Mike Tyson has revealed why he slapped Jake Paul almost as soon as they faced off on stage.
Tyson and Paul will fight on Friday night in a clash exclusively shown on Netflix at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
As the pair came face-to-face ahead of the bout, Tyson immediately swung for Paul, hitting him with a slap across the face.
Security jumped in to break up the melee as Paul stood tapping his cheek and Tyson fumed.
Mike Tyson slapped Jake Paul on stage in their final face-off
Netflix
“Talking’s over,” Tyson said as he made his way off the stage.
Paul replied: “I didn’t even feel it. He’s angry. He’s an angry little elf.
“Mike Tyson, I thought that was a cute slap, buddy, but tomorrow you’re getting knocked the f*** out.
“I’m f****** him up, Ariel [Helwani]. I’m f****** him up. He hits like a b****. It’s personal now. It’s personal now. He must die.”
Tyson has since cleared up the matter as fasn speculated over why he reacted so angrily.
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It turns out that Paul had stepped on his toe as he confronted him on stage and sprung up on him, drawing rage from Iron Mike.
“I was in my socks and he had on shoes,” Tyson told The Post said after the weigh-in.
“He stepped on my toe because he is a f***ing a**hole. I wanted to think it happened by accident.
Mike Tyson insisted Jake Paul stood on his toe when he confronted him
Netflix
“But now I think it may have happened on purpose. I was in a lot of pain. I had to reciprocate.”
Tyson and Paul will meet for real in the ring on Friday night in Texas at around 10pm local time, which is 4am on Saturday in the UK.
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Millions are expected to watch from around the world to see the 58-year-old return to professional boxing for the first time since 2005.
Paul, at 27, is the slight favourite due to his age while the bout will break the record for the biggest age-gap in a professional boxing match.
During the weigh-in, a shredded Tyson came in at 227.2 pounds (103kg) while Paul tipped the scales at 228.4 pounds (103.6kg).