The highly anticipated fight between boxing legend Mike Tyson and YouTuber-turned-prize-fighter Jake Paul has led to a series of lawsuits, pulling both Netflix and Tyson into legal battles. From allegations of contract breaches to streaming quality complaints, here’s a breakdown of the controversies surrounding the November 15 event.

Mike Tyson sued by marketing agency for $1.6 million

Mike Tyson and his company, Tyrannic, LLC, face a $1.6 million lawsuit filed by UK-based marketing agency Medier, which represents the online gambling platform

Medier accuses Tyson of failing to honour his contractual obligations as Rabona’s brand ambassador. The agreement, signed in January, required Tyson to promote the platform through live streams and exclusive content. However, the lawsuit claims Tyson abruptly terminated the deal in March, coinciding with the announcement of his fight with Jake Paul.

According to Medier, this “hasty and unlawful” termination caused significant financial losses for the company, estimated at $1.6 million. 

Tyson’s defence

In a formal statement, Tyson’s team countered these allegations, asserting that Medier had repeatedly breached the terms of their agreement, leaving the contract unworkable. They claim the termination was necessary to protect Tyson’s brand from further “reputational harm.” 

Netflix hit with $50 million lawsuit over streaming glitches 

Separately, faces a proposed $50 million class-action lawsuit filed by Ronald Denton, a Florida resident, on behalf of thousands of viewers. The lawsuit accuses the streaming giant of being “woefully ill-prepared” for the high demand of the Tyson-Paul fight, which was marred by streaming glitches and buffering issues. 

The fight, watched by a global audience of 60 million, reportedly left over 100,000 viewers frustrated due to poor streaming quality. Social media platforms were flooded with complaints, and the outage tracker Down Detector logged nearly 85,000 reports during the event. 

The lawsuit alleges breach of contract and deceptive trade practices under Florida law, with Denton claiming the glitches deprived viewers of the much-hyped fight between Tyson and Paul. 

Netflix responds

Netflix, while acknowledging the record-breaking viewership numbers, has not publicly commented on the lawsuit. The platform claims the fight peaked at 65 million concurrent streams, marking it as one of the most-watched events on their service. 

A fight to forget? 

The Tyson-Paul bout was expected to be a historic clash, pitting the 58-year-old boxing legend against an opponent 30 years his junior. However, the fight ended with Jake Paul securing a unanimous decision victory, leaving fans underwhelmed. 

Critics have called the event overhyped, with many pointing to Tyson’s visibly diminished form. For Tyson, the fight marked his seventh professional loss and further fuelled the controversies surrounding his involvement. 

What’s next? 

The lawsuits are still in their early stages, and the outcomes remain uncertain. Tyson’s team is confident in their defence, stressing that they acted within their contractual rights. Meanwhile, Netflix’s legal team faces a class-action battle that could set a precedent for future streaming issues during high-demand events.

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