Mike Tyson opens up about viral flight fight

By Belinda Palmada

Boxing legend Mike Tyson has opened up about his fight with a fan on a plane that went viral earlier this year.

The former heavyweight champion of the world turned marijuana mogul was in April filmed attacking a passenger on a flight to Miami, where he was set to be the main speaker at the Benzinga Cannabis Conference.

A witness told TMZ that Tyson, 56, told the man to leave him alone, but the boxer started swinging when he refused to back off.

Iron Mike was seen reaching over the back of his seat to punch the fellow passenger.

Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, available to stream on Flash, the boxing icon admitted he had been smoking cannabis before boarding the aircraft.

"By the time I'm on the plane I'm high, hungry and tired," he told the Sky News host.

"This guy keeps antagonising me. And then I came to my senses and kicked his f***ing ass!

"I'm only joking. I wish I did kick his ass! I didn't kick his ass. But my bodyguard jumped on top of him and I was hitting my bodyguard! For which I'm sorry.

"That guy was just an irritant really. He hit me with a water bottle."

Morgan then asked Tyson if being antagonised by members of the public was a regular occurrence in his life.

"Out of 10 people I may get one," he added.

When asked how many he 'deals with', Tyson joked: "Quite a few but I may only have to put my hands on one!

"I can't play like that because my wife gets mad. She doesn't like my sense of humour. She thinks I'm going to get cancelled or some sh*t."

Back in May, a prosecutor in California said the former fighter would not face criminal charges over his plane altercation.

"Our decision is that we will not file any charges against Mr Tyson based on the circumstances surrounding the confrontation," San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told AFP.

"These include the conduct of the victim leading up to the incident, the interaction between Mr Tyson and the victim, as well as the requests of both the victim and Mr Tyson that no charges be filed in this case."

Considered one of the best heavyweights of all time, Tyson is also known for his erratic behaviour, which included infamously biting off a piece of Evander Holyfield's ear in a 1997 bout.

Tyson was convicted in 1992 of rape, and jailed for three years. In 2007 he admitted to a cocaine addiction.