An obnoxious airline passenger is attempting to shake down ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson for nearly half a million dollars after the legendary pugilist laid an a**-whooping on him at 30,000 feet.
In April 2022, a video obtained by TMZ showed Tyson on a flight seemingly minding his own business when an unruly and very intoxicated passenger decided to harass him. 37-year-old Melvin Townsend repeatedly stood over Tyson’s seat and would not stop talking, as you can see in the footage shot by another passenger.
“This guy’s lit, man, he’s trying to rap with Tyson,” the man behind the camera said while laughing. “He don’t know how to act. Tyson’s looking out, man, this sh*t’s crazy as f*ck.”
Several more clips show Townsend continuing to act like a fool and antagonize the former undisputed heavyweight champ. Fed up, Tyson stood up from his seat, turned around, and laid into Townsend with a series of punches that left the unpleasant passenger battered and pouting.
WATCH: Mike Tyson beats up annoying passenger messing with him on an airplane 😱
(📹 via @TMZ_Sports)#MikeTyson #Fight #Viral pic.twitter.com/Q5Ca4GQRef
— Frontkick.online (@FrontkickOnline) April 21, 2022
Mike Tyson and His Lawyer Refuse to Deliver ‘Shakedown’ Payment
Nothing came of the incident and many assumed that it would be forever filed away as a perfect example of ‘f*ck around and find out.’
More than a year later, Townsend and his lawyer have filed a demand for compensation from Tyson for the sum of $450,000. And while this is not technically a lawsuit, Townsend’s lawyer made it clear that he would “continue to prepare Mr. Townsend’s case for the filing of a lawsuit” if Tyson doesn’t pony up the dough.
A representative for Tyson addressed the demand stating, “I have received a shakedown letter related to some instigator’s harassment of Mike a year ago and the aftermath. There will be no shakedown payment.”
Though most would agree that Townsend deserved the three-piece and a soda he received from Tyson, the former boxing superstar showed remorse for his actions during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmell Live! two months after the incident.
“I’m usually good at these things,” Tyson said. “I guess it was just his number. I was wrong. That never should’ve happened. That’s me back at my primitive child stages. I shouldn’t have done that, but I was irritated, tired, high, pissed off, yeah. Sh*t happens.”
You can watch the full TMZ footage of the airplane incident below:
