DALLAS – Mike Tyson said “the devil himself” would appear in his boxing match against Jake Paul on Friday night. He gave Paul a taste during Thursday’s weigh-in.

After Tyson weighed in at 233 pounds, he approached Paul for the final look before Friday’s match at AT&T Stadium. Paul, who weighed a career-high 220 pounds, lunged forward from a crawling position to get up close and personal with the former heavyweight champion.

In response to 27-year-old Paul invading his personal space, Tyson delivered an open-handed punch that hit Paul’s face. The two were quickly separated by security as Paul played to the crowd, mocking Tyson and laughing at his opponent.

A source close to Tyson told ESPN that Tyson reacted when Paul “purposefully” stepped on his foot during the staredown. According to the source, Tyson had had enough of Paul’s trash talk, and stepping on his foot was the turning point for Tyson.

Tyson was led away as Paul addressed the crowd, saying, “It’s personal now. He must die!’

Tyson’s behavior has changed in recent days. He was chatty during Tuesday’s open practices but seemed much more subdued at Wednesday’s press conference, where he gave brief answers to media questions. On Thursday he seemed to have had enough of the talk and was ready for action.

How that translates to Friday’s fight is anyone’s guess, but the blow has only increased anticipation for the generational gap between the iconic boxer and the YouTuber turned prizefighter.