Mike Tyson is a legendary figure in the world of professional boxing. Known for his unmatched power, lightning-fast speed, and ferocious fighting style, Tyson has left an indelible mark on the industry and its viewers. From his early days as the youngest heavyweight champion in history to his iconic matches, Tyson’s career has been filled with several acclaimed triumphs.
While primarily recognized for his boxing prowess, Tyson ventured into the acting realm, 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.
Donnie Yen Had No Idea What To Expect From Mike Tyson During The Shoot Of Ip Man 3
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.”
Donnie Yen On Feeling The Impactful Punch Of Mike Tyson
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.”
It looks like Donnie Yen got pretty impressed with the sheer strength of Tyson after his adrenaline-packed encounter with the former boxer’s punch. The shared instance of the two prominent action stars serves as a testament to the reality of action scenes, which possess the ability to inflict severe damage on the concerned cast.
Ip Man 3 is available on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Jimmy Kimmel Live
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