It was supposed to be a routine photo op. You know the drill: two guys stand on a scale, flex for the cameras, and pretend they want to kill each other while a promoter grins in the background. But the Tyson Paul weigh in wasn't routine. Not even close. When 58-year-old Mike Tyson stepped onto that stage in Irving, Texas, the air felt different. Heavy.
Then came the slap.
If you blinked, you missed it. Tyson, looking remarkably lean for a man nearly sixty, clocked Jake Paul right across the jaw with an open palm. Security scrambled. People screamed. Paul just stood there, mocking him, rubbing his face like it was a tickle rather than a strike from the former "Baddest Man on the Planet." But why? Honestly, the "why" is more interesting than the hit itself.
The Weight Numbers That Nobody Talked About
Everyone focuses on the drama, but the scale actually told a story. For the Tyson Paul weigh in, Mike tipped the scales at 228.4 pounds. Jake Paul came in almost identical at 227.2 pounds. Think about that.
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A 1.2-pound difference.
For Paul, this was a career-high. He’s spent most of his boxing journey fighting around the 200-pound cruiserweight limit. He bulked up specifically to handle the raw, thudding power that Tyson still carries in those legendary shoulders. Tyson, meanwhile, looked carved out of granite. He wasn’t "old man" heavy. He was "fight" heavy.
The weight similarity meant this wasn't going to be a speed vs. power mismatch in the traditional sense. It was two heavyweights, plain and simple.
Why Mike Actually Snapped
Tyson isn't usually the one to start the theatrics these days. During the whole lead-up to the November 2024 fight, he was weirdly calm. Mellow, even. People were starting to wonder if the fire was out.
Then Paul decided to play games.
During the face-off, Paul didn't just walk up. He crawled. He did this weird, primate-like crawl toward Tyson, and then—here’s the kicker—he stepped squarely on Mike’s foot.
Now, if you’re a Tyson fan, you know he’s struggled with sciatica and foot issues for years. He was on stage in just his socks. Paul had on heavy sneakers. Tyson later told the New York Post, "He stepped on my toe because he is a f---ing asshole... I was in a lot of pain. I had to reciprocate."
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Basically, it wasn't a "promotional" slap. It was a "you just hurt my foot" slap.
The Reality of the "Slap" Viral Moment
Social media went nuclear. Half the internet claimed it was staged to sell more Netflix subscriptions. The other half thought Tyson had finally lost his cool.
If you watch the slow-motion replays, it’s pretty clear it was reactionary. Tyson’s eyes darted down to his feet the second Paul made contact. It was an instinctive "get off me" move.
- Tyson's Weight: 228.4 lbs
- Paul's Weight: 227.2 lbs
- The Age Gap: 31 years (the largest in pro boxing history)
- The Venue: Toyota Music Factory (ceremonial)
Paul’s reaction was pure theater. He shouted into the mic that "it’s personal now" and that "he must die." It was classic YouTuber bravado. But beneath the shouting, you could see the shift in energy. The fight went from a weird exhibition-style spectacle to something that felt genuinely dangerous for a few minutes.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Weigh-In
A lot of folks think the weigh-in is just about checking the boxes. In this case, it was a physical litmus test.
Skeptics thought Mike would show up looking soft. Instead, his physique at the Tyson Paul weigh in silenced most of the "elderly abuse" talk for at least 24 hours. He looked like he could still go. Paul, on the other hand, looked a bit "puffy" from the rapid weight gain, leading to all sorts of rumors about his training regimen.
There was also the glove controversy. They weren't using the standard 10-ounce gloves you see in most pro heavyweight fights. They used 14-ounce gloves. Those are basically pillows in the boxing world. The weigh-in confirmed they were sticking to these modified rules—eight rounds, two minutes each.
It was a professional fight, sure, but it had "safety net" written all over it.
The Aftermath: From the Scale to the Ring
We know how it ended. The fight itself didn't live up to the violence of the weigh-in. Paul won by unanimous decision (80-72, 79-73, 79-73).
By the third round, Tyson’s 58-year-old lungs were screaming. Paul, to his credit, seemed to take his foot off the gas in the final rounds. He even bowed to Tyson before the final bell. It was a weirdly respectful ending to a build-up that started with a literal slap in the face.
But that weigh-in remains the peak of the tension. It was the last time we saw "Iron Mike"—the version that doesn't take disrespect from anyone.
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If you’re looking to understand the legacy of this event, don’t just watch the fight highlights where Mike looks tired. Watch the weigh-in. Watch the way he moved on that stage. It was a glimpse into a bygone era of boxing where a toe-stomp was enough to start a riot.
Your Next Steps for Analyzing the Fight
To truly get the full picture of the Tyson Paul weigh in and the subsequent bout, you should look at the punch stats from CompuBox. They show that Tyson only threw 97 punches in the entire fight, while Paul threw 278.
You can also check out the replay of the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano co-main event from that same night. Honestly? It was a much better fight technically.
Lastly, if you're curious about Mike's future, keep an eye on his social media. He’s already teased a potential fight with Logan Paul. Whether that actually happens or if it's just more "influencer boxing" noise remains to be seen.
Check the official Netflix sports archives for the full, unedited weigh-in footage to see the foot-stomp for yourself—it's the only way to see if you think it was actually an accident or a calculated provocation.