Boxing

Floyd Mayweather says he's DEAD SERIOUS about taking an MMA fight -- confirms he'll start training with Tyron Woodley -- and breaks down his wrestling and kicking skills.

THIS CLIP IS AWESOME!!!!!

Floyd was leaving Katana in L.A. with his TMT crew on Wednesday when he opened up about EVERYTHING ... and admits gearing up for the octagon is "probably gonna be a little difficult."

As we previously reported on "The Hollywood Beatdown," Mayweather and UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley have agreed to train together ... and Floyd thinks he can REALLY elevate his ground game.

"I can wrestle," Floyd says ... "My wrestling game is not that bad. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's probably a 7 and I think we could take it up to like a 9."

Floyd also breaks down his kicking game -- and explains why he scores himself a 4 out out 10.

So, how much MONEY will it take to lock Floyd for an MMA fight, possibly with Conor McGregor?

"It's all about presenting the right numbers and of course, they gonna present the right numbers and we gonna make it happen."

Here's undefeated boxing champ Oscar Valdez proving even winning hurts in boxing -- showing his totally jacked up fist (and face) following a big win in an absolutely brutal fight this past weekend.

Valdez gutted out a tough victory over Scott Quigg Saturday night in a controversial and dangerous bout -- mostly because Quigg came in overweight for the fight and made it a slugfest.

FYI, Valdez (24-0) and Quigg (34-2-2) were supposed to fight at 126 lbs ... but Quigg missed weight and then ballooned up to 142 lbs on fight night while Valdez DID make weight.

Oscar won on points to keep his featherweight title, but had to have his jaw wired shut after the fight -- and judging by these recovery room pics, dude might have someone opening his sodas for a while.

As for Quigg, he also posted a post-battle photo -- and, although he does look a little like Mr. Magoo, he's not in the hospital. He did suffer a broken nose.

Still wanna be a boxer when you grow up?!

"Don't sleep on Floyd Mayweather" when it comes to MMA ... because the guy can REALLY wrestle -- so says Floyd's hired muscle.

We spoke with Floyd's personal private security force -- Jizzy Mack and Greg La Rosa -- and asked them how their boss is prepping for his MMA debut.

The guys say they haven't seen Floyd training with UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley yet -- but acknowledge "he's a beast" and would definitely be the man to get Floyd UFC-ready.

But, the most interesting part ... both guys claim Floyd has legit ground skills.

"Floyd's tough all around ... he can wrestle."

These guys spend MOST of their lives right by Floyd's side -- from traveling to the gym -- and they would know how Floyd's been training for his rumored transition into MMA.

As for Tyron, he says he's spoken with Floyd and agreed to train him -- and even spelled out how his training camp would go on "The Hollywood Beatdown."

Deontay Wilder is sick and tired of waiting for Anthony Joshua ... so the Bronze Bomber's calling out AJ in the most savage way possible -- by declaring WAR.

"No more excuses, no more waiting, no more dodging me ... it's time. It's time to see who's the best [...] who's the baddest man on the planet," Wilder told TMZ Sports.

You know the deal -- the world's top 2 heavyweights have been circling each other for years ... but haven't been able to strike a deal.

But Deontay told us that's finally gonna change after Joshua fights Joseph Parker on March 31 ... 'cause there'll be no one left but him.

There's more... Wilder claims he ain't even sweating AJ, saying Luis Ortiz -- AKA the dude he just MERKED -- is way better!!

So, are fight negotiations underway?? We asked ...

Boxing champion Mikey Garcia says he 100% believes he could beat Floyd Mayweather if they fought today ... because at 41, Garcia thinks father time has caught up with TBE.

Mikey sat down with TMZ Sports during training for Saturday's fight against Sergey Lipinets (tonight on Showtime) and when we asked who his dream fight would be against, he basically called Mayweather out.

"Now it's a different time now, 'cause he's older. I've seen his age start to get to him just a little bit."

Want more boxer-on-boxer shade? Mickey says he actually invited Floyd to spar with him once, and according to Garcia, Money wasn't having any of it.

"He was here. He was watching me spar and I asked him to get in the ring and he said he wasn't ready."

Floyd Mayweather will start his MMA training with a bona fide UFC champ -- with Tyron Woodley saying he's spoken with TBE and has agreed to get him ready for his debut in the ocatgon.

"Floyd Mayweather is interested in taking an MMA bout, maybe a few of 'em," Woodley said on "The Hollywood Beatdown."

"So, who better than The Chosen One to teach him the ropes on how we get off the ropes and get in the cage!"

Tyron and Floyd have been friendly for a while -- and when the two connected in L.A. during NBA All-Star weekend, Tyron says they decided to work together to get Floyd MMA-ready.

By the way, Tyron says Floyd can ABSOLUTELY WIN -- even if his opponent is Conor McGregor -- and he's got a real game plan to help Mayweather get that W.

There's more ... Tyron also weighs in on Canelo Alvarez's PED excuse (Mexican cow meat) and claps back at rapper Tekashi69.

Arianny Celeste LOVES Floyd Mayweather -- and not just for his ass-kickin' abilities!

We got the UFC's baddest Octagon girl up in the Bev Hills, and hit her with some questions on the UFC rematch that's got everyone talking -- Floyd vs. Conor 2.

Going off her answers ... it's safe to say Arianny's on The Money Team!!

-- Would you wanna see Floyd in the UFC? "I'd love to see that happen."

-- Could Floyd beat Conor? "I'd give him a chance, yeah."

-- And the big one ... Who's hotter? "I'd have to go with Floyd ... Floyd's swag is on another level."

Celeste even let it slip that she'd be rooting for TBE -- even though he's the outsider.

If this won't motivate Floyd to step inside the Octagon ... we don't know what will.

Here's another episode of "Reading Between the Lines," starring Andre Berto ... who's basically calling BS on Canelo Alvarez for blaming his failed steroids test on contaminated cow meat.

Look, Berto gets it -- beef from Mexico has a history of making athletes piss hot. The boxing star tells TMZ Sports he was even warned about the juicy cows south of the border before competing in the '04 Olympics.

That said, there's 1 reason Berto ain't buying it -- "[Canelo's] been living in Mexico all his life. He's been tested plenty of times and this has never happened."

A woman suspected of jacking a Louis Vuitton bag filled with cash and jewelry from pro boxer Jermall Charlo has been arrested for grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Charlo was partying at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan early Sunday morning when he got into a fight with another group of people ... and left his bag unattended.

When he returned to gather the bag -- it was gone.

Sources tell us the bag contained a $15,000 diamond bracelet. a $75,000 championship ring, a $10,000 Cartier ring and more.

We're also told there was around $40,000 in cash as well.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... a 40-year-old Connecticut woman, Sarah Morin, turned herself in to police Tuesday morning after they asked the public for help identifying her.

We're told cops have recovered all of the jewelry -- but none of the cash.

Canelo Alvarez has admitted he tested positive for a performance enhancing drug -- but he's blaming the dirty test on contaminated cow meat.

The boxer was tested in advance of his upcoming May 5 rematch against Gennady Golovkin -- and says results show he had trace levels of Clenbuterol.

FYI, Clenbuterol is a banned substance often used by athletes to cut body fat while retaining muscle mass. It's banned by every major doping agency.

But Canelo says he's NOT a cheater -- just an eater.

He believes the traces of Clenbuterol are "consistent with meat contamination that has impacted dozens of athletes in Mexico over the last years."

Canelo says he will immediately move his training camp from Mexico to the United States and will submit to any number and variety of additional tests that the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association deems necessary ahead of the fight.

"I am an athlete who respects the sport and this surprises me and bothers me because it had never happened to me," Canelo says.

"I will submit to all the tests that require me to clarify this embarrassing situation and I trust that at the end the truth will prevail."

Canelo's team notes he has tested clean dozens of times over the course of his previous 12 fights.

Just a month ago, Oscar De La Hoya told us Floyd Mayweather would get strangled unconscious in 10 SECONDS in a UFC fight.

But now, Oscar's pullin' a 180 -- telling us he truly believes Floyd "can do well" if he steps inside the Octagon.

Don't get it twisted -- Oscar hasn't forgotten about the Floyd-Conor McGregor "circus" pulling attention off the first Canelo vs. GGG fight ... but it seems like he's turned a new leaf with Canelo-GGG 2 taking center stage on May 5.

"I wish him all the best," De La Hoya told TMZ Sports. "If a boxer, and one of my colleagues, is gonna go inside the cage, I obviously have to go and support Floyd."

Epic news, gamers -- the best thing since "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out" is on the way ... 'cause Floyd Mayweather says he's following in Tyson's footsteps and creating HIS OWN video game!!

At his 41st birthday bash, Floyd told TMZ Sports he's already "working on" bringing TBE to video game consoles around the world ... and -- like all things Floyd -- he's gonna have "ownership" in it to make sure it comes out right.

FYI, the gaming community's been starved for a legit boxing game for years -- so this is a huge deal.

It's been rumored EA might be dropping a new "Fight Night" ... but Floyd told us he ain't gonna be in it if they do -- "Before I do anything, I have to have some ownership."

Bonus: In case you missed the Punch-Out craze, here's a tribute ft. Mayweather himself ...

The baddest woman on the planet ain't afraid of taking on Floyd Mayweather inside an MMA cage ... and she's laying out exactly how she'd smash him.

We spoke with UFC champ Cris Cyborg ahead of her 2nd title defense this weekend at UFC 222 ... and had to ask how she thinks she'd fare against Floyd, who's talked to Dana White about potentially taking a fight for the UFC.

Cyborg didn't back down -- telling TMZ Sports all the tools she'd have to bust out to put Mayweather to sleep.

Of course, that's a fantasy matchup we're never gonna see (well, maybe in Japan) ... so if ya wanna catch Cyborg, you're gonna have to tune in this Saturday when she scraps with Yana Kunitskaya.

Floyd Mayweather tells TMZ Sports ... that brand new jet he posted on social belongs to HIM -- explaining, "I'm not posting a private jet if I'm chartering."

Floyd gifted himself the new plane for his 41st birthday -- by our count, it's the THIRD private jet Floyd has purchased for himself in the past couple of years.

We spoke with Mayweather about his aircraft fleet -- here's what he told us:

"I'm not posting a private jet if I'm chartering. If I'm chartering a jet, I'm not posting it. We own jets."

The new jet appears to sit at least 14 people comfortably -- plus the flight crew.

In this edition of "They Said It, We Didn't," Damon Dash's boxing coach is giving his unfiltered opinion on Jay-Z in the ring ... and according to him, Hov fought "like Pee-wee Herman."

Dash appeared on "Van Lathan's Red Pill Podcast" and the conversation turned to an underground boxing club in NYC where Dame himself, Q-Tip, Heavy D and Jay-Z would rumble with each other in the ring.

Dame said Q-Tip was the beast of the bunch. Heavy D was dope, too. But when asked if Jay could fight, Dash called up the boxing trainer who ran the gym and let him do the talking ... and talk he did.

"At first he couldn't. He was like Pee-wee Herman. At first he couldn't bust a grape. He couldn't bust a grape, a girl would've beat him up. First time I put him in the ring he got waxed."

To be fair, Dame's trainer went on to say Jay eventually got revenge on the guy who waxed him -- meaning at this point he could probably definitively bust a grape with a punch.

And to be more fair ... Jay doesn't need to fight anybody. He's got people for that (#boss).

Canelo Alvarez says he wouldn't be caught dead in an MMA cage 'cause he's got too much love and respect for boxing ... unlike Floyd Mayweather.

With all the buzz about Floyd possibly taking a UFC fight, we had to ask Canelo if he'd consider crossing over, too.

Canelo shut that down quick -- and shaded his former rival in the process.

"I respect boxing. Boxing's my sport. That's what I love. The other sport, that's something we'll never know," he told TMZ Sports.

As for Floyd -- "With him you never know ... but you know what? Whatever he does doesn't interest me."

Of course, Canelo's focus is on his May 5 rematch vs. GGG ... and both guys let us know why this one's a way bigger deal than their first matchup.