Mike Tyson is a pro boxing legend known for his punch power, lightning-fast speed, and merciless fighting style.
While primarily recognized for his boxing prowess, Tyson ventured into the acting world, showcasing his talents on the big screen. One of his prominent film appearances was in Ip Man 3, a martial arts film that became a box office success. But the lead of the film series, Donnie Yen, shared his dreadful experience of working with the legendary boxer as revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live via Fandom Wire.
Donnie Yen opens up on Mike Tyson
Donnie Yen, renowned martial artist and star of the Ip Man franchise, recently shared a spine-chilling incident from the sets of Ip Man 3 involving none other than boxing legend Mike Tyson.
The third installment of the popular series presented Yen’s character defending a local school against a merciless gang and a property developer named Frank, played by Tyson. The John Wick: Chapter 4 actor, a self-professed fan of Tyson’s, admitted to feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension as he embarked on the filming of Ip Man 3 with the legendary boxer, as the boxing legend didn’t have much experience in acting at that time.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Mike. When I was doing Ip Man 3 with him I didn’t know what to expect. Mike, I love him, but he doesn’t really have a lot of film experience. I didn’t want him to come to the set and start swinging. And my character, I was supposed to be very poised and very calm and always block these strikes at the very last second.”
The Monkey King star also shared his experience of witnessing the ferocious punch from Tyson. Yen added that in one particular fight scene, the choreography required Tyson to unleash his famous left hook, aiming to strike a punching bag positioned perilously close to Yen’s face, with a close-up shot. As the scene unfolded at breakneck speed, Yen found himself contemplating the potential consequences. During the scene, Yen experienced the sheer force of Tyson’s punch.
“So there was this choreography where Mike was coming at me with a left hook, his famous hook. And he was supposed to knock this punching bag right next to my face and there was this close-up on me. We were doing it, going at it, very fast and I said, ‘Wait a minute, what am I gonna do?’ I promised my wife that I would get home in one piece. I felt his punch coming at me, 90 miles per hour, I kid you not. And I couldn’t really move sooner because I had to be poised. I felt his forearm just… I felt the wind. It was like a tornado. And he knocked that punching bag.”
