NEWSMike Tyson Punching Victim's Attorney Claims The Boxer Used 'Excessive' Force On 'Overly Excited' Fan
Mike Tyson found himself in hot water after he was caught on video repeatedly punching a man while aboard a Jet Blue flight on Wednesday, April 20.
Now, the victim's attorney is speaking out on his client's shocking altercation with the boxing legend, claiming Tyson's actions were a bad reaction to an excited fan.
"Our client is a big Mike Tyson fan. When Mike Tyson boarded the plane, he became overly excited. At first, their interaction was cordial," lawyer Matt Morgan said of his client Melvin Townsend III in a statement to TMZ.
"At a certain point, Mr. Tyson clearly became agitated by an overly excited fan and began to strike him in an excessive manner," he continued. "This situation could have been avoided simply by contacting the flight attendant."
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The attorney also alleged that Townsend did not toss a water bottle at the famed boxer as was previously rumored, and maintained his client was simply talking to him.
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Following the unsettling in-flight altercation, Townsend was left with a bloodied and bruised face. He received the appropriate medical attention and later filed a police report with authorities.
"To state the obvious, as one of the greatest fighters of all time, Mr. Tyson should have exercised greater restraint before using his hands on an overly excited fan," Morgan commented.
A source close to Townsend also told the outlet that he is "still in shock" and hasn't decided yet what he's going to do next legally.
Added the source, "He hired counsel due to his physical injuries, the overwhelming nature of this event and the associated media inquiries."
