Action, drama, and everything in between. It seems like the clash between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul had it all. The tensions were high even before the two boxers went into the ring, as the showdown featured plenty of pre-fight controversy. During the weigh-in, the 58-year-old was seen slapping the Youtuber-turned-boxer, forcing security to intervene before the situation got truly out of hand. However, not everyone was convinced by the sheer timing of it all, with speculation being rife about the incident being staged.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s wife, Amy Reimann, was one of the few who questioned the legitimacy of the ‘slap’. The interior designer expressed her apprehension about the controversial incident on the Dale Jr. Download podcast after the fight between the pair had concluded.
Mike Tyson reacted to Jake Paul’s provocation
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Mike Tyson had some strong words for Jake Paul before the two boxers clashed at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The veteran said that “the devil himself” would show up during their fight, and backed that up with a small preview during the weigh-in. After being weighed in at 233 pounds, ‘Iron Mike’ approached ‘The Problem Child’ for a stare-down, and the 27-year-old took a crawling stance before getting close to the former heavyweight champion. In the blink of an eye, the 58-year-old unleashed a slap on Paul’s face before the security intervened.
With the drama unfolding, onlookers were left dumbfounded as a furious Mike Tyson was controlled by a host of guards while Jake Paul was seen mocking and laughing at the veteran boxer. Sharing her views about the incident, Amy Reimann said on the Dale Jr Download podcast, “It always could be staged. They could have been told to make it a scene. Who knows? When he stepped on his foot, did you see the clip? There is a clip of him saying how sensitive his feet are and this is years before and homeboy comes up and stomps his foot and he slaps him. That looked like a reaction to me. He slapped the sh-t out of him.”
via Imago Nov 14, 2024; Irving, TX, USA; Mike Tyson slaps Jake Paul after weighing in at the Toyota Music Factory. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Speculation aside, the official explanation is that the 58-year-old reacted because Jake Paul stepped on the veteran boxer’s foot during the stare-down. Approaching the event, the 27-year-old had plenty to say about ‘the Baddest Man on the Planet’ and Mike Tyson was tired of his trash talk. Justifying his slap, Tyson said, “He stepped on my toe because he is a f—king a—hole. I wanted to think it happened by accident, but now I think it may have happened on purpose. I was in a lot of pain. I had to reciprocate.”
Despite being at the receiving end of Mike Tyson’s fury, Jake Paul was unfazed, going on to say, “He hits like a b-tch, he must die.” Whether the incident was staged or not remains up for speculation, but the ‘slap’ proved to be blockbuster value, as Netflix reported that an estimated 60 million viewers witnessed both boxers settle their differences in the ring. While social media will be full of theories regarding the clash between the two generations, both boxers will laugh their way to the bank after going at each other for eight rounds.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. echoes his wife’s skepticism
It seems like Amy Reimann wasn’t the only one who felt that the controversy leading up to the fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul might have been staged. Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed similar feelings, highlighting that boxing had undergone a drastic change from the time he used to watch it in the yesteryears. The 50-year-old was rooting for ‘Iron Mike’ during the clash, and said, “It could have been my best friend in there, whoever Mike Tyson gets in the ring with, I want a knockout and a Tyson-style ending, because that’s my childhood.”
Expressing his views about the infamous ‘slap’ and the controversy surrounding it, Dale Jr. said, “I don’t believe anything anymore. I am a massive fan of boxing. I grew up watching fights, always trying to tune in. I followed specific fighters. Every match that they had, I wanted to see that match. It’s morphed into something that’s really hard to believe in and trust.” The North Carolina native went on to say, “All the shenanigans leading up to these fights seem to be more show than genuine.”
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Ultimately, the generational clash ended up doing what it aimed for. For some of the younger boxing enthusiasts, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness an iconic figure like Mike Tyson live, delivering a pop-culture experience that will be spoken about for years to come. While the quality of the fight left much to be desired, and speculation remains rife about the event being staged, the event also paves the way for more such match-ups in the future. Money talks, and with both boxers walking away with millions, others will be motivated to follow suit.