Why did Mike Tyson slap Jake Paul at their fight weigh-in?

A physical altercation at the ceremonial weigh-in is always a great way to drive interest in a prize fight, and Mike Tyson certainly played his part Thursday in ratcheting the hype for Friday's bout with Jake Paul.

RELATED: The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight will have different boxing rules

When it finally came time for the final face-off, the fighters' staredown barely lasted a second. Tyson slapped Paul, and the two had to be separated.

Was it a choreographed confrontation to get people to watch the fight, which will be streamed live on Netflix? Maybe. However, Tyson's anger looked genuine.

That's because Paul stepped on the right foot of Tyson.

“I was in my socks, and he had on shoes,” Tyson told the New York Post. “He stepped on my toe because he is a f---ing a--hole. I wanted to think it happened by accident. But now I think it may have happened on purpose. 

“I was in a lot of pain. I had to reciprocate.”

After getting slapped, Paul said, "He hits like a bitch. ... He must die."

Interest was already high in the Paul-Tyson fight. Netflix, which continues to carve its place in the crowded live sports landscape, gave it the big-fight treatment with a documentary series detailing the fighters' preparation. Also, Paul claims he'll achieve "the biggest moment in boxing history" when he "puts this man to sleep."

Netflix has over 280 million subscribers, so it's not like it was going to struggle for an audience. The Slap Appearing On Everyone's Timelines should get the attention of non-fight fans.

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