Mike Tyson is facing a lawsuit exceeding $1.5 million, filed by a Cyprus-based company alleging that the legendary former heavyweight boxing champion violated a promotional contract to pursue a high-profile fight with influencer Jake Paul.
The company, Medier, which represents the betting brand Rabona, initiated legal proceedings in London’s High Court against Tyson and his company, Tyrannic.
The lawsuit alleges Tyson wrongfully terminated their agreement in March, just two months after its January signing, by accusing Medier of breaching the terms of their contract.
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According to the court documents, Medier claims the termination was a pretext. “The true reason for Mr. Tyson and Tyrannic’s hasty and unlawful termination was because Mr. Tyson had agreed a deal, sponsored by Netflix, to fight the influencer Jake Paul,” the lawsuit states.
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Medier is demanding the return of more than $800,000, which it says was paid to Tyson for services he never delivered. Additionally, the company is seeking $729,000 in damages for what it describes as “wasted production and promotion costs.”
Tyson, now 58, reportedly earned $20 million for last month’s widely publicized fight against Paul. The eight-round bout took place at the AT&T Stadium, home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, in front of a crowd of over 70,000 fans and was streamed live on Netflix. Paul, 27, secured a unanimous decision victory in what was viewed by critics as an underwhelming matchup.
Tyson’s legal team has countered Medier’s claims, arguing that the company breached the contract first. They assert that Medier failed to obtain Tyson’s approval for certain promotional materials, violating the agreement’s terms and providing grounds for the termination.
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