Tyson’s Wife Says Rabona’s Pigeon Show Exceeded $2 Million Sponsorship Deal

Mike Tyson’s wife and manager, Lakiha Tyson, told London’s High Court that a proposed promotional appearance alongside a giant pigeon mascot exceeded the scope of his $2 million Rabona sponsorship agreement, according to The Standard.

Cyprus-registered Medier Ltd, which promotes the online gambling brand, is suing Tyson and his promotional company, Tyrannic, for alleged breach of contract. The defendants deny wrongdoing and argue that Medier departed from the agreement first.

The dispute concerns a sponsorship signed in January 2024. Medier maintains that Tyson withdrew after securing his more lucrative fight against Jake Paul, rather than because the proposed advertising content was unacceptable. 

Giving evidence on October 14, Lakiha Tyson said the Talking Pigeons concept would have presented her husband in a way she considered inconsistent with his public image. Her objection, as reported by The Standard, concerned both the performance requested and the limits of what he had agreed to do.

Defence Challenges the Scope of the Promotional Appearance

The proposed show would have involved Tyson speaking with a presenter dressed as a giant pigeon before providing a boxing lesson.

Lakiha Tyson said the agreement was limited to filming her husband playing casino games or other approved games available through Rabona’s website. She argued that participation in a scripted entertainment show was a materially different request.

She told the court that the campaign should represent Tyson in a way that made him and his brand proud, rather than making him the “butt of the joke”.

Medier’s barrister, Ali Reza Sinai, challenged that account. He referred to earlier discussions describing a pigeon mascot that would always be present on the channel, questioning whether the proposed format should have been unexpected. 

The disagreement therefore extends beyond whether Tyson liked the creative concept. The parties dispute whether the requested appearance was covered by the agreed promotional obligations and whether refusing it justified ending the relationship.

Medier Links Withdrawal to the Jake Paul Fight

Medier’s lawyers argue that Tyson and Tyrannic lost interest in the Rabona campaign after the Paul fight was arranged. The Independent reported that they contrasted the sponsorship with a fight agreement described in court as worth $15 million.

Tyson’s representatives reject that explanation. Their position is that the performance demanded for Talking Pigeons went beyond the contractual requirement to appear in gaming-related content. 

Lakiha Tyson also denied that the sponsorship and fight were incompatible, telling the court that they were separate commitments and that Tyson had other sponsors at the time. 

The litigation predates this week’s testimony. Reuters reported in December 2024 that Medier had filed its claim that October, alleging that Tyson terminated the agreement in March 2024, on the day his fight with Paul was announced. Medier disputed the breach cited as grounds for termination. 

The case centres on the contractual scope of Tyson’s appearances and the circumstances of termination. The competing accounts remain allegations and defence arguments; The Standard reported that the hearing was continuing, without a final ruling on liability.