Mike Tyson in £1.5m High Court fight over pigeon mascot deal
Boxer and firm deny breach of contract with gambling brand Rabona, promoted by Medier Ltd.
Heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson and his promotional firm Tyrannic are involved in a High Court dispute in London concerning an alleged breach of a January 2024 sponsorship contract with the online gambling brand Rabona, promoted by Medier Ltd. Medier claims Tyson and his company walked away from a £1.5m deal involving a giant pigeon mascot, a move they argue was unjustified.
Disagreement over contract terms
Lawyers for Medier contend that Tyson and Tyrannic "simply lost interest" in the deal, potentially after securing a more lucrative exhibition fight. However, Tyson and Tyrannic deny any breach of contract. They assert that Medier went beyond the agreed terms by requiring Tyson's participation in an online show called "Talking Pigeons", which they described as "ridiculous".
Mrs Lakiha Tyson, who manages Mr Tyson's image through Tyrannic, stated in court that the contract was limited to filming her husband playing casino games or other approved games from the company's website. She told the court that the proposal for a talking pigeon mascot was comical and put Mr Tyson in a position where he was the "butt of the joke", rather than controlling his brand. She added that they had pushed back on the theme of pigeons and punching, clarifying that the channel name "Talking Pigeons" did not imply literal interaction with a pigeon.
Medier's barrister, Ali Reza Sinai, suggested that the Tysons withdrew from the deal due to scheduling conflicts with Tyson's 2024 bout against Jake Paul, and to avoid answering questions about the fight. Mrs Tyson refuted this, stating the two matters were separate and not conflicting.
Financial agreement and payments
The contract with Medier stipulated an instalment-based $2m (£1.5m) fee for Mr Tyson, payable to Tyrannic. Before the parties parted ways, nearly $190,000 of this sum had been paid. Medier claims Mr Tyson and Tyrannic LLC subsequently broke the contract by failing to perform agreed live streaming events and by terminating the agreement without proper notice. The hearing at the High Court is ongoing.
Questions this report answers
01What is the High Court case about?
Mike Tyson and his firm Tyrannic are being sued by Medier Ltd for allegedly breaching a £1.5m sponsorship contract. Medier claims Tyson walked away from a deal involving a giant pigeon mascot, while Tyson's side argues the proposed content went beyond the contract's terms.
02What was the proposed advertising deal?
The deal with Rabona, promoted by Medier Ltd, involved Mike Tyson in a campaign that included him being interviewed by someone dressed as a giant talking pigeon and teaching it to box. The contract was for promoting gaming services at live streaming events and a gambling conference.
03How much money was involved in the contract?
The contract was for an instalment-based $2m, equivalent to £1.5m, to be paid to Mr Tyson's firm, Tyrannic. Mr Tyson had received nearly $190,000 of this amount before the dispute led to him parting ways with the deal.
04What are the arguments from Mike Tyson's side?
Mike Tyson and Tyrannic deny breaching the contract. They claim Medier Ltd exceeded the agreement's terms by requiring participation in a 'ridiculous' online show called 'Talking Pigeons'. Mrs Tyson stated the contract was limited to filming him playing casino or approved games and not involving 'goofy' shows.
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