Oscar De La Hoya Crawford Likely Beats Spence ... But It's A 50/50 Fight!

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A 50/50 Fight
TMZSports.com

Oscar De La Hoya is weighing in on one of the best fights in years -- Errol Spence vs. Terence Crawford -- a fight The Golden Boy agrees is as close to evenly matched as a fight could be ... but that doesn't mean the boxing legend doesn't have a prediction!

"I think it is a 50/50 fight," De La Hoya told us in NYC on Wednesday ... before giving us his pick.

"I like Crawford, I've always liked Crawford. I mean, I love Spence, but Crawford has more of the elusive style, more combinations. It's gonna be a good fight. If Spence wins, he's gonna knock out Crawford. If Crawford wins, it'll go to decision."

Vegas seems to agree with the boxing legend ... Crawford is a small favorite in the bout, heading into fight week around -160 (wager $160 to win $100).

Of course, it's the fight boxing fans have been talking about -- clamoring for -- for years ... and it's just a week and a half away, going down July 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Spence, 33, is undefeated with a record of 28-0 with 22 knockouts. He's the unified welterweight (147 lbs.) champion, holding the IBF, WBC, and WBA belts.

As for Crawford, he too has never lost ... and comes into the fight with a 39-0 record with 30 knockouts. "Bud" is also a champ, holding the WBO welterweight belt. He's been champion in three different weight classes.

There's more with ODLH. We also talked to the boxing Hall of Famer about the Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou "money grab" boxing match, scheduled for October.

Oscar, who was a big critic of Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather's fight, seems to have come around on the idea of a MMA-boxing crossover super fight!

The Bridal Gown Model In 'The Parent Trap' 'Memba Her?!

Norwegian-Swedish model and actress Vendela Kirsebom was 31 years old when she threw on her white top-hat-veil and modeled designer Elizabeth James' wedding gown in Disney's family/comedy classic "The Parent Trap" back in 1998.

Vendela shared the big screen with an iconic cast including Lindsay Lohan playing the identical twin sisters who meet at summer camp, Hallie and Annie Parker, Dennis Quaid as the charming father and winemaker, Nick Parker and Natasha Richardson as the beautiful mother and wedding gown designer, Elizabeth James.

Vanessa also played Nora Fries in "Batman and Robin" in 1997 and was featured in Disney's "Model Behavior" with Justin Timberlake in 2000.

Happy 25th anniversary, "Parent Trap!"

Guess what she looks like now!

USWNT Safe In New Zealand After Mass Shooting

A mass shooting broke out in New Zealand near where the U.S. women's national soccer team is gearing up for this week's World Cup ... but, thankfully, officials for the squad said all of its players and staffers are safe.

According to New Zealand police, gunshots initially rang out on Wednesday morning at a construction site in Auckland's CBD -- just a few miles from where the USWNT and other countries are slated to compete in the prestigious soccer tournament.

Police said a shooter opened fire inside the site at around 7:22 AM ... and then continued moving through the building while repeatedly discharging his gun.

Cops say when they arrived on scene, officers attempted to engage the gunman ... who had barricaded himself inside of an elevator shaft.

"Further shots were fired from the male," cops said in a statement ... "he was located deceased a short time later."

Authorities say two people -- plus the suspect -- died during the incident. Several others, they added, were injured.

The USWNT said in a statement following the tragedy that "all of our USWNT players and staff are accounted for and safe."

"Our security team is in communication with local authorities," team officials continued, "and we are proceeding with our daily schedule."

New Zealand officials added that while the situation was "alarming," they believe the incident "has been contained and is an isolated" one.

"We can also advise that this is not a national security risk," they said.

The World Cup is slated to kick off in Auckland on Thursday ... when New Zealand takes on Norway at Eden Park.

The USWNT, meanwhile, is scheduled to begin its group play at Eden Park on Friday against Vietnam.

Jason Aldean 'Small Town' Will Air on ABC's 'CMA Fest,' BUT ...

ABC will not edit out Jason Aldean's controversial hit, "Try That in a Small Town," on Wednesday's "CMA Fest," but viewers will not see a frame of the music video ... sources tell TMZ.

"CMA Fest" was filmed between June 8th and 11th at various venues in Nashville. Aldean was one of the headliners, who sang the song that was rising on the charts.

The song has become a lightning rod because of the lyrics combined with the newly-released music video, with images of Black Lives Matter protests, flag burning, and aggression toward police. The music video was also shot outside the same courthouse where there was a brutal lynching years ago. Folks on social media have ripped Aldean, claiming his song is a right-wing dog whistle.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, ABC will air Aldean's performance but none of the music video will appear in the show. For the record, the music video was released after the festival. ABC could have used the music video in the show open or promos, but our sources say the network has taken a hard pass on that.

Aldean has defended the song, saying it has nothing to do with BLM but rather it's an anthem honoring neighbors helping each other in small towns.

Clearly, not everyone's buying it, but enough people are to propel the song to #1 on iTunes.

We discussed the controversy surrounding the song on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Biggie Murder Investigator Weighs In on Pac Vegas Warrant ... A Long Time Coming

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NULLIFIED UNDERSTANDING
TMZ.com

A former detective who worked on The Notorious B.I.G. murder case -- which overlapped with Tupac's murder -- says Vegas PD might finally be able to close the infamous case ... especially in light of whose home they raided.

Greg Kading gained extensive knowledge of both Pac and B.I.G.'s murders while he was with LAPD, and joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to offer insight into the Henderson, NV raid. We broke the story ... Vegas cops searched the home of Paula Clemons Monday night, and they say it was in connection with the still-open Tupac murder case.

Paula's husband is a guy named Keefe D, and Kading says Keefe has spoken openly about his involvement with Tupac's murder for years now -- alleging his nephew and fellow Crip Orlando Anderson was the trigger man that fateful night in 1996.

Kading says Keefe first confessed to this way back in 2009, during a police interview conducted by Kading. He says they struck a deal with Keefe, so they couldn't use the info he provided to prosecute him -- but he says that deal went out the window the moment Keefe started telling his story in public.

Kading suspects Keefe still thinks he's safe from prosecution, but the fact cops now appear to be zeroing in on him -- or at least, his loved ones -- will probably make him realize he's mistaken.

As for why Vegas cops are jumping on this now -- Kading tells us they might have been working on this in recent years, and only now have all the pieces lined up to prosecute someone.

He's hoping this big break will finally lead to solid, official answers about Tupac's murder.

WWE Legend Iron Sheik Died Of Cardiac Arrest

WWE legend The Iron Sheik died of cardiac arrest last month ... this according to his death certificate, obtained by TMZ Sports.

Officials said in the document that Sheik -- real name Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri -- also suffered from congestive heart failure as well as hypertension before his passing.

The manner of death was ruled to be natural.

As we reported, Sheik passed away in Georgia on June 7 ... at 81 years old.

His family and friends called him "a true legend, a force of nature, and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling" following his death.

His good pal, Sgt. Slaughter, also remembered him fondly in an interview with TMZ Sports.

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SHEIK'S LEGACY
TMZSports.com

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, meanwhile, posted a video tribute to Sheik in remembrance ... calling him "Uncle Sheiky" -- while recounting a story back when he was a rookie wrestler.

The former heavyweight champ was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 ... and he'll forever be known as one of the greatest heels to ever step in the squared circle.

RIP

We discussed The Iron Sheik's legacy in a recent episode of the Last Days Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

CARLEE RUSSELL Cops Say She Searched Amber Alerts, Movie 'Taken' Day of Disappearance ... No Existing Threat to Public Safety

The Chief of Hoover Police says there's no risk to public safety in the Carlee Russell disappearance case ... implying she was never abducted as claimed. Chief Nick Derzis addressed the media Wednesday to share the facts uncovered by investigators in the time since Carlee returned home.

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CARLEE'S 911 CALL

Derzis says Carlee was captured on surveillance leaving her work, July 13, the day of her disappearance, taking a robe and toilet paper with her. She then ordered food and stopped at a Target to buy granola bars and Cheez-Its.

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CARLEE'S VEHICLE
WBRC Fox 6 News

From there, Derzis says Russell hit the road, making a 911 call on her way to report she saw a child on the side of the freeway. He played the 911 call in full, where you hear Russell say it appears the child was 3 or 4 years old and walking in a diaper.

Derzis says his officers responded within 5 minutes of Carlee's call -- and she was nowhere to be found -- she was also the only person to report the child on the side of the road ... despite it being an area with lots of traffic.

Officers discovered Carlee's phone, wig and the food she ordered in her car ... but say the Target items, robe and toilet paper she'd taken from her workplace were gone.

As we reported, Carlee showed up two days later, July 15, at her parents' home.

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DISPATCH AUDIO

Derzis says detectives were able to briefly interview Carlee who claimed when she got out of the vehicle to help the young child a man with orange hair and a bald spot came out of the woods, grabbed her, and led her over a fence and into an 18-wheeler trailer.

Carlee told cops at one point she was able to escape the trailer, and she was put in a car, blindfolded and taken to a house where she says she was forced to undress and the man and a female accomplice -- who Carlee says she never saw -- took photos.

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FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE
NBC

Derzis says Carlee told them she was eventually able to escape when she was loaded into another vehicle -- running through the woods until eventually arriving at her family home.

Derzis also revealed some searches Carlee did on her phone in the days and even hours leading up to her disappearance. These included, "Do you have to pay for an Amber Alert?" "How to take money from a register without getting caught?" "Birmingham bus station?" "One-way bus ticket Birmingham to Nashville" and also the movie "Taken" about being abducted.

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ODD ACTIVITY
Hoover Police Department

What's more ... Derzis says there were also searches Carlee conducted on her phone that revealed her state of mind leading up to the disappearance -- but he wasn't going to share those out of respect for her family.

In the end, Derzis said they still need to do some work to determine exactly where Carlee disappeared to during the 49 hours she was gone ... but claims there's no threat to public safety ... aka she was never abducted.

Antonio Brown I Want To Have Sex With Lena The Plug ... Whatcha Say, Adam22???

UPDATE

11:02 AM PT -- Lena just addressed AB's wishes ... saying, "Antonio, I’m a married woman."

UPDATE

Brown responded, "That didn’t stop you last time baby."

Antonio Brown is horny as hell and he doesn't care who knows -- the controversial ex-NFL star just expressed his desire to have sex with Lena The Plug ... publicly asking her husband, Adam22, for permission.

The podcasting couple recently went viral after Lena filmed an XXX-rated scene with porn star Jason Luv ... the first time she worked with another man since she and Adam22 became a couple seven years ago.

If Lena and Adam decide to go down that road again, AB is volunteering as tribute ... going to Twitter to share his interest in getting in on the action.

"Lemme get next @Adam22," Brown tweeted for all to see.

Adam quickly responded ... but we're not going to include it here, 'cause it's a bit too graphic for us to share.

What we CAN say is Adam didn't flat-out say no ... and that might be because he recently told us Lena's new scene has been a cash cow, with their profits far exceeding their expectations.

It hasn't all been positive, though -- Adam and Jason have recently sparked a feud online ... with the former threatening to "expose" the porn star.

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ALL-AROUND WIN
TMZ.com

So maybe don't hold your breath, AB.

Ice Spice Taylor Swift Keeps Me LMFAO ... We Text All The Time!!!

Ice Spice says she and Taylor Swift immediately hit it off when recording their hit record "Karma" ... and they still keep in contact via text to this day!!!

The "Munch" rapper relived her experience working with the pop powerhouse with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 ... openly admitting she was having a crummy day until her manager told her TS was requesting her for a collab.

Ice says Taylor wasn't acting Hollywood once they pulled up to the studio either ... the "Midnights" singer was actually waiting for her outside, eager to collaborate.

The song immediately became a hit when it dropped in May, and is one of the reasons Ice is tied with Morgan Wallen for most Top 10 hits in 2023.

According to Ice, Taylor keeps her LOLing at all times, dubbing her "the funniest person ever" as they still keep in frequent contact via text.

Collaborations aren't always guaranteed to create friendships, but Ice also counts her newfound partner-in-rhyme Nicki Minaj as well as Drake as mentors — and soaks up all the advice they give her!!!

Next up for Ice, is the deluxe follow-up to her debut EP "Like..?" which arrives on Friday.

We're sure she's told her megastar friend group all about it!!

Tupac Shakur Vegas Search Warrant ... Tied to Uncle of Rumored Killer

UPDATE

9:08 AM PT -- We've learned Clemons did not own the Compton home where the Tupac murder weapon was found back in '98.

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Also, KNTV got video of SWAT officers swooping into the neighborhood Monday night to execute the search warrant at Clemons' Henderson home.

The home cops raided in Vegas this week in connection with the unsolved Tupac murder belongs to the wife of a guy who says he was in the car with a man who shot and killed the late rapper.

TMZ has confirmed the address where Vegas Metro executed a search warrant Monday night ... it's owned by a woman named Paula Clemons -- who's married, we've learned, to Keefe D.

Folks familiar with Tupac lore know exactly who Keefe D is -- he's a former Crip, and for years now he's been doing interviews claiming to be the uncle of the late Orlando Anderson ... who's been suspected, at least on the streets, to have been the shooter.

Orlando and his crew -- including Keefe -- were in Vegas that night ... and Orlando was actually jumped by Tupac, Suge Knight and other Death Row affiliates at the MGM Grand. It's an altercation that was caught on surveillance video ... and many thought Orlando might have orchestrated a revenge shooting after the Mike Tyson fight that night. FWIW, Orlando himself had denied any involvement before he was killed in a shootout himself.

As for Paula, she also owned a home in Compton in the '90s ... what's interesting, in 1998, the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. recovered a gun in the backyard of a Compton home ... a home the Sheriff's Dept. said belonged to the girlfriend of known Crip who was in Vegas the night of the murder.

As we reported, cops raided Paula's Henderson, Nevada home Monday. The reason the raid is significant is because, to obtain that warrant, police had to show a judge there was probable cause to believe there was evidence in the home connected to Tupac's murder.

Cops are not saying what they recovered from Paula's Henderson home.

We covered it all on the latest of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Alexa Bliss, Ryan Cabrera Guitar-Smashing Gender Reveal ... We're Having A Girl!!!

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IT'S A GIRL !!!
Instagram / @alexa_bliss_wwe_

Ryan Cabrera just announced the gender of his baby with Alexa Bliss like an absolute rockstar ... completely destroying a guitar that revealed he and the WWE Superstar are having a girl!!

Bliss posted video of the epic reveal on her Instagram page Wednesday ... and check out the clip, everyone was fired up to see pink smoke billow through the air!!

You can see Bliss raised her hands with joy ... while Cabrera had a massive grin on his face.

"BABY GIRL!" Bliss said in a caption on the video.

The couple announced back in May they were expecting ... saying their first child would be arriving sometime in December 2023.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Hilariously, they said it was an unplanned pregnancy ... showing a photo of a baby onesie with the words "best oops ever!" on it.

Only about five more months 'til the little girl arrives ... congrats, Mom and Dad!!

Kim Kardashian Skims Keeps Growing ... Now Worth $4 Billion!!!

Kim Kardashian's popular clothing line, Skims, has officially hit the $4 billion mark ... growing at a staggering rate -- at nearly $1B higher than last year's evaluation.

KK's brand recently grabbed another $270 mil in funding for the company -- according to The New York Times, which says helps catapult her into the new financial circle.

FYI, Skims was marked as a $3.2B company at the beginning of 2022 ... after another round of financing which brought in $240M. Kim's brand had a $1.6B evaluation just a year before that ... so clearly, things are moving up, and FAST.

What's more -- we're told the company is set to achieve net sales of $750M in 2023 -- up from the nearly $500 it hit in 2022.

In case ya forgot, Skims has only been in the game for 4 years, founded in 2019 by Kim, Emma Grede, and Jens Grede.

The shapewear line has been a staple of the apparel industry practically since it launched ... and the company even made it on TIME's List of 100 Most Influential Companies last year.

Despite the $4B evaluation, Kim's brand is still private ... but clearly, there's still plenty of money to go around!!!

Jason Aldean Controversial Song Climbing Charts ... As Outrage over Song, Music Video Continues

Jason Aldean's new song has been hit with loads of controversy for its lyrics and music video ... but apparently, fans are still digging it -- because it's a chart-topper.

"Try That in a Small Town" has been called out for being threatening toward people with anti-police and anti-American beliefs. The song was first released in May, but it's been climbing the charts on multiple platforms lately ... and hit the #1 spot Tuesday on iTunes for songs in the U.S.

It's also #9 on Amazon's Hot New Releases list -- and his recently released video's trending on YouTube, reaching #12 amongst all things music on the site. Remember, CMT pulled the video from its channel this week as anger ramped up.

As we reported, Jason's been getting called out for his track and the music video ... which was filmed in front of the Tennessee courthouse where an 18-year-old Black man was lynched almost 100 years ago.

Jason claimed there was no ill intention behind the lyrics, telling his fans it had nothing to do with race ... but instead was just about growing up in a tight-knit community.

Fellow singer Sheryl Crow let him have it Wednesday, saying folks in small towns are sick of the violence happening in our country -- adding his song only supports more hate in America.

We discussed the controversy surrounding the song on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Conor McGregor Storms Out Of Funeral In UK After Incident ... Cops Investigating

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LEAVING IN A RUSH

Conor McGregor rushed away from a funeral in the UK on Tuesday evening following an incident at the gathering ... and now, cops say they're trying to figure out what exactly happened.

Footage shot from outside The Saddle Club in Birkenhead shows the UFC star, flanked by two security guards, made the swift exit after he had been inside the venue for services for a late family member.

The 35-year-old fighter looked perturbed in the clip ... as he urged some of his fans to move away from his car so he could bolt from the scene.

Club officials said McGregor had actually been jovial earlier in the day -- even sharing several photos of him smiling with other guests at the event -- but they said he "was upset by the actions of certain people attending the funeral" and left.

"Mr. McGregor's security detail decided it necessary to leave to avoid unnecessary speculation and attention," they added.

Merseyside Police, meanwhile, said they were called to the club at around 7:50 PM ... following reports of an altercation. No further details surrounding the allegations were released, however.

"Officers attended the pub and spoke to a number of people," cops said in a statement. "Further enquiries are being carried out to establish what has taken place but at this stage no complaints have been made and nobody has been arrested."

We've reached out to McGregor's for comment on the situation, but so far, no word back yet.

Story developing ...

Post Malone Meets Fan Who Suffered Brain Hemorrhage As VIP Concert Guest

Post Malone is a man of his word, fulfilling a promise made to a huge fan who'd gone through a life-altering medical episode, and we've got the pics from the super sweet face-to-face.

The whole thing started last year when Garrett Belanger's sister Taylor made a Tik Tok detailing his story and Post responded. Garrett, a longtime Post Malone supporter, suffered a brain hemorrhage in 2022 -- and he's been slowly (but surely) recovering following a coma.

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BACKSTAGE WITH POSTY
Taylor Belanger

Post actually sent Garrett a bunch of merch and a video last August -- not long after he came out of the coma -- telling him to hit him up whenever he was ready to come to a show and rock out ... and on Monday, he finally got that chance at Post's concert in Buffalo, NY.

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MASSIVE BOX OF MERCH
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On Monday, Garrett, his sister Taylor, family and friends took Post up on his offer -- getting to enjoy the singer's show. We're told not only did PM get them regular tickets ... but he and his camp rolled out the red carpet for Garrett and his loved ones with VIP tickets and a backstage meet and greet.

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REACHING OUT TO GARRETT

The photos are pretty awesome -- you can see Posty and Garrett hugging it out, and Garrett looks absolutely stoked. While he can't talk or walk just yet ... Taylor says Garrett can communicate by blinking now, and he was more than aware he was meeting his idol.

In addition to the meet-and-greet ... the family brought Post a Garrett's Army shirt that he put on while posing for the pictures. Considering how long this has been in the works ... it's truly full circle.

Garrett's family has started a GoFundMe to help with his care and recovery.

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HEARTFELT GESTURE

Pretty cool!

Sheryl Crow Jason Aldean's New Song Is 'Lame' ... You're Promoting Violence!

Sheryl Crow is coming after Jason Aldean -- saying his heavily-criticized new song spews nothing but violence -- echoing what many online have been up in arms about.

The "All I Wanna Do" singer didn't hold back on Twitter Wednesday morning about Jason's single, "Try That In A Small Town" ... which talks about bringing anti-police and anti-American views to a small community, saying "See how far ya make it down the road."

Sheryl, who says she is from a small town, thinks people in places like that are also tired of the rise in violence in the country ... calling the song "lame."

She adds, "You should know that better than anyone having survived a mass shooting."

For those unaware, Sheryl's referring to the horrifying 2017 Las Vegas shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival -- Jason was performing when Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd from Mandalay Bay.

As we reported, Jason's been receiving hate over this track ... and he responded to the communal noise Tuesday, saying the idea that it has racist and hateful undertones is BS.

Folks were pissed about his music video, too -- which was shot in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Tennessee ... the same place where 18-year-old African-American Henry Choate was lynched in 1927.

We covered the drama in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.