Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is being sued in London for allegedly breaking a commercial deal to fight Jake Paul.
Tyson, 58, lost to Paul in a listless unanimous decision in November at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The record-breaking fight was watched by more than 65 million households on Netflix and generated $18.1 million in ticket sales.
Despite the huge commercial success, the action was considered underwhelming, with Tyson landing just 18 punches over their 16-minute heavyweight contest.
Medier, a Cyprus-registered company that promotes Rabona Sportsbook & Online Casino, have filed suit against Tyson and his company, Tyrannic, in a $1.59 million claim for allegedly breaking a deal to promote the gambling company in order to fight influencer turned boxer Paul.
The lawsuit, filed in the UK’s high court, claims that Tyson unlawfully terminated his deal with Medier in March 2024, with the ex-champ citing a breach of contract, on the same day his bout with Paul was announced.
Medier, however, ascertains that it did not breach its agreement with Tyson, and Tyson’s termination of the deal ultimately cost Medier $1.54 million in damages.
Tyson’s lawyers, Bird & Bird, have yet to respond to the complaint filed by Keystone Law, on behalf of Medier, in October.
“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,” lawyers for Medier said in public documents on Friday.
The bout was Tyson’s first in-ring appearance since a 2020 exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr., which in itself ended a 15-year layoff for Tyson after he was knocked out by Kevin McBride in 2005.
The fight between Tyson and Paul was subject to heavy criticism. Some of the world’s leading boxing figures, including Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn, expressed concerns for the 58-year-old’s health.
