Boxing

The man who stabbed Tyson Fury's cousin to death last year has been found guilty of murder by a jury following a three-week trial.

After three and a half hours of deliberation on Friday, the jury announced their verdict, finding 22-year-old Liam O'Pray guilty of the killing of 31-year-old Rico Burton, Tyson's cousin, and wounding with intent.

As we previously reported, Burton was stabbed in the left side of his neck with a 7-inch blade after a fight at a popular bar in Altrincham, Cheshire last August.

The fatal stab wound caused major blood loss, as it severed the major carotid artery in his neck.

O'Pray was also found guilty of injuring an 18-year-old, Harvey Reilly, in the same incident.

According to The Sun, witnesses said O'Pray was drinking and acting "very erratic" prior to the brawl with Burton and his friends around 3 AM.

Fury was devastated over his cousin's tragic death and called for the UK government to hand down harsher punishment for knife crimes.

"My cousin was murdered last night, stabbed in the neck," the heavyweight boxer said on IG last August.

"This is becoming ridiculous idiots carry knives. This needs to stop 🛑 Asap, uk 🇬🇧 government needs to bring higher sentencing for knife crime, its a pandemic & you dont know how bad it is until its 1 of your own!"

"Life is very precious & it can be taken away very quick enjoy every moment🙏RIP RICO BURTON 🙏 may the lord god grant you a good place in heaven. see you soon 🔜🙏"

Boxer Daniella Hemsley -- who went viral for exposing her boobs in the ring after her win over the weekend -- is setting the record straight about her future in the sport ... saying she's NOT banned from competing, she's just taking a break to recover from her injuries.

The OnlyFans model bared it all in excitement after defeating Ms. Danielka at the Kingpyn Boxing semifinals on Saturday ... lifting up her sports bra to flash the crowd.

Kingpyn released a statement on the incident ... apologizing to anyone offended and saying Hemsley "will not be appearing in the Final event and has decided to take some time away from boxing."

Many translated this to Hemsley being BANNED from the promotion ... but she claims that's not the case at all, addressing the whole situation in a YouTube video.

"I am NOT banned from Kingpyn, guys," Hemsley said. "I have simply decided to take a few weeks off from training to recover, to recover my body, and I plan on coming back fighting again in the winter."

Daniella -- who claims to have injured her thumb and elbow in the bout -- added she actually suffered a wardrobe malfunction during the flash ... as she initially had fire stickers covering her nipples to avoid nudity, but they came off during the fight due to sweat.

The stunt got mixed reviews ... as fans were pleasantly surprised on social media, but promoter Eddie Hearn hated it -- saying destroyed so much work that has been done to include women in the sport.

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.

Jake Paul says he's a completely different fighter after experiencing the first loss of his boxing career ... and that could be bad news for Nate Diaz, 'cause The Problem Child tells TMZ Sports he's going to put his opponent on the canvas.

Jake and Nate are meeting in the ring for their highly anticipated fight in Dallas on August 5 ... and it's clear his defeat at the hands of Tommy Fury has him laser-focused on winning again.

"Man, I have the biggest chip on my shoulder, the biggest chip on both shoulders," Jake told Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show. "Coming back with vengeance, refilled with that hunger that I had in the beginning of the sport to prove to people what I was capable of."

"The lion lost. I've retreated back into the jungle, I took notes of everything, I got better, I trained, and now this lion is going to come out and maul this dude. And he's gonna have to pay -- he's gonna have to pay for all this hard work, all this sacrifice I've made in this camp."

Jake added he's "100%" going to knock Diaz out ... but has no prediction on when it'll happen, 'cause he doesn't want to add any more pressure while he's in the ring.

Nate has only fallen twice via TKOs in his 20-year pro fighting career ...  one being a doctor's stoppage (vs. Jorge Masvidal), and the other coming against Josh Thomson in 2013, when the ref called the fight after a flurry of strikes.

Gervonta Davis is a free man once again ... he's just been released from jail, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

A Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services spokesperson said the star boxer got out of the Baltimore detention center Friday afternoon.

In celebration of the occasion, the 29-year-old took to his Twitter account to post a saluting emoji.

Davis had been behind bars due to his alleged role in a 2020 hit-and-run car crash ... where he was accused of running a red light and slamming into a Toyota, before fleeing the scene.

Davis reached a plea deal with prosecutors in the case back in February -- and was sentenced to 90 days of house arrest. But, on June 1, a judge ruled he had violated the conditions of his sentencing after officials said he moved two times without proper permission. He was then ordered to spend the remainder of his home detention in jail.

Boxing star Devin Haney was arrested on Thursday morning following a night out in Hollywood ... after cops say they found a semi-automatic handgun in his car during a routine traffic stop.

The 30-0 fighter -- who's coming off a huge win over Vasiliy Lomachenko -- was out at Catch L.A. on Wednesday ... when just minutes after he left the hotspot around midnight, law enforcement tells TMZ Sports cops pulled over his ride due to an unsafe lane change and a failure to use turn signal.

According to authorities, Haney was not driving ... but the person who was told officers during the stop there was a firearm inside of the ride.

Cops say they then got Haney and his security out of the car ... and when they searched the vehicle, they say they found a semi-automatic handgun under the driver's seat.

Law enforcement tells us ... no one took ownership of the gun -- and since the car was registered to Haney, he was arrested and booked for felony possession of a concealed weapon.

Jail records show he was released at 8:12 AM Thursday on $35,000 bail. He's due in court for a hearing on the matter next month.

Haney has become one of the biggest stars in boxing ... after recording impressive wins in the last couple years over Loma, George Kambosos Jr., Joseph Diaz Jr. and Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Forget Stipe Miocic ... Jon Jones apparently found a new rival at an ESPYs after-party Wednesday night -- 7-foot-4 Purdue hoops star Zach Edey!!!

The guys hit up The Pendry West Hollywood for the Talent Resources Sports bash in Los Angeles following the awards show ... and for some reason, Edey decided to test his reach against the UFC's best heavyweight.

The two traded a few jabs while cameras snapped away -- but don't worry, it was all completely in jest ... Edey's definitely too smart for that!!!

Following their impromptu shadowboxing session ... the fighter and the hooper posed for pics together -- and then partied the night away at an event that was packed full of celebs.

Damar Hamlin, Jamal Murray and Braxton Berrios were all there ... as were ESPN personalities Chris Berman and Hannah Storm.

They all had a lot to celebrate too ... as the ESPYs were a huge hit.

Jake Paul is a Sports Illustrated cover athlete -- the Problem Child just added to his growing list of accomplishments ... landing the big spotlight for the outlet's "Power List" issue.

S.I. published its submissions for the "50 most influential figures in sports" on Thursday ... where it highlights the biggest athletes, dealmakers, executives, icons and leaders and influencers over the past year.

The YouTuber-turned-boxer is front and center for the issue ... showing him throwing a punch in an underwater photoshoot.

It's a huge honor for Paul, who turned social media boxing into a multi-million dollar business ... even starting his own Most Valuable Promotions company.

Paul's also brought a bunch of new fans to the sport of boxing ... selling a ton of Pay-Per-Views for his fights against Tommy Fury, Tyron Woodley, Ben Askren and more.

We spoke with Jake about landing the cover ... and he said it's a "surreal" experience.

"It doesn't make any sense, but I've worked my ass off to get to this position, and I couldn't have done it without my supporters from back in the Vine days, from my Disney Channel fans, my YouTube fans," Paul told TMZ Sports.

"I really owe it all to them and their support of me through each lane and each vertical of my life as I've gotten older."

"Through all the negative, through all the hate, through all the things and the people trying to tear us down -- we've risen to the occasion and we've overcome it every single time," he added.

"And that, to me, is what means the most and this feels like a staple, monumental moment in my career and to be even considered for it is a humbling thing and I can't believe it's my life."

Nicki Minaj's bite just might be as big as her bark on rap tracks -- judging from the hands she's throwing with her sparring partner/husband Kenneth Petty!

"The Pinkprint" rapper shared video evidence of her skills Wednesday, showing off her jab-cross combos and footwork, which all looked pretty convincing.

Nicki never flinched and maintained solid boxing form throughout ... and even finished with a roundhouse kick for good measure.

Y'know what they say about a family that fights together ... don't mess with them!!!

Nicki's workout music was an unreleased collab with JT, and you can hear both dissing rival females who don't stack up to their flyness.

The City Girls rapper was also in the building with Nicki, but didn't break a sweat outside the studio.

Nicki's cooldown wasn't anything to scoff at either ... she backed that thang up on Kenneth and called him Big Daddy!!!

Boxer Otto Wallin spent 12 rounds in the squared circle with Tyson Fury ... and given that experience, the Swedish boxer believes Francis Ngannou has virtually no chance of beating the Gypsy King!

TMZ Sports talked to 32-year-old Wallin after the Fury vs. Ngannou bout was announced on Tuesday ... where we got Otto's thoughts on the matchup.

"Tyson is the best heavyweight fighter in the world in boxing. Ngannou might be the best at MMA at heavyweight. So this fight is gonna be at boxing so you obviously gotta favor Fury a lot. [Tyson's] fighting someone that's making his pro debut as a boxer really. It's a whole different sport, and as difficult as it'll be for Fury to go over to MMA, it's gonna be the same for Ngannou. So of course Fury's gonna be a big favorite."

Because Fury has an immense skill advantage in the boxing ring, Wallin believes Ngannou must use his strength to make the fight as ugly as possible.

"[Francis] can't box him really. He needs to really make it a fight. A dogfight. Take it to Fury. Rough him up," Otto told us.

"He's gotta go in there and use what he has. He's a strong guy, so try to push Fury around, and try to land punches that he can, cause he can't be there in a boxing match. He can't just stand a long distance and try to box 'cause then he's gonna be picked apart."

And, Wallin knows what he's talking about.

Remember, Tyson and Otto fought at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in September 2019 ... where Fury won by unanimous decision. But, that doesn't begin to tell the story of the fight ... which certainly could've been stopped because of an awful gash on TF's head.

His cut man did an amazing job managing the cut, and Tyson ended up winning a close fight. In fact, it's the last Fury bout that went to the judges. Since Otto, the Gypsy King has stopped heavyweight stars Deontay Wilder (twice) and Dillian Whyte (Derek Chisora, too).

As for his prediction, Wallin sees a knockout on the horizon.

Will his prediction ring true?

Grab the tissues ... Logan Paul just dropped video of his romantic marriage proposal to Nina Agdal, and it couldn't have been sweeter!!!

Paul published the video on his YouTube page Monday morning, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most important moments of his entire life.

Of course, we knew 28-year-old Paul and 31-year-old Agdal got engaged last week ... but now Logan and Nina are sharing video of the actual proposal in Lake Como, Italy.

Paul popped the question after dinner ... as the couple was taking in the beautiful scenery.

"Nina, I love you so much," Logan said ... as he turned into a puddle.

"You are the love of my life. You are the girl of my dreams. I never thought I'd find you. I never want to let you go. I'm sorry I'm being such a 'p***y'" ... before dropping down to one knee.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" ... the couple embraced, and there were more tears!

After the proposal, Logan and Nina had dinner with her parents ... where LP asked the rents if he could ask for their daughter's hand in marriage.

Sure, that's typically done before you actually ask ... but that's when Logan revealed the weather forecast forced him to move up the day he was going to ask for her hand in marriage.

Thankfully, Mom and Dad said yes (whew 😰).

Paul also showed the moment in May when he first saw the huge rock of a ring that he helped design ... and he was clearly blown away.

"Oh my God, it's perfect," LP said when he saw the ring ... adding "People don't talk about how stressful it is for dudes to pick out rings for their soon-to-be wife."

Logan also showed his brother Jake's reaction to the engagement ring (he was psyched for his bro!) ... as well as his mother's!

Bottom line, the proposal was perfect ... and now it's time to plan a wedding!

Jaron "Boots" Ennis will be watching the Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence super fight with a VERY close eye this month ... because he tells TMZ Sports he feels he should be the one who gets to take on the winner.

"I believe I'm the best option," the 30-0 Philly fighter said. "I feel like everybody wants to see me versus Spence or me versus Bud. I don't think they want to see nobody else fight them."

Of course, there's a long line of boxers who feel the same way ... but Ennis told us he "definitely" deserves the shot first.

The mega fight is slated to go down on July 29 in Las Vegas ... but even if Boots is in the running to get a taste of either boxer -- Spence and Crawford reportedly have agreed to a rematch clause that could mean they'll be fighting one more time in 2023 before they open things up to challengers.

But, Ennis sure seems willing to wait regardless ... telling us an eventual fight with the victor is his goal.

Roy Jones Jr. is one of the best boxers ever, but the legendary fighter is stepping back in the ring with an opponent like never before, massive bodybuilder and social media star NDO Champ!

54-year-old RJJ and 39-year-old NDO Champ -- who is 250 lbs. of solid muscle -- are fighting Friday night in the Metaverse (more on that later).

NDO Champ, government name Robert Wilmote, is an IFBB Pro bodybuilder who has over one million followers on Instagram ... and has gone viral a bunch of times. There's a good chance you've seen NDO's videos online.

Much different than Roy's typical opponents ... which he concedes.

"It's much different than I'm used to. It's kind of like Godzilla versus King Kong. You know, King Kong being the gorilla, that's what he kind of reminds me of with all the muscles and he's such a big dark figure," Jones Jr. said.

But, RJJ has a strategy to deal with his powerful foe ... "be smart enough not to run into the foolishness." The "foolishness" being a big power punch.

As for how he sees the fight going, Jones Jr. says he'll win ... it's just a matter of whether it's by knockout or not.

"Depends how good of a punch he can take. He can't take good punch then he goes to sleep. All depends on what happens. I don't know, I've never been in the ring with him. I've never seen him box. There's no film on him. That's what makes it so different."

Roy continued ... "You don't know what he's bringing. You don't know if he's gonna be a Mike Tyson puncher or a guy with a lot of muscle that can't punch at all."

Champ, as you may expect, sees things playing out a bit differently.

"Listen, we don't train to lose. We don't train to come in there and play. If that's the case, I'll go back doin' something else, you feel me. No disrespect, I salute the OG, but it's wartime."

NDO continued ... "I'm not coming in there to congratulate you on all our successes, nah, you shouldn't have gotten in this ring with this man. You shouldn't have gotten in the ring with me. I'm a born stone killer!"

Jake Paul calls himself the Problem Child, but it certainly has nothing to do with his business ventures ... 'cause the social media superstar/boxer's Betr company is now worth $300 MILLION!!

The social media and betting platform -- which the 26-year-old co-founded alongside Joey Levy in 2022 -- just raised $35 million in new funding, which was led by Fuel Venture Capital and Roger Ehrenberg of IA Sports Ventures and Eberg Capital.

Of course, Betr is all about sports betting content as well as micro-betting ... and is now moving into becoming a full-fledged sportsbook as well.

Jake is all in on Betr -- he even got the company's logo tatted on his leg to show how serious he is about his faith in the brand.

It's a huge deal for Paul ... as Betr is well on its way to becoming a billion-dollar company in a short amount of time.

Jake has made a killing in the ring as well ... he claimed to have made over $30 million on the Tommy Fury fight alone.

Boxer Albert Ochoa will be channeling his inner Michael Jackson when he steps into the ring this weekend ... 'cause he just copped some insane custom "Thriller" shoes to pay homage to the King of Pop!!

Ochoa -- who famously took Kylie Jenner to prom -- is set to fight TikTok star Xavier Long at Academy LA in Hollywood on Saturday ... and TMZ Sports has learned he plans to show out with his moves AND his shoes.

We're told the 23-year-old wanted personalized gear for the fifth fight of his career ... so he reached out to his close friend, artist Aztek Kustoms, with the idea of making kicks similar to the loafers on Jackson's feet in the iconic "Thriller" music video.

Aztek Kustoms -- who also made Rolly Romero's Frank Ocean boxing shoes -- says the kicks feature over 4,000 pearl-white rhinestones and black glitter paint ... and Ochoa is thrilled with the finished product.

Ochoa tells us "Thriller," which is his all-time favorite song, will be playing for his walkout to the ring.

"He's an icon, he's a legend," Ochoa told us. "For me to wear these shoes and to come out with that outfit and his music ... it's dope."

Boxing is something Ochoa is taking very seriously ... in fact, he says he's training with former boxing champ Joel Casamayor and former Olympian boxer Vicente Escobedo.

"It's a great team -- having a world champion and an Olympian and two people that were successful in their sport at the start of my career is a blessing," Ochoa said. "It's a dream come true."

Of course, many still doubt the reality star, like they did YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, but the 3-1 super welterweight tells us he's the real deal.

"I'm a real fighter," Ochoa said. "I put in the work and I've improved so much in this camp. I'm on my way to becoming a great star in this sport."

NFL star Maxx Crosby just got a permanent reminder to chase greatness daily ... getting pictures of Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, and Kobe Bryant tattooed all over his torso!!

The Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher got the work done last week ... hitting up Andres Ortega at Onder Ink for the massive piece, and check out the images of the artwork -- it came out awesome.

Just above his right hip, Crosby got a shot of Jordan in the middle of a free-throw stroke. To the left of that, the football player had an iconic snap of Ali put down. And, just above his left hip, Crosby also got a photo of Kobe mid-celebration inked too.

Ortega tells the reasoning for the trio of tats was simple ... Crosby wanted to make sure he always keeps his focus on his journey to being one of the best ever -- hence why he also got the words "Be Legendary" put near his rib cage as well.

The homages to the sports icons, though, were far from the only tats he got ... Ortega also put a sweet tribute to Crosby's baby daughter on his chest, before rounding out the nod to the newborn with diamonds and a rose.

In total, Ortega says it took about 11 hours to complete.