Mike Tyson’s rep responds to video of boxer appearing to punch airline passenger

An airline passenger, who was left bloodied after Mike Tyson was filmed appearing to punch him, allegedly harassed the retired boxer prior to the confrontation, Tyson’s representative said in a statement.

The alleged incident happened on Wednesday night on a JetBlue flight that was preparing to take off for Florida from the San Francisco International Airport, TMZ reported. In the video of the incident that was obtained by the news outlet, the boxing legend is seen appearing to repeatedly punch an unidentified man from behind his seat.

A passenger who witnessed the incident said the man Tyson reportedly punched was seated behind the boxer on the plane. And though Tyson was friendly with him, he lost his cool after the man did not stop trying to talk to him. That was after Tyson told him to relax, TMZ reported.

Sources close to the boxer also told the news outlet that the man Tyson allegedly punched was heavily drunk, and he kept on provoking the 55-year-old.

“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,” Tyson’s representative, Joann Mignano, also claimed in the statement, per CNN.

Responding to the incident in a statement, the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) said officers “were dispatched to a physical altercation onboard an airplane located at the Domestic Terminal of the San Francisco International Airport.”

“Officers arrived and detained two subjects that were believed to be involved in the incident. One subject was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries. That subject provided minimal details of the incident and refused to cooperate further with the police investigation,” SFPD added.

The SFPD also said it was aware of the video that “possibly captured the incident”, and “that video has been forward to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.”