Mike Tyson Sued in £1.5 Million ‘Talking Pigeon’ Gambling Ad Case

Former heavyweight champion of the world Mike Tyson is this week at the centre of a bizarre High Court legal battle with a gambling operator over a ‘talking pigeon’ ad campaign.

Tyson, formerly known as the Baddest Man on the Planet, reportedly did not want to be the ‘butt of the joke’ in a promotional campaign for online casino brand Rabona.

But Medier Ltd, the promoter of Rabona, argues that Tyson simply walked away from the deal when he got a better offer: his exhibition boxing bout with YouTube influencer Jake Paul in November 2024.

Knockout Blow

The High Court in London has been hearing how Medier Ltd, on behalf of Rabona, signed an agreement with Tyrannic, Mike Tyson’s commercial entity, for the 60-year-old to appear in a viral ad campaign.

As part of the marketing effort, Tyson was to be interviewed by a giant talking pigeon before teaching his new feathered friend how to box.

However, before filming began, the two-time heavyweight champion stepped away from the project, citing a schedule clash after announcing his shock bout with Paul.

Ali Reza Sinai, the barrister for Medier Ltd, has argued that Tyson ‘simply lost interest’ in the Rabona agreement after signing the fight deal that was thought to be worth around £15 million.

They are now attempting to sue Tyson for breach of contract, recouping £1.5 million along the way. Iron Mike and Tyrannic deny the charges.

Ridiculous Content Claim

The defence case for Tyson has been built on the ‘ridiculous’ ideas put forward by Medier Ltd for the ad campaign.

They wanted the 60-year-old to appear in the skit called ‘Talking Pigeons’, but Tyson’s legal team contests that their client had not approved that concept.

Defenders for Tyrannic, headed by Tyson’s wife Lakiha, claim instead that Tyson agreed only to be filmed playing selected casino games on the Rabona website and app.

Giant Talking Pigeon

But Sinai, disputing that version of events, contested that Medier told the Tysons, ‘we hope you see the need for this type of viral content,’ while a giant animated pigeon features prominently in Rabona’s branding.

Tyson himself has previously spoken of his love of racing pigeons; a hobby that the boxer has claimed kept him out of trouble as a teen in New York. That is said to have inspired Medier’s viral campaign.

“The name of the channel is ‘Talking Pigeons’. Doesn't that suggest to you that the pigeon would speak?” Sinai asked Lahika Tyson in court this week.

“We wanted to go viral, but in a way that makes him and his brand proud… not a way that makes him look ridiculous,” she responded. “Putting Mike in a position where he is the butt of the joke, instead of controlling his brand and how he wants to be represented. It was crazy.”

Reputation Management

Mrs. Tyson took the stand to speak of the work she does to protect her husband’s image.

“What I'll do is make sure that anything that Mike is asked to do is in his style, in his verbiage... then we'll approve it,” she revealed. “No talking pigeons...no talking trash to pigeons. We had to push back on the theme of pigeons and punching.”

However, Medier continues to claim the deal fell through once the Jake Paul bout was confirmed, with Sinai arguing that Lahika Tyson did not want her husband ‘answering questions about the fight,’ which drew negative PR over Mike Tyson’s near 20-year absence from the ring.

The hearing continues at London’s High Court.