Mike Tyson may have softened somewhat since his prime, but that still doesn’t mean that the former heavyweight champion is any less reactive in the ring… as proved by a recent viral video in which a fan accidentally catches him in the face during a friendly spar.
All the talk online has been dominated by the surprise announcement that Mike Tyson, one of the greatest heavyweights in history, was set to dust off the boxing gloves and face YouTube star turned-professional boxer Jake Paul in Texas later this year.
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In his prime, Iron Mike was an undeniable monster, racking up a punching force of more than 1600 joules, which for comparison, is the same as a 100kg anvil dropping on you from 5ft. If Mohammed Ali was floating like a butterfly, Tyson was pummelling like a freight train.
But that was almost 20 years ago, and the upcoming bout against Paul has been considered by many to be a mismatch for the clicks. While Tyson remains a formidable threat, the former champ has had to get back into the gym to rediscover some of his fighting form.
A recently published video of Mike Tyson engaging in a friendly sparring session with a fan has been doing the rounds today after the unlucky fan caught the champ on the cheek with a wayward jab. The fan, wearing an orange beanie, an open robe and matching shorts, wasn’t exactly the fighting type, demonstrating poor form and bouncing on the spot as he threw punches at the 57-year-old champ.
WATCH Mike Tyson lose his cool when a fan accidentally lands a punch below.
Despite the friendly nature of the video, the legendary boxer isn’t exactly the type of person to tolerate a mistake, telling his opponent to calm down or there’ll be serious problems.
“Calm Down. If anyone hits me, I’m gonna f**k them up. I’m just letting you know. You made a mistake – I’m gonna f**k you up.”
Mike Tyson
As Tyson continues his preparations for the highly anticipated showdown with Jake Paul, question marks still remain if the legendary pro can summon one last performance in the ring; but regardless of his current physical condition, there’s no doubt this event promises to mark the triumphant return of a boxing icon.