‘What if he kills me?’ – Mike Tyson scene saw Robert Downey Jr brutally slapped and choked

Jake Paul got off lightly as Mike Tyson once slapped Robert Downey Jr and nearly sent the Iron Man star to hospital. Tyson and Downey Jr both featured in the 1999 film Black and White, which also starred Ben Stiller, American basketball player Allan Houston and German model Claudia Schiffer. Tyson was disqualified against Holyfield in his last fight before the movieAFP The film – directed by James Toback – focused on a group of white high school students who got involved with Harlem’s black hip-hop crowd. Downey was struggling to find major roles in the film industry at the time and played the role of documentary producer Terry Donager, while Tyson played himself. Tyson hadn’t been spotted in the ring since consecutive losses to Evander Holyfield during the film’s production. Having suffered a surprise 11th-round defeat in their first meeting, Tyson was disqualified in the rematch after he bit Holyfield, taking a chunk out of his rival’s ear. Tyson would go on to defeat South Africa’s Francois Botha in the buildup to Black and White’s release date in September 1999. And his work in the ring came in handy during one scene where he needed to get physical with award-winning actor Downey Jr. “The director wanted me to really hit him and I didn’t want to,” Tyson said in a 2014 interview with Windy City Times. “He said: ‘You gotta really do this s***, man! If you want to be an actor then you have to smack the s*** out of him!’ “It was real – a real smack. When he was on the floor he was kicking me and I yelled, ‘Ow!’” Meanwhile, director Toback told BlackBook: “It only occurred to Downey at the last minute to ask whether I had told Mike that he was going to hit on him. Downey’s character engaged in a flirty conversation with TysonOfer Nave via YouTube And this caused the professional boxer to slap himOfer Nave via YouTube Before the pair got into a tussleOfer Nave via YouTube And Tyson grabbed him by the throatOfer Nave via YouTube “I said, ‘No.’ Downey said, ‘What if he gets angry?’ I said, ‘I would assume he would.’ He said, ‘How far do you want me to take it?’ I said, ‘Take it until he responds in the extreme.’ Downey responded, ‘What if he kills me?’ I said, ‘Well, I haven’t thought about that. I think it’s unlikely—no better than a five per cent chance. But, at the rate you’re going, you’re going to end up dying in the parking lot of a motel in Culver City. So what would be better … that or dying like this?’ “Downey cracked up and proceeded to provoke Mike at great lengths to smack him, choke him, slam him on the ground.” The pair have since become great friends and even been pictured together on numerous occasions, despite the scene which could have seriously hurt Downey Jr. Black and White also featured other popular actors, musicians and athletes such as Jared Leto, Gaby Hoffmann and Scott Caan. It is believed that Tyson was happy to accept the role as hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan made an appearance in the film too. Although the film only grossed $5million dollars after acquiring a $12m budget, it would go on to prove a real stepping stone in the career of Downey Jr, who went on to feature as Iron Man in blockbuster Marvel films. Paul felt the full force of Tyson’s fury on ThursdayGetty Paul his 31 years Tyson’s junior with 45 less fights Tyson faces Jake Paul in a highly-anticipated heavyweight boxing bout at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas tonight. The event is being broadcast live on Netflix and also has Katie Taylor facing Amanda Serrano in a long awaited rematch for the women’s lightweight titles. 58-year-old Tyson on Thursday that Paul, who is 31 years his junior, stepped on his toe during an explosive weigh-in ceremony, which caused the former to slap the YouTuber-turned-boxer. The pair came face-to-face in Texas for the final time on Thursday, but had to be separated by security as Tyson slapped Paul on the chin. Paul said after the incident to journalist Ariel Helwani: “I didn’t even feel it. He’s angry. He’s an angry little elf. “Mike Tyson, I thought that was a cute slap, buddy, but tomorrow you’re getting knocked the f*** out. “I’m f****** him up, Ariel. I’m f****** him up. He hits like a b****. It’s personal now. It’s personal now. He must die.” Tyson vs Paul is expected to get underway at 10pm local time, whuich is 4am on Saturday in the UK. 80,000 fans are expected to pack into the Dallas stadium, with millions more set to tune in via American streaming platform Netflix to watch Tyson’s first professional bout since 2005.

Nov 15, 2024 - 21:25
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‘What if he kills me?’ – Mike Tyson scene saw Robert Downey Jr brutally slapped and choked

Jake Paul got off lightly as Mike Tyson once slapped Robert Downey Jr and nearly sent the Iron Man star to hospital.

Tyson and Downey Jr both featured in the 1999 film Black and White, which also starred Ben Stiller, American basketball player Allan Houston and German model Claudia Schiffer.

Tyson was disqualified against Holyfield in his last fight before the movie
AFP

The film – directed by James Toback – focused on a group of white high school students who got involved with Harlem’s black hip-hop crowd.

Downey was struggling to find major roles in the film industry at the time and played the role of documentary producer Terry Donager, while Tyson played himself.

Tyson hadn’t been spotted in the ring since consecutive losses to Evander Holyfield during the film’s production.

Having suffered a surprise 11th-round defeat in their first meeting, Tyson was disqualified in the rematch after he bit Holyfield, taking a chunk out of his rival’s ear.

Tyson would go on to defeat South Africa’s Francois Botha in the buildup to Black and White’s release date in September 1999.

And his work in the ring came in handy during one scene where he needed to get physical with award-winning actor Downey Jr.

“The director wanted me to really hit him and I didn’t want to,” Tyson said in a 2014 interview with Windy City Times.

“He said: ‘You gotta really do this s***, man! If you want to be an actor then you have to smack the s*** out of him!’

“It was real – a real smack. When he was on the floor he was kicking me and I yelled, ‘Ow!’”

Meanwhile, director Toback told BlackBook: “It only occurred to Downey at the last minute to ask whether I had told Mike that he was going to hit on him.

Downey’s character engaged in a flirty conversation with Tyson
Ofer Nave via YouTube
And this caused the professional boxer to slap him
Ofer Nave via YouTube
Before the pair got into a tussle
Ofer Nave via YouTube
And Tyson grabbed him by the throat
Ofer Nave via YouTube

“I said, ‘No.’ Downey said, ‘What if he gets angry?’ I said, ‘I would assume he would.’ He said, ‘How far do you want me to take it?’ I said, ‘Take it until he responds in the extreme.’ Downey responded, ‘What if he kills me?’ I said, ‘Well, I haven’t thought about that. I think it’s unlikely—no better than a five per cent chance. But, at the rate you’re going, you’re going to end up dying in the parking lot of a motel in Culver City. So what would be better … that or dying like this?’

“Downey cracked up and proceeded to provoke Mike at great lengths to smack him, choke him, slam him on the ground.”

The pair have since become great friends and even been pictured together on numerous occasions, despite the scene which could have seriously hurt Downey Jr.

Black and White also featured other popular actors, musicians and athletes such as Jared Leto, Gaby Hoffmann and Scott Caan.

It is believed that Tyson was happy to accept the role as hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan made an appearance in the film too.

Although the film only grossed $5million dollars after acquiring a $12m budget, it would go on to prove a real stepping stone in the career of Downey Jr, who went on to feature as Iron Man in blockbuster Marvel films.

Paul felt the full force of Tyson’s fury on Thursday
Getty
Paul his 31 years Tyson’s junior with 45 less fights

Tyson faces Jake Paul in a highly-anticipated heavyweight boxing bout at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas tonight.

The event is being broadcast live on Netflix and also has Katie Taylor facing Amanda Serrano in a long awaited rematch for the women’s lightweight titles.

58-year-old Tyson on Thursday that Paul, who is 31 years his junior, stepped on his toe during an explosive weigh-in ceremony, which caused the former to slap the YouTuber-turned-boxer.

The pair came face-to-face in Texas for the final time on Thursday, but had to be separated by security as Tyson slapped Paul on the chin.

Paul said after the incident to journalist Ariel Helwani: “I didn’t even feel it. He’s angry. He’s an angry little elf.

Mike Tyson, I thought that was a cute slap, buddy, but tomorrow you’re getting knocked the f*** out.

“I’m f****** him up, Ariel. I’m f****** him up. He hits like a b****. It’s personal now. It’s personal now. He must die.”

Tyson vs Paul is expected to get underway at 10pm local time, whuich is 4am on Saturday in the UK.

80,000 fans are expected to pack into the Dallas stadium, with millions more set to tune in via American streaming platform Netflix to watch Tyson’s first professional bout since 2005.