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Mike Tyson Reveals Real Reason Why Will Smith Wouldn’t Slap Him Like Chris Rock

Published 03/22/2023, 10:48 AM EDT

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There are not a lot of people who like to go toe to toe with boxing legend Mike Tyson. The former two-time Heavyweight champion was one of the most fearsome boxers ever to step foot inside the ring. Despite being quite short compared to the other Heavyweights, ‘Iron’ Mike was able to still dominate the division using his superior speed, athleticism, and ferocity to knock any opponent put in front of him.

However, when he was asked if Hollywood actor Will Smith would have slapped him instead of comedian Chris Rock if he changed places, Tyson had a surprising answer. The Men In Black star was recently mocked by Rock during his Netflix special Selective Outrage where he addressed the infamous ‘Oscar slap’ and called out both Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett. Despite this, Tyson feels that he would not have had to go through all this if he was in this situation.

Mike Tyson reveals why Will Smith won’t slap him

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In a recent episode of his podcast Hotboxin’, Tyson was asked if Smith would have come at him for making jokes. However, ‘Iron’ Mike claimed that Smith would not have any reason to hit him because he would never make fun of his wife or him.

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“Well I wouldn’t be talking about his wife no so he wouldn’t hit me no,” said Tyson. He added that he himself would not try to mess with him. “I wouldn’t f**k with me, I wouldn’t say anything to me to f**k with,” he added.

Although Tyson took the diplomatic approach to this, it is safe to assume that Smith would have not treated Tyson the same way as he did with Rock. Moreover, even if he did, the outcome would not be the same.

Chris Rock reveals why he did not address the Will Smith slap for a year

The Madagascar actor did not publically speak about the slap for over a year before he let it out on his Netflix special. In the live stand-up, he claimed that the reason he did not talk about it was that he was not a ‘victim’ and certainly did not want to become one. “People are like, ‘Did it hurt?’ It still hurts! I got summertime ringing in my ears!” he said. “But I’m not a victim, baby. You will never see me on Oprah, Gayle, crying,” he said.

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via Reuters

Rock addressing the whole situation in the show after being in the dark for a year has been called a genius move by many including Joe Rogan. Moreover, the bottled-up feelings inside the comedian were clearly visible as he let his feelings out after being humiliated publically in front of millions.

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Do you think Smith would have confronted Tyson if he was in place of Rock? Let us know in the comments.

Watch This Story: 5 Best Guests on Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson

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Written by:

Sahil Sood

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Sahil Sood is a Boxing writer at EssentiallySports. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication, and holds a keen interest in the 'sweet science'. His journey towards following boxing began when he first saw the highlights of Mike Tyson as a teenager, and then closely followed the rise of Floyd Mayweather.
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Edited by:

Shibu Immanuel