Mike Tyson earned the attention of fans for several pre-fight antics ahead of his showdown with YouTuber Jake Paul on Friday night.
The former heavyweight boxing world champion is set to go into the ring with Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Texas, despite a 31-year age gap between the pair.
Tyson’s brutal slap on Paul generated most of the attention at the weigh-in, leading to the 58-year-old having to be dragged away.
Fans, however, were quick to highlight more bizarre actions from Tyson during the weigh-in itself at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving.
Tyson had stepped onto the scales wearing Versace pants and weighed in at 228.4 lbs.
He then stunned viewers by grabbing his crotch in front of the audience.
Mike Tyson had stunned fans by making an X-rated gesture during his pre-fight weigh in
Tyson was spotted grabbing his crotch as he weighed in at the Toyota Music Factory
The 58-year-old shockingly slapped Jake Paul after the weigh-in in the build-up to their fight
One claimed Tyson’s X-rated gesture had been overlooked given the furore caused by his slap.
‘All this talk about Mike Tyson slapping Jake Paul – not enough examination of the nutsack grab – Mike is one a kind for sure,’ a fan said.
Another wrote ‘I know the slap is going viral, but…’ before adding laughing emojis in response to Tyson’s actions.
Some fans suggested the gesture was a sign of Tyson’s mentality heading into the fight.
They noted that Tyson had made a similar crotch grabbing gesture ahead of his heavyweight title fight with Lennox Lewis back in 2002.
Tyson had grabbed his crotch and started shouting expletives at someone in the crowd following a brawl with Lewis and his entourage at a press conference 22 years ago.
‘What people don’t know: Mike Tyson has to go in a dangerous state of mind to do this. He ain’t 20 year old Mike Tyson, but his mindset in the ring hasn’t changed,’ one fan wrote.
‘Getting full Lewis Vs Tyson vibes,’ added another, while a third simply wrote: ‘vintage Mike.’
Fans were quick to highlight Tyson’s X-rated gesture in the build-up to Friday’s fight
Tyson’s decision to slap Paul gained much of the focus, with the moved claimed to be retaliation.
Paul seemed relatively unfazed by the strike as Tyson was restrained and gave little comment before leaving the stage. That gave Paul an opportunity on the microphone to send his final message.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani on stage, Paul said: ‘Mike Tyson, that was a cute slap buddy but tomorrow you’re getting knocked the f*** out.
‘I’m f***ing him up, I’m f***ing him up! He hits like a b***h. It’s personal now, it’s personal now!
In a chilling end, he uttered a three-word message of: ‘He must die!’
Tyson, 58, is 19 years removed from his last sanctioned professional fight despite competing in an exhibition with Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.
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