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Mike Tyson refused to be 'butt of the joke' with giant pigeon, £1.5m High Court battle hears

Mike Tyson, whose lifelong passion for pigeon racing his lawyers say makes the "Talking Pigeons" stunt no proof he agreed to it, is being sued for £1.5 million by Rabona over an allegedly abandoned sponsorship deal.
Mike Tyson, whose lifelong passion for pigeon racing his lawyers say makes the "Talking Pigeons" stunt no proof he agreed to it, is being sued for £1.5 million by Rabona over an allegedly abandoned sponsorship deal.
The giant pigeon costume central to Rabona's "Talking Pigeons" campaign, which Mike Tyson allegedly abandoned after a $15 million Netflix bout against Jake Paul was confirmed.
The giant pigeon costume central to Rabona's "Talking Pigeons" campaign, which Mike Tyson allegedly abandoned after a $15 million Netflix bout against Jake Paul was confirmed.

Lakiha Tyson, who runs her husband's promotional firm Tyrannic, told London's High Court that boxing legend Mike Tyson was within his rights to walk away from a £1.5m sponsorship deal with online gambling brand Rabona after refusing to be made to look foolish alongside a giant talking pigeon mascot. Promoters Medier Ltd claim the 60-year-old simply lost interest once a far more lucrative $15m exhibition fight against Jake Paul was announced. Tyson and Tyrannic contest any suggestion they breached the January 2024 contract.

The proposed 'Talking Pigeons' campaign would have had Tyson deliver scripted lines with a presenter in a pigeon suit and teach boxing using an Evander Holyfield mannequin.

Tyson's lawyers argue Medier broke the contract first by demanding a live-stream performance that went 'far beyond' what he had agreed to, which they say covered only casino games on Rabona's website.

Medier, a Cyprus-registered firm, says it paid Tyson $833,334 upfront and wants that money back plus damages — noting Tyson's lifelong love of pigeons made him the ideal face of the campaign.

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