Boxing

Remember when Dwight Gooden charged the mound and PUNCHED PAT COMBS IN THE FACE?!

Doc sure does ... and tells TMZ Sports if there's anyone questioning his fighting ability, they need to watch that video!

Of course, the 55-year-old MLB legend is gearing up for a celebrity boxing match against 29-year-old comic Catfish Cooley on March 7 in Atlantic City.

Some people are concerned for Gooden since Cooley is a big dude who squats 600 pounds -- but Doc tells us HE CAN SWING, BRO!!

In fact, Gooden brings up that crazy brawl from August 1990 -- when Phillies pitcher Pat Combs threw at Doc and he charged the mound with bad intentions!

We found the clip -- and yeah, Doc's right ... he hit Combs with a solid right to the face that ignited a bench-clearing brawl! Good stuff!

Now, Doc says he's been training for his next fight and even hit up his old pal, Mike Tyson, for advice.

Turns out, Doc and Mike have been friends for decades -- remember when they kicked it together with Darryl Strawberry at Shea Stadium back in '86?

As for why Doc's fighting again, it's all about raising awareness for causes dear to his heart.

"I'm trying to do something positive to bring awareness to mental health as well as sobriety," Doc says.

Wanna see a home decoration that'll make Marty McFly jealous?!?

Boxing superstar Jermall Charlo just put a frickin' DeLorean INSIDE of his Houston mansion and TMZ Sports has the video!!!

Soooo ... why???

He calls himself "The Future of Boxing" -- and when you think "Future" you think "Back to The Future" ... hence the DeLorean!

We know what you're thinking ... does it have a flux capacitor? Can we get that bitch to 88 MPH? Where's the damn hoverboard?

We don't have all the answers ... but we do know Charlo -- the reigning WBC middleweight champ -- dropped $60,000 on the new whip! GREAT SCOTT!!!

He doesn't plan on driving it -- it's purely for show -- in other words, "Where we're going, we don't need roads."

Back before Terence Crawford became a world champion boxer, he used to whoop people's asses for free on the streets ... telling TMZ Sports, "I used to stay getting in fights."

We love a good origin story ... so when Bud came to the TMZ offices, we asked the undefeated 32-year-old superstar when he KNEW he had a knack for fighting.

"I always knew I could fight," Crawford says ... "I was 4'11" in the 9th grade. I was a little guy ... I think I had that little man complex."

Now, Crawford is 5'8", 147 pounds and arguably the best pound-for-pound boxer alive -- so yeah, he doesn't hand out ass-whoopings for free anymore!

In fact, he's facing undefeated Lithuanian star Egidijus Kavaliauskas (AKA The Mean Machine) on Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden and says he's ready to show the world why he's the best.

We also spoke with Crawford about Errol Spence -- who was a potential opponent before Errol's bad car crash last month.

The Amanda Nunes vs. Claressa Shields superfight -- the best female MMA fighter against the best female boxer -- could happen way sooner than anyone thought ... as in as early as May, so says Claressa's promoter.

TMZ Sports talked to Dmitriy Salita -- who also reps boxing stars Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller and Otto Wallin -- about the most anticipated crossover fight in women's combat sports.

"Claressa wants to be a two-sport star," Salita tells us.

Shields is already a BEAST in the boxing ring. She won a gold medal at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, was 77-1 as an amateur, and is an undefeated 9-0 as a pro.

But, when it comes to MMA, Claressa is a newbie -- she's only been working on wrestling and groundwork for the past couple of months.

It usually takes years for MMA fighters to get pro-ready but Salita thinks Shields could be good to go in 2020.

"I think sometime in the next 6 to 12 months. I think both ladies need to embrace it and talk about it and there needs to be a real plan to make it happen, and to make it the biggest possible event it could be."

Before Shields vs. Nunes goes down, Claressa has a boxing match against Ivana Habazin on January 10.

That doesn't mean Salita isn't willing -- and hoping -- to chop it up with UFC honcho Dana White, who previously told us he's interested in seeing Shields in the Octagon.

"I'm definitely open to have those discussions and to have those conversations," Salita says.

Someone pick up the phone ... please.

File under: Things You Should NEVER Do!

YouTube superstar Jake Paul WILLINGLY got in the ring with boxing phenom Ryan Garcia -- and let the dude BLAST AWAY on him ... and it's all on video!!!

The 22-year-old vlogger made the trip down to San Diego for some one-on-one gym time with the Flash ... and threw on some padding to do the #BodyShotChallenge.

Yeah, he's wearing padding ... but watch the video -- Ryan hits so damn hard, Jake gets rocked back around the ring and looks like he's in real pain.

At one point, it looks like Jake tries to get Ryan to stop, but the 19-0 fighter keeps throwing bombs!

"This is stupid," Jake said to the camera before taking the beating ... and we agree. V stupid.

Of course, Jake beat Deji in his first-ever fight last year in Manchester ... and has been BEGGING Eddie Hearn to let him take a pro fight like his big bro, Logan Paul.

Speaking of Logan, he also did the #BodyShotChallenge with Garcia a while back -- and it went about the same way!

Ryan 2, Paul Bros 0.

Woah Vicky is so serious about taking a real boxing match with arch-nemesis Danielle Bregoli -- she's already started training with a legit boxing superstar, Jermell Charlo.

19-year-old Vicky and 16-year-old Bregoli -- two social media superstars -- already scrapped at a recording studio back in October (the video was crazy BTW) but Bhad Bhabie has been calling for a rematch ... in a boxing ring.

"1 million and I'll fight that horse toothed hoe in the ring," Bregoli tweeted.

Vicky got the message -- and SHE'S DOWN! In fact, she already teamed up with the former WBC super welterweight champ to kickstart her training!!

Check out the training video ... Vicky's already hitting the pads and the heavy bag at Charlo's Lions Only gym alongside Friends On The Internet in Houston like she wants all the smoke!

FYI, 29-year-old Charlo is a MONSTER in the ring -- he's 32-1 and defended the WBC light middleweight title 3 times before a controversial loss to Tony Harrison (they're fighting again next month).

Sources close to Vicky tell us she's taking the training seriously and she's eyeing a June 2020 fight date ... and wants it to go down at AT&T Stadium!!

If Stipe Miocic is SERIOUS about a boxing match with Tyson Fury, the Gypsy King says he'll gladly ACCEPT ... as long as they can book it AFTER his rematch with Deontay Wilder.

Of course, Stipe is the reigning UFC heavyweight champ -- but he's so confident in his striking ability, he recently said he'd be down to fight Fury in a boxing match.

So, Fury -- never one to back down -- responded to Miocic ... and he's ALL THE WAY DOWN!

"Stipe says he wants to box me, that would be a good fight for sure," Fury told MTK Global ... "After I get Wilder out of the way I’ll fight Stipe in a boxing match if he wants it."

"It would be a big crossover fight like Mayweather and McGregor."

Fury continued, "I’m open to that fight so he should come and see me. It would be the same outcome for any of them, they’ll all get smashed."

Miocic isn't the only UFC star who wants a piece of Fury -- Francis Ngannou wants a 2-fight deal so he can fight Tyson in boxing and then MMA.

Fury has said he's interested in an MMA fight too -- and even trained with UFC star Darren Till over the weekend.

"It was exciting training with Darren Till and we get on like a house on fire," Fury said ... "He put me through a hard training session and it was really good."

We recently spoke with Dana White about the possibility of a crossover fight with Fury -- and while White's a huge fan, he thinks Tyson would get DESTROYED in the Octagon.

Dwight Gooden is locked in for his first-ever "Celebrity Boxing" match ... and we just learned his opponent will be a self-described redneck who squats more than 600 pounds!!!

The 54-year-old MLB legend will square off with 29-year-old "Nitro Comedy Tour" star Catfish Cooley, who's gone viral on YouTube for his redneck comedy.

We're told the fight will go down on March 7 at the Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City.

Gooden has been in business with "Celebrity Boxing" for a while and stepped up to be the ref for the Bagel Boss vs. Lenny Dykstra fight (before Lenny pulled out).

But, Doc feels training for a fight is a good way to keep himself in shape while focusing on his sobriety -- so he decided to strap on the gloves and train up!

Of course, Gooden was a superstar pitcher back in the day before substance abuse issues sank his baseball career.

Catfish was NOT pro athlete -- but he's got videos on the Internet where he's squatting 605 pounds like it's nothing.

Fresh off his controversial loss to KSI, Logan Paul tells TMZ Sports he's already thinking about his next opponent -- and it could be CM Punk or Dillon Danis!!

Of course, the 24-year-old YouTube superstar is coming off an impressive 6-round slugfest against KSI at Staples Center on Saturday ... and it's obvious he's not ready to hang up his gloves just yet.

Remember, KSI said he's NOT down for a 3rd fight with Logan -- but suggested Paul move to MMA to fight CM Punk next ... so naturally, we asked LP if he was down.

"I am ... I think I would destroy CM Punk if I'm being honest," Logan says. "I don't know if anyone would disagree with that."

41-year-old Punk is 0-2 in his pro MMA career -- he was choked out by Mickey Gall at UFC 203 in 2016 and got beat up badly by Mike Jackson at UFC 225 in 2018.

Paul tells us ... he would consider other opponents if he couldn't work out a deal with Punk.

As for Bellator fighter Dillon Danis -- Conor McGregor's good friend -- he's publicly called for a boxing match with either Logan or his little bro, Jake Paul. Logan says DD might get his wish.

"I bit somebody too ... it just wasn't on TV" -- Evander Holyfield.

Bombshell bite news is coming out of Mike Tyson's podcast, where the guy Mike famously bit admitted he ALSO weaponized his mouth during a boxing match back in the day!

Iron Mike invited his former nemesis to "Hotboxin' With Mike Tyson" -- where they discussed the infamous 1997 ear chomp ... and Evander explained why he ultimately forgave Tyson.

"People keep asking, 'How are you gonna forgive somebody?'" Holyfield says. "I say, everything that ever happened, at some point in time, I did it."

"Mike bit me, I say I bit somebody too ... it just wasn't on TV."

Evander continued ... "I bit a guy in his shoulder. He dropped me, and I didn't know when you had a concussion, you'll bite too."

Holyfield didn't name his bite victim during the podcast -- but says the guy called him up after the Tyson chew incident and said, "Remember when you bit me?"

Holyfield responded, "I sure did, bitch! You shouldn't have grabbed me!"

Both Tyson and Holyfield laughed about it ... and then Tyson made a business proposition involving weed and edible ears!

Long story short, Mike wants to sell THC edibles in the shape of Evander's chewed up ear -- and Holyfield says he's VERY interested!

Logan Paul took an L Saturday night in his fight against KSI ... but it was not without controversy.

Logan lost to KSI in a split decision at the Staples Center in L.A. ... in a highly-anticipated boxing rematch. They went toe-to-toe for 6 hard rounds.

KSI did the early damage with some ferocious body shots, but things started to turn for Logan in the 3rd round when he started landing body punches of his own.

Paul caught KSI with two huge uppercuts in round 4 that sent him to the canvas, but held his head on the way down and seemed to land another punch. The referee counted the knockdown but took two points away from Paul, changing the course of the fight.

The final round saw KSI get a second wind as he tried to take Paul’s head off.

In the end, the two points cost Paul and KSI ended up walking away with the split-decision win. Had the referee only taken one point away from Paul, this rematch could have ended up in another draw.

Justin Bieber entered the ring after the match -- and even walked out with him at the beginning -- hoping Logan would pull it off. The Biebs didn't take the loss well, saying, "Logan was the better fighter. Period."

Wiz Khalifa was also there with his girlfriend. Also on hand ... Tyron Woodley, DaBaby, Ed Sheeran, Desiigner, Dan Bilzerian and Tana Mongeau.

Complete strangers did everything they possibly could to try to save Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker's life after the ex-boxing champ was struck by a car ... and the frantic scene was all caught on 911 audio.

The 55-year-old was tragically hit by a vehicle while he was crossing a busy street in Virginia Beach on July 14 ... and in 911 recording of the incident, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can hear a woman rallying pedestrians to try to help Whitaker.

The woman says she didn't know Whitaker -- but saw he desperately needed help and vowed to do everything in her power to try and save him.

In the audio, you can hear the woman describe the dire scene, saying, "He is on the ground right now ... I'm not sure if he is alive."

But, when dispatch asks the woman if she's willing to administer CPR ... she doesn't think twice -- and tries to get others at the scene to help her.

"He's not alive. Okay, we have to roll him over," she says in the recording. "I want to do it!"

You can hear in the audio ... the woman and others try to get Whitaker on his back -- but the scene the woman paints is grisly.

"Oh, there's a lot of blood!" she says, while another man in the audio adds, "There's a whole bunch of f**king blood!"

Even still, the woman presses forward, saying, "Okay, let's do it. Come on! Let's just try it! If there's any way we can help him!"

Despite heroic efforts, the pedestrians were unable to save Whitaker ... and after emergency medical officials arrived, they pronounced the former boxer dead at the scene.

The tragedy hit the boxing world deeply, with Floyd Mayweather paying tribute to Pernell on social media saying, "R I P champ, one of the best fighters to ever do it."

KSI vs. Justin Bieber?

Maybe ... because the YouTube superstar tells TMZ Sports he's 100% down and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, says it all comes down to getting the money right.

KSI, Hearn and boxing champ Billy Joe Saunders sat down for a special TMZ Sports roundtable ... and talked about their fighting futures -- and that's when Bieber came up.

"I don't know what weight Justin Bieber can get up to but I think that's a natural fight," Hearn joked.

KSI laughed and told us he's certain he would beat the pop star -- but that's when Hearn started telling us he thinks there's a legit chance the two could end up in the ring together.

"It's only about money and actually ambition of actually achieving something different," Hearn said. "People love boxing."

We know Bieber loves the sport -- he used to train with Floyd Mayweather. Plus, JB was ringside when his pal Lil Za took an amateur fight in 2015.

In fact, KSI says he's expecting Bieber to be in the house on the weekend when he fights Logan Paul (Nov. 9 on DAZN) ... so maybe a chance at some early negotiations?

There's a lot of good stuff in the video ...

-- Eddie Hearn says he's projecting more than 2 MILLION buys/views for KSI vs. Logan Paul.

-- Hearn says KSI will earn 7-figures, but wouldn't get any more specific about his pay.

-- KSI explains why the hatred for Paul is real and why he thinks Logan will move to MMA after he loses on Saturday.

-- We asked Billy Joe Saunders (the reigning WBO super middleweight champ) if he was upset or jealous to be fighting on KSI's undercard, considering his decorated boxing career. You gotta hear his answer.

UFC star Francis Ngannou is finally responding to Tyson Fury -- telling TMZ Sports if Fury is serious about competing in MMA, Francis is "200% down!"

Remember, Fury -- one of the top heavyweight boxers on the planet -- says he's dead serious about trying his luck in the Octagon ... and plans to train with Conor McGregor.

Fury also said he's eyeing Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou and possible opponents.

So, we reached out to Francis to see if he was game -- and man, HE'S ALL IN!!!

In fact, the 6'4", 258-pound heavyweight says he'll make a 2-fight deal with Tyson -- if Fury agrees to meet him in the Octagon, he'll do a SECOND match in the boxing ring.

Ngannou tells us ... long before he became an MMA fighter, he had dreams of becoming a boxing champ -- and he believes he has the skill set to compete with a champ like Fury.

Ngannou says he's already instructed his management team to reach out to Fury to see if there's a way to make it happen ... and thinks the UFC would be on board.

We recently spoke to UFC honcho Dana White who told us he's a huge Fury fan and would love to get in business with him ... but advised Tyson to focus on boxing instead of trying to transition to MMA.

But, if there was a 2-fight deal including a boxing match, you gotta wonder if White -- who's launching a boxing promotion in 2020 -- would be more open to getting a deal done.

Ngannou has already gotten some pointers on how to fight Fury from Mike Tyson -- and Francis says Iron Mike has offered to train him if Fury accepts the fight.

Here's Mike Tyson giving a few pointers to UFC superstar Francis Ngannou on how to fight Tyson Fury ... and the video is awesome!

So, why is this happening???

Remember, Fury has been teasing a move over to MMA -- he's apparently dead serious -- and he even called out Ngannou as a potential opponent.

"Who’s the heavyweight champion of the world in the UFC? The American-Croatian, Stipe Miocic. I’ll fight him in a heartbeat, no problem. Or, Francis Ngannou," Fury said.

"Any of the heavyweights they’ve got, I’m not afraid of any of them. I’m the Gypsy King. I’m a boxer, but I’m one badass motherf**ker."

So, when Ngannou met up with Mike Tyson to appear on his 'Hotboxin' podcast recently -- Mike decided to run the heavyweight fighter through a few moves to help him out.

Ya gotta watch the footage ... 53-year-old Tyson sticks, moves and sticks again -- the guy clearly still has explosive power and skill. Even the footwork is still super impressive.

Will Ngannou get a chance to unleash his new moves on Fury? UFC honcho Dana White told us it's "possible" Fury could step in the Octagon ... but unlikely.

Dana White is a HUGE fan of boxing superstar Tyson Fury -- but tells TMZ Sports he thinks the Gypsy King would get "smashed" if he's serious about fighting in the UFC.

Fury has been very vocal lately about wanting to take a stab at MMA -- and says Conor McGregor has personally offered to train him up.

So, when we spoke with UFC honcho Dana White, we asked if there was a possibility the two could work out a deal to get Fury in the Octagon.

"Listen, anything's possible," White tells us ... "If Tyson Fury wants to fight in MMA, I've got a ton of guys that would love to fight him. I just don't know why."

White says Fury is an "incredible fighter" -- but he's one of the top heavyweight boxers in the world and should stick with that sport to make as much money as possible.

"Promoted the right way. [Fury] could be a part of 3 or 4 of the biggest fights in heavyweight [boxing] history. Why come over and get smashed when you could stay there?"

But, there is ONE boxing champ White says he'd love to see in the UFC -- Claressa Shields.

Shields is undefeated and has WRECKED every woman who has stepped in the ring with her. She recently told us she's begun MMA training and wants to take a fight in 2020.

"I understand Shields wanting to come over here," White said ... noting top female UFC fighter are making way more money than top female boxers.

"Yes, I'm definitely interested in that. If you look at [Shields], she's the best in boxing and I have the G.O.A.T. I have the greatest female fighter of all time right now in Amanda Nunes."

Claressa has said she'd LOVE a superfight with Nunes -- but needs time to work on her ground game first.