According to Fox News, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is facing a financial demand from Melvin Townsend, the man he fought on a JetBlue flight in April 2022. Townsend’s lawyer, Jake Jondle, sent a “pre-litigation settlement demand” for $450,000, citing “injuries and damages” suffered during the flight from San Francisco to Florida. Jondle emphasized Tyson’s potential to cause severe injuries and claimed that Townsend, initially excited to speak with Tyson as a fan, suffered ongoing medical issues, missed job opportunities, and incurred headaches and neck pain. Tyson’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, dismissed the demand as a “shakedown” and stated there would be no payment. The incident, caught on video, showed Tyson reacting to Townsend allegedly throwing a water bottle at him, leading to a physical altercation. Authorities did not charge Tyson in connection with the incident.
The legal letter from Jondle argued that Tyson, being a former undisputed heavyweight champion, had the potential to cause severe injuries. Townsend, described as an excited fan initially, ended up involved in a brawl during the flight. Jondle claimed that Tyson had other remedies available but chose physical violence, emphasizing that Tyson acknowledged being “wrong” in a TV interview with Jimmy Kimmel. Tyson admitted to his “primitive child stages” during the altercation, citing irritation, fatigue, being high, and anger.
Townsend allegedly experienced severe headache and neck pain from the incident and continued to suffer, according to Jondle. The lawyer argued that Townsend’s lack of immediate medical help, due to lack of insurance, and the impact on his job opportunities warranted the $450,000 payout. Despite the detailed reasons in Jondle’s pre-litigation demand, Tyson’s lawyer Spiro firmly rejected any shakedown payment.
The incident involved Tyson turning around and punching Townsend after the latter allegedly threw a water bottle. While Jondle’s demand mentioned Townsend’s excitement to discuss the marijuana industry and psychedelic mushrooms with Tyson, Spiro emphasized that there would be no cooperation with the demand. Townsend’s commitment not to file future lawsuits was contingent on the $450,000 payment, a condition that Tyson’s lawyer rejected. The situation now awaits Townsend’s decision on potential litigation.
