Tyson Returns After 19 Years, Provokes Opponent by Slapping His Cheek

Mike Tyson, making his professional boxing comeback after 19 years, engaged in a psychological battle by slapping his opponent's cheek before the match.

On the 15th (Korean time), Tyson struck boxer Jake Paul, his opponent, during the weigh-in event for the heavyweight match held at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas, USA.

Tyson, who was already on stage, slapped Paul's cheek with his palm after Paul took a provocative stance. Event staff intervened to stop the confrontation between the two, and Paul, even after being slapped, gestured as if to challenge Tyson to hit him again.

Mike Tyson slapping Jake Paul (right). Photo by Yonhap News

Tyson will face Paul in a professional boxing match on the 16th at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Having dominated the heavyweight division with the best skills during his active career, he left the ring in 2005. Although he has stepped into the ring for charity matches since then, this is his first proper comeback fight since retirement.

The original match between Tyson and Paul was scheduled for July 21 but was postponed after Tyson collapsed due to health issues in May.

This match will be exclusively broadcast on the world's largest online video streaming service (OTT), Netflix, starting at 10 a.m. Korean time on the 16th.