Jake Paul’s mother, Pam Stepnick, threatened to kill Mike Tyson after he slapped her son across the face.
During the ceremonial weigh-in at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas on Thursday (November 14), the YouTuber got in the veteran boxer’s face, earning him a hard slap.
Following the tense moment between the fighters, Paul was comforted by his mother.
“I’m going to kill Mike Tyson for you,” Stepnick told her son, who laughed in response, as they shared a hug. She then called the professional boxer, 58, a “f***ing little b****.”
Paul also joked to his mother: “You slap harder than him.”
Though Tyson was quickly swarmed by men on stage after the incident, Paul seemed unfazed. Instead, he blew kisses at the former champion.
In the moments after the slap, Paul said: “I didn’t even feel it. He’s angry. He’s an angry little elf.”
He added: “Mike Tyson, I thought that was a cute slap.”
The YouTube star then launched into a series of expletive-laden remarks, promising to end Iron Mike in the upcoming fight. “It’s personal now,” Paul added, before bellowing into the microphone: “He must die.”
Paul and Tyson will meet in one of the biggest fights of all time tonight, with the event streaming on Netflix at 8pm ET. The fight will take place in front of 70,000 fans at the AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
Former world heavyweight champion Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) will step back into the ring for his first professional bout in 19 years. Tyson took part in an exhibition with Roy Jones Jr in 2020 but will now be up against an opponent 31 years his junior. Given the considerable age gap between the fighters, Paul has been installed as the favorite.
Tyson weighed in at 227.2 pounds (103kg), while Paul tipped the scales at 228.4 pounds (103.6kg).
The fight has proven highly controversial, with many fans fearing for Tyson’s health, though others believe the heavyweight icon will roll back the years to beat Paul. Then there are those who think the fight is scripted.
While the fight purses have not been officially disclosed, Paul claimed at a press conference in August: “I’m here to make $40m and knock out a legend.” Meanwhile, Tyson will earn approximately $20m, according to friend and former UFC champion Henry Cejudo.
In the evening’s co-main event, Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano clash in a rematch of the biggest women’s bout ever, two years after the Irish legend narrowly outpointed the Puerto Rican great.
