Mike Tyson’s recent return to the ring against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul has proven to be far more dramatic outside the ring than inside it. While the fight itself ended in a lackluster eight-round decision in favor of Paul, the aftermath is now tangled in legal controversy. Tyson is facing a $1.59 million lawsuit over an alleged breach of contract, and speculation continues to swirl around the legitimacy of the fight itself.
Mike Tyson and his legal team are firing back after being sued for $1.6 million by UK company Medier. Tyson insists the breach of contract was on their part, not his, and defends his team’s actions in protecting his reputation. #MikeTyson #JakePaul #LegalBattle #BoxingNews… pic.twitter.com/5ZTrrv76hD
— FTTV Boxing (@FTTVBoxing) December 8, 2024
According to The New York Post, sports attorney Dan Lust hinted that Jake Paul’s post-fight comments opened the door for potential lawsuits. Paul admitted after the bout that he “didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt,” fueling speculation that he carried Tyson, who looked visibly fatigued and wobbly in the later rounds. This led to whispers of fight-fixing or a lack of competitive integrity, though no lawsuit has emerged on those grounds — yet.
What *has* emerged is a lawsuit from UK-based firm Medier, representing the online casino and betting platform Rabona. Medier claims Tyson violated a sponsorship deal they signed in January 2024 by agreeing to the high-profile Netflix fight against Paul. The lawsuit, filed in London’s High Court in October, alleges that Tyson’s sudden pivot to Netflix was a breach of their agreement and caused significant financial loss.
Netflix LAWSUIT for Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson due to poor streaming quality.
A class action was filed in Florida. pic.twitter.com/0uZbw3uVsp
— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) November 19, 2024
Medier’s legal team argues that Tyson, along with his company Tyrannic, unlawfully terminated their deal to chase the more lucrative Netflix opportunity. “The true reason for Mr. Tyson and Tyrannic’s hasty and unlawful termination was because Mr. Tyson had agreed [to] a deal, sponsored by Netflix, to fight the influencer Jake Paul,” Medier’s lawyer stated.
Tyson’s camp fired back, asserting that Medier was the party in breach of the contract. They claim Medier failed to get Tyson’s approval for promotional materials, thereby harming his brand. Tyson’s lawyers argued that this breach justified terminating the deal to “mitigate additional reputational harm.”
While Tyson may have lost the fight to Jake Paul, he reportedly pocketed a cool $20 million for his efforts. The event, held at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, drew more than 72,000 live attendees and a staggering 108 million viewers on Netflix — making it the most streamed sporting event in history, despite complaints about streaming quality that have led to a separate class-action lawsuit.
As this legal battle unfolds, Tyson remains firmly in the public eye. Even at 58 years old, the former heavyweight champion continues to make headlines, whether he’s in the ring or the courtroom.
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