MIAMI, Fla. – Mike Tyson was heading to Miami from San Francisco to speak at a cannabis conference at a Miami Beach hotel on Thursday. But on Wednesday night, just before take-off of a JetBlue flight, an overzealous fan got under Iron Mike’s skin and ended up getting attacked by the former boxer.
It appears that Tyson did make it to some of the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference festivities at the Fountainbleau Miami on Collins Avenue. Business partner and wrestling legend Ric Flair tweeted a picture of them Thursday night at the hotel’s nightclub at the CCC’s afterparty.
We’re Live At LIV In Miami! WOOOOO! @itstyson20 @MikeTyson @LIVmiami pic.twitter.com/l9NbGHtwb1
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) April 22, 2022
But it is what happened Wednesday night shown on cellphone video obtained by TMZ Sports that had people talking. The video showed Tyson attacking a passenger and the man named “George” with cuts on his face in another video.
(Warning: Language in video may be offensive to some viewers.)
The victim’s friend told TMZ that Tyson, 55, was initially “cool” with them and other passengers, even letting him take a selfie with him. But the witness said his friend became overly excited and Tyson started throwing punches when his friend wouldn’t stop talking in his ear from behind him.
Sources close to Tyson told TMZ that the man appeared to be extremely intoxicated and was provoking Tyson.
“My boy just got beat up by Mike Tyson . . . he got f----- up. Just trying to ask for an autograph, man. I don’t know what happened,” said a man who took video of his friend’s cuts on his face.
The San Francisco Police Department said the man who was punched by Tyson refused to cooperate with their investigation.
Tyson, chief brand officer and co-founder of Tyson 2.0, was listed as a speaker at the conference.
The former boxer launched the cannabis company in October 2021.
Local 10 News 11 p.m. report