Boxing

They've trashed each other for YEARS -- but boxing superstar Deontay Wilder is putting his feud with Tyson Fury on hold ... saying he truly wants Fury to get help for his cocaine problem so he doesn't die.

TMZ Sports spoke with Wilder -- who tells us the "real" Tyson Fury is not the monster you see in the media ... "He really is a good dude."

Wilder says he was really impacted when he learned about Fury's drug problem and suicidal thoughts -- and says he's even willing to fly to England to lend his support to his embattled rival.

That being said, Wilder still wants to beat the hell out of him ... saying, "We didn’t promote [a possible fight] this many years to be beat behind some kind of drug activity."

In the past, Fury has threatened to sexually assault Wilder.

Wilder said he was going to baptize Fury with his fists.

Oscar De La Hoya says battling cocaine addiction is the toughest fight there is -- but he's confident heavyweight champ Tyson Fury can beat his blow problem ... as long as he gets help.

The producers of a Mike Tyson documentary straight-up jacked photos from the Tyson-Holyfield bout for the film ... so claims the photographer in a new lawsuit.

Famed boxing photographer Teddy Blackburn says Xenon Pictures stole 4 of his shots from Tyson's infamous ear-biting 1997 fight against Evander Holyfield.

Xenon released the documentary in 2004 but, according to docs, never bothered to ask Blackburn for his permission to use the photos. Important note ... none of the photos are of Tyson's bite.

Blackburn's suing for a cut of the profits and other damages.

A spokesperson for Xenon Pictures tells TMZ ... the company licensed the film from a production company in the UK and says the licensor "fully warranted that all material used in the program (including the photos allegedly belonging to the plaintiff) were properly purchased."

8:28 AM PT -- Well, that was quick ... Fury now says the retirement post was just a joke -- and he DOES plan on fighting again.

"Hahahaha u think you will get rid of the GYPSYKING that easy," Fury said ... "I'm here to stay."

He added, "Soon as I get better I'll be defending what's mine the heavyweight thrown."

It's over for Tyson Fury -- the heavyweight champ just announced his retirement in a blaze of anger ... referring to the sport as a "pile of s***t" and inviting his critics to "go suck a d**k."

As we previously reported, 28-year-old Fury pulled out of his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko after testing positive for cocaine on Sept. 22nd.

Fury's been taking all sorts of heat in the media -- and moments ago, lashed out.

"Boxing is the saddest thing I ever took part in, all a pile of s**t, I'm the greatest, & I'm also retired, so go suck a d**k, happy days."

Fury hasn't denied the cocaine allegations -- in fact, he changed his Twitter avatar to put his face on Tony Montana's body from that famous mound of coke scene from "Scarface."

More trouble for ex-boxing champ Zab Judah -- he's been charged with domestic violence for allegedly getting violent with his wife while drunk ... TMZ Sports has learned.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ Sports, the Las Vegas Metro PD was called to Judah's home around 3 AM on July 26 for a domestic disturbance.

Cops made contact with Zab -- who said he got into an argument with his wife after she destroyed "all of his clothes" because she was jealous of an unknown woman claiming she had a baby with Zab.

Zab was adamant he did not touch his wife.

But Zab's wife and sister told cops a different story -- claiming the boxer had been drinking and pushed her to the ground by her face ... causing her to hit the floor hard.

According to the police report, the responding officer did not notice any injuries on the woman -- but said she kept touching her face as if she was in pain.

Judah was eventually arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery/domestic violence. He's due back in court next month.

This is just the latest legal issue for Judah -- who's still dealing with a 2014 DUI arrest ... and was also involved in a bizarre crash back in January where he gave a fake name and appeared drunk.

Seems boxing star Adrien Broner just blew the lid off his secret settlement with the victim in a bowling alley attack ... hinting he paid the guy $125,000 to make the case go away.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Broner was sued by a man who claims the boxer beat him down and robbed him outside of a Cincinnati bowling alley back in January.

The accuser sued Broner in civil court and filed a police report -- but both cases were dropped when the accuser decided to back off.

But Broner has now strongly hinted why ... MONEY!

The boxer posted on Instagram early Friday morning to bitch about all of the problems in his life -- and referenced a 6-figure settlement.

"I gave a snitch n**ga 125k in a civil suit."

Broner also noted that he paid his lawyers $150k ... and "had to give the IRS 3.7 this year."

BTW, we reached out to the IRS -- but they couldn't comment.

Broner ended his rant saying, "But God blessed me with beautiful children and the talent to make all my problems go away so I'm GOOOOOOD."

Cocaine's a helluva drug ... and it will probably cost boxer Tyson Fury his championship belts.

The boxer -- who just pulled out of his Oct. 29th rematch with Wladimir Klitschko -- has tested positive for coke ... multiple sources tell ESPN.

Fury's people had said he pulled out because he was "medically unfit" -- but now we know the boxer had failed a Sept. 22nd urine test.

Manny Pacquiao says he's no stranger to drug use -- admitting that he tried "all kinds of drugs" before he became a boxing champion.

Pacquiao was talking about Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and his plan to crack down on drug dealers in his home country ... when he delved into his own history with drugs.

"I tried drugs ... many kinds of drugs, all kinds of drugs," Pacquiao reportedly said during an interview in his senate office in the Philippines.

He noted the drug use occurred "before I became a champion."

President Duterte's crackdown has reportedly led to the deaths of more than 3,000 people -- but Pacquiao says he fully supports it because Duterte was chosen by God to "discipline the people."

TMZ Sports has obtained the mug shot for ex-boxing champ Victor Ortiz -- taken right after he was arrested for DUI on Saturday.

We broke the story ... the 29-year-old former "Dancing With the Stars" contestant was pulled over in California for expired tags on his BMW -- and during the stop, cops suspected he was drunk.

Ortiz -- who is on probation stemming from a 2015 battery conviction -- was arrested and taken to a nearby station where he was booked for driving under the influence.

Legendary boxing promoter Bob Arum ain't going to the scorecards -- he saw the debate as a TOTAL KNOCKOUT for Hillary Clinton.

Arum -- who worked with Muhammad Ali, Pacquiao, De La Hoya and more -- was excited about Hillary's performance while arriving to Craig's Monday night ... claiming Clinton smoked Trump.

"She showed what a phony he is," Arum said ... "She was brilliant, she's gonna make a great president."

Then again, Arum hates Trump so much -- he challenged him to a FIGHT earlier this year.

Former boxing superstar Zab Judah tried to lie after a Vegas car crash back in January -- claiming his name was "Michael Johnson" ... and the whole thing was caught on video.

The 38-year-old boxer allegedly smashed into another car at 7 AM on January 29th -- and the victim pulled out her phone to document the aftermath.

You can see Judah -- a former 4 time world champ -- in the driver's seat ... slurring his words as he's confronted by the other driver.

When the woman asks for his name, Judah says, "Michael Johnson."

The woman told Judah he "smacked the s*** out of me" and was responsible for the damage and her injuries.

She also told Judah she was calling the police because it was "obvious" he had been drinking. However, we've done some digging and can't find a record of Judah being arrested for DUI on that date.

Sources connected to the incident tell us Judah's insurance company settled with the woman ... and it was only then that the woman learned Judah's true identity.

Klay Thompson can fight.

Just ask one of the best boxers in the world -- WBO Junior Featherweight champion Nonito Donaire -- who's training the NBA superstar how to throw dem hands.

TMZ Sports talked to Donaire -- who's fighting Jessie Magdaleno on November 5th -- about footage we obtained showing Klay getting an impromptu training sesh recently at Top Golf in Vegas

It's good news, bad news for Thompson ... who Nonito says has tons of natural athletic ability. So, what needs work? Hint, Klay ain't Mike Tyson ... yet.

Check out the clips!

Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin are gonna fight ... 'cause there's too much damn cash at stake not to ... so says one of the best MMA fighters of all time.

TMZ Sports talked to Tito Ortiz in L.A. Thursday night ... and asked the UFC legend whether the fight every boxing fan wants to see ... Alvarez vs. GGG ... will ever go down.

FYI -- people in the boxing world have accused Canelo of ducking Golovkin.

Tito's adamant the fighters WILL square off ... and explains why money -- not fear -- is why the men haven't thrown down.

Check out the clip!

THE SUPERFIGHT WILL HAPPEN ... because Canelo Alvarez says he WILL fight Gennady Golovkin -- telling TMZ Sports, "It's gonna happen very soon."

Canelo is currently in Dallas gearing up for this weekend's big fight against Liam Smith -- the undefeated WBO light middleweight champion. If he can emerge victorious, GGG will be waiting on the other end.

"There's no doubt about it that fight's gonna happen," Alvarez told us through a translator.

Some critics -- and even other boxers -- have accused Canelo of "ducking" Golovkin.

To that, Canelo says BS.

"I'm 26 years old, I've never ducked nobody. I've fought the best in the world, I've never ran from nobody."

Actor Duane Martin bobbed and weaved his way out of paying to air the Floyd Mayweather-Andre Berto fight in his restaurant ... according to the company in charge of distributing the bout.

J&J Sports Productions says it had exclusive rights to license Floyd's last fight -- a year ago -- to bars, restaurants, hotels and casinos. But according to a lawsuit, Martin and his restaurant, XEN Lounge, straight-up jacked the feed.

In the docs, J&J says Martin illegally intercepted the feed and showed the fight at the restaurant ... which helped them make a bundle that night.

Depending on the capacity of XEN, it would've cost a few thousand to get the fight on the up and up. Now J&J is suing for damages in excess of $175k.

Oscar De La Hoya vs. George W. Bush????

It happened ... sorta ... and now, Oscar's explaining why he squared off with the ex-President and even gave him a shot to the breadbasket.