SAN FRANCISCO – Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson apparently ran out of patience with an annoying passenger sitting behind him on a flight Wednesday night and threw several blows at the man, TMZ reported.
The incident took place about 10:30 PM PT as Tyson was slated to fly out of San Francisco International Airport to Florida.
A witness on the plane said he and his friend were boarding the same JetBlue flight as Tyson, who was initially cool with them and the other passengers, according to the news outlet.
The witness told TMZ that Tyson took a selfie with him while remaining patient with his overly excited friend, who kept pestering the 55-year-old former fighter from the seat behind.
Finally, Tyson had enough of the chirping guy and told him to relax.
When the man continued to be bothersome, that’s when the witness says Tyson turned and started to throw several punches at the man’s face.
Video obtained by TMZ shows Tyson throwing a series of blows at the pestering man. The unnamed man is later pictured with a bloodied forehead.
Seconds after the battering, Tyson walked off the plane, according to the witness.
The man reportedly went to law enforcement authorities after receiving medical treatment.
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Among his many accolades as a fighter, Tyson is also known for the ignominious act of biting off a portion of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a bout in 1997.
Thus far there has been no comment from Tyson’s representatives, JetBlue or police.
However, sources close to Tyson say the man was extremely intoxicated … and wouldn’t stop his obnoxious behavior.
