Man Punched by Mike Tyson on Plane in Viral Video Demands $450K to Settle Litigation

Melvin Townsend, who was repeatedly punched by former boxer Mike Tyson on an airplane in 2022, is seeking a $450,000 "pre-litigation settlement demand" for "injuries and damages" suffered during the incident, according to Josh Kosman and Olivia Land of the New York Post.

Townsend's attorney, Jake Jondle, sent the demand to Tyson's attorney Alex Spiro, noting that "immediately after the incident, Mr. Townsend had a severe headache and neck pain" and is "still suffering with the effects of the assault to this day."

Jondle also claimed that his client couldn't get medical attention because he didn't have insurance at the time and has lost several jobs since the incident because of the "unfortunate notoriety he experienced" after video of the fight went viral on social media.

"As a former undisputed heavyweight champion, the potential to cause severe injuries to another person goes without question," Jondle continued. "There were several other remedies available to Mr. Tyson, but he chose physical violence."

Spiro said there would be no settlement payout and described the letter he received from Jondle as a "shakedown."

The San Mateo County (California) District Attorney Office's declined to press charges against Tyson in the incident back in May 2022.

"We have reviewed the police reports of the San Francisco Police Department and the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office and have viewed the various videos collected by law enforcement from others on the airplane," District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told reporters. "Our decision is that we will not file any charges against Mr. Tyson based on the circumstances surrounding the confrontation."

"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," he continued.

A spokesperson for Tyson said at the time that Townsend had been "aggressive" and "began harassing him and threw a water bottle at him."

Tyson later said during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in June 2022 that he shouldn't have physically attacked Townsend, an admission Jondle noted in his letter to Spiro.

"I'm usually good at these things," Tyson told Kimmel (h/t Mike Heck of MMA Fighting). "I guess it was just his number. But I was wrong. That never should've happened, that's me back at my primitive child stages. I shouldn't have done that, but I was irritated, tired, high, pissed off, yeah. S--t happens."