Mike Tyson has hit Jake Paul in the face during weigh-in on the eve of their blockbuster fight.
The pair had to be separated after the 58-year-old Tyson slapped his 27-year-old opponent in the face.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Mike Tyson hits Jake Paul at weight-in.
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Paul had been crawling — literally — his way towards Tyson on stage before they met for the final staredown.
Barely a second after rising up from all fours, Paul had Tyson’s right hand imprinted across his left cheek.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” a voice said over the loudspeaker as dozens of people from both sides whisked the fighters away from each other.
Paul then stepped out towards the crowd and shrugged his shoulders as if to say, ‘Is that the best you’ve got?’.
The YouTuber-turned-fighter then retreated back into his pack of people where he made a gesture with his tongue.
Tyson meantime was restrained by a number of people.
Paul was later summoned back up to the middle of the stage, where he was asked about the slap.
“I didn’t even feel it. He’s angry; he’s an angry little elf,” Paul said of his opponent.
“Mike Tyson, I thought that was a cute slap buddy, but tomorrow, you’re getting knocked the f*** out.
“I’m f****** him up, I’m f****** him up! He hits like a b****. It’s personal now, it’s personal now — he must die!”
The dramatic moment only amps up anticipation for the historic bout — Tyson’s first in 19 years — even more.
But the cynics were quick to throw doubt over the the authenticity of the hit.
Videos of the moment on social media were almost immediately flooded with comments from people who thought it was staged.
“That was definitely staged and scripted,” one said.
“Jake Paul already paid Tyson to lose. It’s a script,” another added.
“Mike pulled that punch. Allllll for show baby!” a third said.
“Ah yes, the classic pre-fight slap to increase the hype…” someone else said.
Regardless, it still set tongues wagging ahead of Saturday’s (AEDT) fight.
“Even if it’s (for) show, Tyson is still quick, ya see that speed?” someone said.
“Glad to know Mike Tyson still has the crazy mentality for what it’s worth,” another added.