostly undistinguished opponents. His loss was to Tommy Fury, the less-accomplished half-brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
How many rounds are scheduled for the Tyson-Paul fight?
The fight is scheduled for eight two-minute rounds, as opposed to the normal three minutes and 10 or 12 rounds for most pro fights. Tyson and Paul also will use heavier gloves with the idea of decreasing the power of punches. The gloves will be 14 ounces instead of 10. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has said Tyson’s physical condition met the criteria for the fight to proceed.
What are the purses?
According to reports, Paul will make $40 million and Tyson about $20 million. Paul did mention his number at a news conference in August.