Boxing legend Mike Tyson suffered a medical emergency during a cross-country flight from Miami to Los Angeles on Sunday, his representatives have confirmed.
The story was first reported by In Touch Weekly, which labeled the incident as an “apparent medical scare.”
“Mike had some kind of medical emergency on the plane and paramedics boarded,” one eyewitness told the outlet. “Before the paramedics arrived the flight issued an announcement asking for a doctor — the message even came on everyone’s screens.”
The plane was delayed two hours prior to takeoff due to excessive heat in the Miami area. An eyewitness confirmed that Tyson was aboard American Airlines flight 1815 in the Admirals Club. “There was a lot of buzz when he left the Admirals Club and got to the gate. A lot of fans recognized him, and a few people got pictures,” the eyewitness said.
(ALERT: This Is The Handshake That Will Collapse The US Dollar) (ALERT: This Is The Handshake That Will Collapse The US Dollar)
“He was very accommodating and then he was escorted away from the gate because the flight was delayed because the gate person said that the plane was too hot because it had been sitting all day and had to cool down.”
Passengers received a pre-recorded message asking if there were any medical personnel onboard about 30 minutes before they were scheduled to land. Passengers were instructed to contact flight attendants or press the call button due to a medical incident involving another passenger. ““Then our screens said medical assistance needed, and repeated the same thing,” the eyewitness added.
“He was in first class, but we were an exit row,” they continued. “They asked us to stay on the plane and landed so paramedics could enter. [The stewardess] said something like, ‘He’s a really important passenger so we wanna make sure he’s OK.’ I knew it was him, but I just mouthed the words ‘Mike Tyson’ and she nodded her head yes.”
Passengers were held on the plane for another 25 minutes after landing in Los Angeles as paramedics tended to Tyson.
“Thankfully Mr. Tyson is doing great,” said in a statement to the New York Post. “He became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare up 30 minutes before landing. He is appreciative to the medical staff that were there to help him.”
In their statement, Tyson’s representatives clarified that the delay stemmed from an air conditioning issue and not medical attention for Tyson.
Tyson, who turns 58 later this year, is scheduled to fight social media personality turned professional boxer Jack Paul on July 20. The legendary heavyweight last fought in a sanctioned bout in 2005, though he did go to a decision with Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition in 2020.
Paul has faced criticism over the fight due to the fact that he is half Tyson’s age.
