Viral video shows boxing legend Mike Tyson unloading a flurry of punches on a man while sitting on a plane on Wednesday. Footage also shows a man who was sitting behind Tyson repeatedly trying to speak to him prior to the confrontation, even after Tyson had already taken a selfie with him, TMZ reported.
According to a San Francisco Police Department spokesperson, officers responded to reports of a physical altercation at the San Francisco International Airport just after 10 p.m. local time, ESPN reported.
Officials said both individuals involved were arrested and released. One person was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
“That subject provided minimal details of the incident and refused to cooperate further with the police investigation,” the officer said.
TMZ reported that the pair were on board a JetBlue flight destined for Florida. A spokesman for Tyson confirmed Tyson’s involvement in the fight.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Tyson had an incident on a flight with an aggressive passenger who began harassing him and threw a water bottle at him while he was in his seat,” the spokesman told ESPN.
Police said they were “aware of video that possibly captured the incident, which surfaced following the initial investigation. That video has been forwarded to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.”
A number of users on Twitter expressed support for Tyson, including UFC president Dana White, who mocked the belligerent passenger.
“Hey dummies, for future reference, this is how you stay alive when bumping into @MikeTyson on an airplane,” White tweeted along with a video.
“Tyson couldn’t possibly be more in the right,” another user wrote.
Rapper Ice T tweeted, “Mike Tyson punched somebody who was Fn with him……. The problem is nowadays, MFs think they WON’T get punched in the Face…”
MMA fighter and pro wrestler Josh Barnett asserted Tyson’s response to the “annoying prick” could have been much worse.
“Just a light thrashing for being an absolutely disrespectful & annoying prick. Tyson could have really hurt him bad if he had intended to,” Barnett wrote. “But hopefully this guy will rethink how he acts to others & in public. In my opinion, this is the simplest & best outcome. Act right.”
Earlier this year, a man challenged Tyson to a fight before pulling a gun on the former heavyweight champion, and the confrontation was caught on video.
Throughout his boxing career, Tyson went 50-6 and was known for his speed and knockout power, ending 44 matches with a knockout.
