Mike Tyson breaks silence on airplane beatdown


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Mike Tyson’s wife doesn’t want him to take “public plans.”

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The 55-year-old boxing legend was caught on camera in an altercation with Melvin George Townsend III on board a JetBlue flight last month after his fellow passenger allegedly threw a bottle at him prior to take off, but after speaking to both parties, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office ultimately decided not to file any charges.

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Mike acknowledged there is always a possibility of him coming face-to-face with “overly excited” fans on board aircraft, and it happens so often his spouse, Lakiha Spencer, wants him to stick to private jets when he has to travel by air .

He said: “I shouldn’t even be taking public plans. My wife gets mad I take public plans.

‘What am I going to do on a f****** plane with my friends and [a bodyguard] he’s supposed to watch me?

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“A bodyguard and f****** yes man. What am I gonna do on a plane?”

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The ‘Hangover’ star admitted incidents like the one on the plane “triggers” him but he knows he should not get involved in confrontation.

Asked if it’s a losing situation, he said on his ‘Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson’ podcast: “Yes. Totally, 100%.”

The controversial sportsman accused his fellow passenger of “f******” with him.

He said: “Yes, they said they ain’t gonna pick up charges.

“He was f*****g with me man. I took pictures with this n****.”

It was previously explained no charges had been brought following the incident due to the “circumstances surrounding the confrontation.”

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The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office explained: “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.”

Steve Wagstaffe, the case’s District Attorney, told the magazine that after looking at the evidence and the “mixed” reports from the San Francisco Police Department, he was able to see that “the victim was intoxicated and instigated the matter.”

Steve also concluded that the matter was not something for “criminal justice” to deal with and said the victim was almost “Darwinian” and “not too bright” to try to fight with a man once nicknamed ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet.’

He said: “Bottom line, which is most important, is that it’s not a case that belongs in criminal justice. It is quite a Darwinian move to get into the face of a former heavyweight champion of the world. That’s not too bright.”

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