Boxing

Oscar De La Hoya just signed Ryan Garcia to a new contract -- but he's gunning to get Garcia even MORE money ... telling TMZ Sports he wants to make King Ryan the first boxer to sign a $700 MILLION deal!!!

21-year-old Garcia -- who's already racked up an impressive 18-0 record -- clashed with Oscar over the weekend, claiming Golden Boy Promotions has failed to get him the big money fights he feels he deserves.

There were rumblings Garcia was looking to split from Oscar -- but after they agreed to an extension, it's clear the beef is squashed.

"I called Ryan Garcia," Oscar says ... "We discussed it, we hugged it out and we're gonna move on."

"It's like when you're married or you have a girlfriend, you have your little rifts here and there."

Now, Oscar says his focus is turning Ryan into "the biggest star that boxing has ever seen, hands down."

And, as for the money, Oscar says he has a track record of getting results for his boxers -- just like the $365 million DAZN deal he negotiated for Canelo Alvarez.

"Just like I got Canelo the biggest contract in sports history at the time, I can probably get DOUBLE for King Ryan when the time is right -- when he becomes world champion -- when he has several more years under his belt."

For now, Oscar is promoting one of the biggest fights of Canelo's career -- a massive lightweight-heavyweight clash with Sergey Kovalev on Nov. 2 in Las Vegas (Garcia was just added to that card as the co-main event).

Canelo is coming up TWO weight classes -- 15 pounds -- to take on The Krusher in what many fight fans say could be the BEST fight of the year!!!

The ringside doctor SHOULD HAVE stopped the Tyson Fury fight based on the size of his gash ... but they let it go because Tyson is a huge star -- so says Otto Wallin.

The Swedish fighter tells TMZ Sports ... if the tables were turned, the doctor would DEFINITELY have called the fight because the wound was massive and posed a real medical danger.

"If it was someone else, they probably would have stopped it," Wallin said while hanging at a Vegas pool party.

Still, Wallin is being praised for his gutsy performance ... taking Fury to the 12th round despite being a massive 30-1 underdog. Dude fought his ass off.

There was one questionable moment when Wallin appeared to rake Fury's face after an exchange in an apparent effort to widen the cut on Tyson's face.

We asked Wallin if he felt the move was dirty ... and he sorta copped to it.

"He was using dirty tactics too and I'm not gonna let someone do that to me, without me answering back with some dirty tactics," Wallin said.

"This is boxing. It's a fight and you gotta do everything you can to win."

Despite the cheap shots, Wallin says Fury came to his locker room after the fight to congratulate him on the performance ... "[He] showed some respect."

So, what's next for Wallin? He wants a rematch with Fury but knows he probably won't get it any time soon because Tyson has his sights set on a rematch with Deontay Wilder.

"After that, maybe I could get the winner. That would be great, fight for the world title."

Until then, he's got a message for Fury ...

"I wanna say it was a good fight. Thank you for the opportunity and I hope we can do it again."

Tyson Fury was so grateful for the miracle his amazing cutman, Jorge Capetillo, pulled off to keep him in the Otto Wallin fight, he broke the guy off with a CASH BONUS, BABY!!!

That's according to Capetillo himself, who says Fury showered him with praise for the way he treated the two MASSIVE gashes he suffered during Saturday night's main event.

If you saw the fight ... you know Jorge's handiwork -- he somehow managed to slow the bleeding and ultimately prevented Fury from losing the fight (and his championship belt) due to a doctor's stoppage.

So, when we spoke with Capetillo (nicest guy ever BTW), we asked if Fury gave him some love after the fight.

"Yeah, he gave me a bonus, that's for sure!"

Capetillo also told us Fury's cut was THE WORST he's ever seen in his career as a cutman -- and explained his strategy in tending to the wound.

The big question ... how many tubs of Vaseline did you go through?!?!?!

Capetillo says he visited Fury the day after the fight to check in and Tyson was in great spirits -- once again, thanking Jorge for his tremendous work.

Say what you will about Tyson Fury ... but the dude is tough as nails -- battling through a massive gash over his eye to beat Otto Wallin on Saturday ... and then getting 50 STITCHES after the fight!

Check out Tyson's before and after pics ... Fury had TWO gashes on his face -- one on his eyebrow and one on his eyelid.

Wallin opened up the bigger gash with a flush shot to Tyson's face in the 2nd round of their heavyweight championship fight in Vegas on Saturday.

Throughout the fight, Wallin targeted the wound -- and it took every drop of Vaseline in Nevada to keep the wound in check so Fury could continue fighting.

A second gash opened up later on ... and it REALLY seemed as if the ref and ringside doctor would stop the fight -- but somehow, they let Fury finish.

Fury ultimately won in a unanimous decision and went to the hospital right after the event -- where docs used 50 stitches to close him up.

Gotta say ... props to the docs -- they did a pretty great job!

Tyson Fury's a MASSIVE 20-to-1 favorite this weekend ... but there's a 268-pound reason Otto Wallin believes he'll kick the Gypsy King's ass -- Andy Ruiz Jr.

Wallin's 20-0 with 13 KO's ... but almost no one gives him a chance against Fury -- who Ring magazine calls the best heavyweight in the world.

If this sounds familiar, it's basically the same situation Ruiz faced when he fought Anthony Joshua (he opened as a 30-1 underdog) ... and that's exactly why Wallin tells TMZ Sports he's using "The Destroyer" as motivation.

"As a fighter, you know that anybody can get beat. And, it can happen at any time," Wallin tells us ... "Like I said, it's happened before, and it's gonna happen again. I wasn't surprised by this, but it's still a big inspiration that Andy did it and I'm looking to do it again."

Wallin and Fury got into at the weigh-in on Friday -- jawing at each other while Tyson rocked a luchador mask!!! Good stuff!!!

Wallin also had a message for everyone who thinks there ain't a shot in hell he'll beat Fury.

"Just look at the other fights. Andy Ruiz-Joshua, Mike Tyson, he wasn't supposed to get beat. He got beat from Buster Douglas. We had a Swedish guy, Ingemar Johansson, 60 years ago he came over to New York and beat Floyd Patterson. He was a huge underdog and he beat him. It can happen at any time."

Undefeated boxing superstar Devin Haney says he's got Vasyl Lomachenko SHOOK ... because Haney thinks Loma is ducking the smoke with him, and Devin is SICK OF IT.

Haney is 22-0 and being hailed by some as the next Floyd Mayweather, because of the way he dominates his opponents in the ring, and his flashy style outside of it.

We got Devin in NYC and asked him who he wants next, when and if he dispatches Zaur Abdullaev on Friday night, and it's clear he wants a crack at Loma.

"After this fight, I'm the mandatory for Lomachencko. I'm going to make [the people] demand a fight with Lomachencko."

Haney's got a problem, he says Lomachencko doesn't want to tangle with him -- instead opting to move around at different weight classes and take fights with guys for headlines. Devin said it's time to stop all that.

"Stop ducking me, let's make it happen."

If you're looking for this fight to go down soon, don't hold your breath ... Haney is young, INSANELY DANGEROUS, and still building his boxing name, which means Lomachencko will probably take bigger money fights against other guys.

Tyson Fury says he doesn't give a DAMN about money -- telling TMZ Sports he's not boxing for the paycheck because he's never met one single happy millionaire.

"I know a lot of millionaires and I don't know one happy one. Not one," Fury said.

"They're always unhappy because they're searching for more. Material stuff or money will never make a man happy. Man has got to find happiness deep within his soul."

So, why are we talking money with Fury?

He's fighting undefeated Otto Wallin on Saturday -- and if he wins that fight, Tyson says next up is a rematch with Deontay Wilder ... which comes with a MASSIVE PAYDAY.

But, Tyson tells TMZ Sports the money ain't the motivator ... it's deeper than that.

"I'd rather have the victory than money, that's what I'm gunning for. I'm not gunning for his belt, I'm not gunning for the paycheck ... I'm going for his blood."

Fury continued, "It's not about money at all. When you're comfortable in your life, what do a few zeroes mean really anyway?"

"Money's one thing, but you're talking to a KING -- El Rey de los Gitanos!! I am the Gypsy King! The real official Gypsy King!"

Fury says he has millionaires and billionaires lining up to be his friend because they want to be close to greatness ... but he doesn't care because money can't buy happiness.

Andy Ruiz turned 30 years old on Wednesday -- and he celebrated by hanging out with inmates at one of the most infamous prisons in Mexico.

Just days before the heavyweight boxing champ kicks off training camp for the Anthony Joshua rematch, he visited Topo Chico prison in Monterrey, Mexico ... where he was cheered by the hundreds of prisoners like a conquering hero!!!

It just so happened, the prison was hosting the prison championship boxing tournament that day -- so Ruiz got to see some of the inmates flex some real athletic ability.

During the visit, Ruiz spoke with the inmates and encouraged them to follow their dreams and get their lives in order ... noting that he was on a bad path himself before turning his life around and becoming a boxing superstar.

Andy's rep tells us, "For his birthday he decided to spend the day with these guys and talk to them and motivate."

Ruiz will get a second crack at Joshua on Dec. 7th in Saudi Arabia.

By the way, Topo Chico prison is notorious for a 2016 prison riot in which 49 people were killed. Two rival factions of the infamous Zetas cartel went to war inside the facility ... setting the cell blocks on fire.

In 2011, police found the body of a prison official -- completely dismembered -- inside of a box in an abandoned car near the penitentiary.

There's more ... but it's similar stuff.

Sorry, Conor McGregor ... there's a "0.00% chance" you'll get your rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov -- so says Khabib's manager.

We spoke with Ali Abdelaziz (looking fresh in his Versace shirt) after Khabib's big victory over Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi this weekend ... and we had to ask who's next on the hit list!!!

Of course, Dana White has said he wants Khabib to fight Tony Ferguson -- the #1 ranked lightweight contender -- but Ali says Tony's not the priority.

"Georges St-Pierre is next," Ali tells TMZ Sports ... "If Khabib is going to fight for legacy, a fight with GSP would be a huge fight."

Ali says Tony has never been a champion -- while GSP is widely regarded as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time ... so for him, it's a no-brainer.

Plus, Ali says there's WAY more money in a Khabib vs. GSP fight ... explaining, "People would care more!!!"

Ali tells us, Khabib could be ready to take that fight before the end of 2019 -- and he's confident Georges could be ready too.

As for Conor -- who recently tweeted about wanting a 2nd crack at Khabib -- Ali says Khabib has nothing left to prove ... and since he smashed McGregor so badly in the first fight, there's no need for a rematch.

"Not interested at all ... for what?!? We already beat him, we already whooped his ass."

Ali also says Khabib doesn't want to get involved with the "ugliness" associated with Conor ... an obvious reference to the racist and disgusting insults McGregor spewed while promoting the fight.

"We don't wanna go through with this Conor bulls**t again."

When asked specifically about the chances of a rematch coming together, Ali said bluntly -- "0.00."

Is the Return of the Cannon a possibility at age 47??

HELL YEAH!!! So says Shannon Briggs himself, who tells TMZ Sports he'd be down to take a fight in 2020 ... all he needs is a few months to get back into shape.

We spoke with the 2-time world heavyweight champ about the upcoming rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz ... when Briggs started showing us he's still got it!!

Of course, Briggs hasn't fought since 2016 ... but posted a 60-6-1 record during his career. Dude was/is a STUD.

So, we had to ask Briggs if he could take on AJ or Ruiz ... and he says ABSOLUTELY, as long as he has time to get ready.

"I think that if they give me a shot in 2020, they're gonna see who the real champ is."

He turns 48 in December, but he clearly doesn't give a DAMN about age.

"I think right now, I'm out of shape. But, I think that you give me 6 months and a couple fights, I'll be able to beat any man in the world."

Andy Ruiz says he's not bothered ONE BIT by Tyson Fury calling him a "fat guy" ... telling TMZ Sports the Gypsy King is just bashing him to stay relevant!!!

Remember ... Fury made fun of AJ to our camera guy out in NYC last month ... clowning him for getting "knocked out by a fat guy!!!"

But, The Destroyer is taking the high road after the body shaming ... 'cause he says he's actually a fan of Fury ... and sees it as a sad attempt to capitalize on Andy's superstar moment.

"Tyson Fury, he wants to be relevant," Ruiz tells us. "He wants to be in the scene. I like the guy too. I'm a big fan of him. I like how he is. I like his energy."

The 29-year-old says he's not gonna let Fury distract him from his rematch with AJ in Saudi Arabia -- aka the "Clash on the Dunes" -- but once he's done with Joshua again, THEN they can settle it in the ring.

"I don't wanna look past Anthony Joshua. I want to win on December 7th, then maybe me and him can get in a fight too."

Forget Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier ... the BEST heavyweight mixed martial artist is Bellator's Ryan Bader -- so says the man himself!!!

TMZ Sports talked to Bader -- Bellator's heavyweight AND light heavyweight champ -- before his clash with Cheick Kongo at Bellator 226 this weekend.

Ryan's been DOMINANT -- he ran through the promotion's HW tournament, beating guys like Matt Mitrione and the legendary Fedor Emelianenko ... prompting Bellator honcho Scott Coker to declare Bader "the best heavyweight fighter on the planet."

Guess what? Bader says his boss is right!!!

"I went through that tournament, I didn't get punched in the face one time," Bader tells us. "Why shouldn't I believe that? I believe I can beat anyone at any given time and that includes heavyweights."

"So, I don't think that's a crazy statement. You put myself and Stipe or Cormier in there, I do believe I can beat them."

Bader says he's hopeful that the future may hold some cross-promotional dream fight that'd pair him against the UFC's top big guys ... but before that, he's gotta deal with 6'4, 235lb. Kongo who was a part of one of MMA's craziest fights ever.

Remember this???

Are you a history-making former leader of the free world?! Game-changing music mogul??!? Or look super hot in a thong???

Well, good news -- Anthony Joshua wants YOU front and center at his upcoming rematch with Andy Ruiz!!!

The boxing superstar has a massive celebrity following -- with stars like Dame Judi Dench and Ed Sheeran throwing their support behind the 29-year-old heavyweight.

But, who's on AJ's dream list of ringside stars for his massive "Clash on the Dunes" fight in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 7? We asked. He answered. It was awesome.

"Barack Obama, The Rock, Will Smith, Jay-Z, Beyonce ... some Instagram models ... I'm getting to the fantasy part of my brain now!"

In all seriousness, AJ tells TMZ Sports he has a totally different approach to Ruiz this time around -- and realizes how many people are counting on him to avenge his loss.

You gotta watch this clip ... Joshua says he now realizes how devastated his fans in England (and around the world) were after his loss and it motivates him.

"I took my first L as a professional and started realizing, yo, there's people out there who are REALLY rooting for me, feeling emotionally, who really want me to win."

"And, now mentally, I know I don't just fight for myself. I fight for the nation, I fight for the continents, I fight for the people who love boxing. So, it's just more than that."

We also asked Anthony if he's already considering a fight with Tyson Fury down the line -- but he told us one of the mistakes he made before the Ruiz fight was thinking AHEAD instead of focusing on the present ... and he vows not to make that mistake again.

UFC superstar Tyron Woodley says his hand is just about healed up and he's ready to punch faces again -- telling TMZ Sports he expects to get back in the Octagon before the end of the year.

Woodley was supposed to fight Robbie Lawler on June 29 -- but had to pull out because his hand was still jacked up from a previous fight.

But, good news! Woodley says "I'm good now" -- and he's working with the UFC to line up his next opponent.

"They offered me a couple of fights the last couple days so you should see me in there pretty soon."

Tyron wouldn't name potential opponents -- but said he's still gunning to get a rematch with Kamaru Usman, who defeated him back in March to win the UFC welterweight belt.

"I want my belt back. That's the fight I want the most."

Besides Kamaru, the top names in Tyron's division are guys like Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards ... which would all be great fights.

In the meantime, Tyron says he's training his ass off -- and gunning to work with legends like Georges St-Pierre and the Diaz Brothers.

"If I'm not gonna fight them ... why not train with them?"

The promotional tour for the massive Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua rematch is officially underway -- the fighters faced off in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday ... guaranteeing another slugfest.

The reality is ... this was no trash-talking, expletive-filled, racist, ugly sideshow (a la Mayweather vs. McGregor), these guys showed nothing but class and respect for each other.

Of course, Ruiz upset Joshua at Madison Square Garden to win all of his championship belts when they faced off in June -- and Andy says he's motivated to show the world it was no fluke.

Ruiz essentially said he doesn't want to be known as a 1-hit wonder -- he wants to solidify a legacy as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time!!!

Of course, Joshua says he's determined to get his belts back ... and warns Ruiz he won't get the benefit of home country advantage this time around.

So, how will the fight go? Ruiz put it best ... "Two big heavyweights punching each other in the face."

The Logan Paul vs. KSI rematch is FINALLY SET -- it's going down at Staples Center on Nov. 9 ... and this time, it won't be counted as an amateur bout, this is a PRO fight!!!

Remember, the two social media superstars clashed in England back in August 2018 and fought to a draw in a pretty solid match on YouTube Pay-Per-View.

The fight did so well, even UFC honcho Dana White praised the guys for attracting a pretty big audience ... not an easy feat for people with no real fighting experience.

Clearly, the folks at DAZN took notice -- because they just inked a deal with Paul and KSI to stream the rematch on their app. DAZN is the same company that signed Canelo Alvarez to a 5-year, $365 MILLION deal last year.

As for the actual fight, KSI and Logan will NOT wear headgear this time around -- and it will be promoted by Matchroom Boxing, which is owned by boxing super promoter Eddie Hearn.

Hearn represents huge stars like Anthony Joshua and Daniel Jacobs.

In other words, this is the real deal.

TMZ Sports spoke with Logan over the weekend ... and he said he might literally kill KSI in the ring in "under 90 seconds."

"It's gonna be aggressive. It's gonna be violent. If you're not into violent sports, don't watch."

As for Logan's bro, Jake (who fought KSI's little bro, Deji, on the 2018 fight card)  -- he's been teasing a return to the ring as well but, so far, no opponent has been announced.