Boxing

Boxing star Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller was arrested on Tuesday ... after he was accused of body-slamming a car dealership employee before stealing a truck.

According to the Hollywood Police Department in Florida, the incident took place at Haims Motors -- a used car lot located about half an hour north of Miami.

Cops say an employee at the dealership told them a woman had approached him and complained that she had left a phone in a truck that the establishment had recently repossessed.

Police say when the employee went to grab the keys to help her get the device back ... Miller grabbed him, put him in a chokehold -- and insisted he fork over the keys.

HPD officers say the employee told them Miller then threw him to the ground, nabbed the keys and jacked the truck.

Cops say that while Miller fled the scene, he was unaware that there was a tracking device in the ride -- and a short time later, officers found him, arrested him, and booked him on charges of carjacking without a firearm or weapon and burglary with assault or battery.

Miller appeared in court on Wednesday ... and during the proceedings, prosecutors said they believed Miller had planned the attack.

"It would appear that Mr. Miller," one official said in the courtroom, "he knew what the plan was going to this business to get his car back."

Miller, however, pled not guilty to the charges ... though jail records show that as of Thursday morning, he's still behind bars in Broward County.

Otto Wallin intends to be the 6'5", 230 lb. wrench that screws up Anthony Joshua's (very lucrative) plan to fight Deontay Wilder in March ... flat-out saying the scrap ain't happening!

Walling and Joshua are fighting Saturday in Saudi Arabia ... a stacked card that also includes Wilder vs. Joseph Parker. So, what's Otto's beef?

Well, Anthony and Deontay seem to be assuming they'll not only win this weekend, but also skate through relatively unscathed ... 'cause the heavyweight boxing superstars have agreed to fight each other in March.

TMZ Sports talked to 33-year-old Wallin, who has only 1 career loss, which came against Tyson Fury ... a very competitive fight that was nearly stopped after the Gypsy King suffered a gruesome cut above his eye.

We asked Otto about AJ's decision to sign the Wilder contract.

"I just think it's crazy that they think that fight is gonna happen on March 9th. What is it, 2 and a half months? There is no way that fight's gonna happen, I'll tell you that now. There's no way that fight's gonna happen. Maybe in the future."

Wallin continued ... "I'm gonna beat Joshua. Wilder-Parker, that's not an easy fight. he could get beat, too. Even if both guys could win, they have to come out with no injuries. The time's just too short, it's not gonna happen."

We also talked to Otto about the fight with AJ.

We also talked to Anthony ... who as you might've guessed, sees things a bit differently than Otto. Among the topics we discussed ... were the Wallin fight, the news of the Wilder bout leaking, and the recent success of the UK UFC fighters.

Like AJ, Wilder has his hands full, too, with 6'4" Parker, who is 33-3 (23 KOs) as a pro. Deontay, 43-2-1 (42 KOs), last fought in October 2022 when he dispatched of Robert Helenius inside 1 round.

Wilder and Joshua is a fight that fans have wanted for years ... and Wallin, a normally friendly guy, is in this case looking to spoil the party!

Larry Merchant, one of the most iconic boxing broadcasters of all time, was rushed to a hospital Thursday night and is in the critical care unit of a L.A. area hospital ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.

We're told an ambulance came to Larry's building at around 6 PM Thursday and rushed him to a nearby hospital. We're told he's in a critical care unit.

We do not know what triggered the emergency or his prognosis.

Larry has been a longtime HBO boxing commentator, working with Jim Lampley, George Foreman, Roy Jones Jr., Harold Lederman and many others. He's been called "The greatest television boxing analyst of all time."

The 92-year-old also has acting chops, appearing in "I Spy," "The Fighter,' and "Rocky Balboa."

Larry retired from HBO in 2012, but he cast a long shadow and is still remembered for his broadcasting skills.

Deontay Wilder vs. Anthony Joshua is the biggest fight in boxing, period ... according to The Bronze Bomber, who says the two heavyweight stars are finally ready to deliver the fight fans have wanted for nearly a decade!

TMZ Sports talked to 38-year-old WIlder about the tentatively scheduled March 9 bout set to go down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ... assuming Deontay and AJ can successfully navigate their fights this weekend against Joseph Parker and Otto Wallin, respectively.

"I'm looking forward to all this," Wilder told us. "It's a beautiful time for me."

Deontay then put the magnitude of the fight into perspective.

"Me and the Joshua talk has been something, like you said for a decade," adding ... "and that is the biggest fight in the world."

Despite the talk about AJ, Wilder (43-2, 42 KOs) knows he has to first handle Parker (33-3, 23 KOs) ... who's no average Joe. In fact, Joseph told us earlier this week that he plans on putting Deontay to sleep on Saturday.

"The only thing with words, you have to believe what you say," Wilder said in response to Parker's statement. "Now, Joseph can say what he wants but do he believe what he says?!"

"We know that when Deontay says things, he speaks it, he believes it, he receives it."

Deontay said it was a beautiful time for him ... and he's not lying. He has a ton of big things going on, including talk of a major crossover MMA/boxing event with Francis Ngannou ... something Deontay seems interested in.

"This is something I'm very serious about getting into and I wanna do," Wilder said.

Andre August is still feeling that knockout punch from a week ago, but Jake Paul is already moving on to his next boxing match -- he's entering the ring again in three months ... and "Euphoria" star Wanna Walton will be on the card, too!!

The Problem Child announced the huge event just minutes ago ... saying he will be the co-main event when Amanda Serrano faces off against Nina Meinke at El Coliseo De Puerto Rico on March 2.

Jake's opponent for the Most Valuable Promotions event has not been revealed just yet.

Paul posted on social media about the move ... saying, "Guess who’s back :) … Jake already? Yes, I’m on a mission... But this one is much bigger than me."

"This one is for the greatest Puerto Rican boxer ever, Amanda Serrano. This one is for the people of Puerto Rico, from the Choliseo to the world. This one is for all of boxing to see how powerful women are in this sport and for Wanna Walton to usher in his superstar boxing future in front of 20,000 people."

Of course, Jake -- who's now 8-1 in his pro boxing career -- just beat August in Florida on Dec. 15 ... whooping his ass in the first round with a right uppercut.

17-year-old Wanna -- famous for playing beloved character "Ashtray" on the HBO show -- has been boxing for the majority of his life ... and he recently joined Paul's MVP as he pursues a championship career.

"I wanted to go somewhere where I knew that I was gonna be valued, and a place that I knew that they were going to care about me a lot, and a place with a lot of talent," Wanna told TMZ Sports back in August. "Everyone over at MVP is very talented and they've all done such amazing things in their career."

Jake said he's super pumped for the whole event ... saying, "I can’t wait to fight in San Juan and show the world this beautiful island."

Logan Paul apareció en South Park y recibió las típicas bromas del show. El programa satírico acaba de ir a por la superestrella de la WWE y su empresa de bebidas en su nuevo especial.

"South Park: No apto para niños" se estrenó en Paramount+ el miércoles y uno de sus muchos objetivos resultó ser el YouTuber convertido en empresario.

En un clip del programa, el personaje Clyde Donovan se sienta frente a un computador mientras observa a un influencer llamado Logan LeDouche (que se parece mucho a Paul) promocionando su marca de bebidas, "Cred" (que comparte la misma apariencia que las botellas de Prime Hydration).

"Lo más importante es ser uno mismo", dice LeDouche en la escena. "Cuando siento que no puedo ser yo mismo, es cuando necesito una bebida hidratante que me levante, ¡es cuando necesito a Cred!".

La parodia incluso se burla de la exagerada campaña de marketing de Logan para la compañía, que incluía saltar de un avión mientras se bebía una botella de Prime.

"¡Bebe Cred, o eres un pedazo de mierda!"

La escena también se burla de la controvertida bebida energética de la compañía, que fue escudriñada por el senador Chuck Schumer, quien dijo que podría ser perjudicial para la base de fans principalmente joven de Logan, a pesar de que sus latas indican específicamente que es para mayores de 18 años.

"¡Bebe Cred en tu colegio hoy! No apto para niños", dice el narrador del video.

Logan parece estar de acuerdo con todo esto, porque recientemente compartió el clip en sus cuentas de redes sociales

Logan Paul went down to South Park and got his ass roasted ... 'cause the satirical show just went after the WWE Superstar and his Prime drink company in its newest special.

"South Park: Not Suitable for Children" just dropped on Paramount+ on Wednesday ... and one of its many targets just so happened to be the YouTuber-turned-entrepreneur.

In a clip of the show, character Clyde Donovan sits in front of a computer as he watches an influencer named Logan LeDouche (who looks very similar to Paul) hawk his drink brand, "Cred" (which shares the same appearance to Prime Hydration bottles).

"The most important thing is just to be yourself," LeDouche says in the scene. "When I feel like I can't be myself, that's when I need a hydration drink that'll pick me up -- that's when I need Cred!!"

The spoof even mocks Logan's over-the-top marketing campaign for the company ... which included jumping out of a plane as he drank a bottle of Prime.

"Drink Cred, or you're a piece of s***!!"

The scene also pokes fun at the company's controversial energy drink ... which was scrutinized by Senator Chuck Schumer, who said it could be harmful to Logan's primarily young fanbase -- even though its cans specifically state it's for people ages 18 and up.

"Drink Cred at your school today!! Not intended for children," the narrator in the clip says.

Logan seems to be okay with it all ... 'cause he recently shared the clip on his social media accounts

Who needs Santa Claus when you're Ryan Garcia?!

The 25-year-old boxing star just treated himself to two early Christmas gifts weeks after his knockout win ... a brand-new Cadillac truck and an Audi R8!

The super lightweight flexed his new rides Tuesday on Instagram ... a matte black Caddy that he copped from Audi Fletcher Jones in Costa Mesa, CA, about an hour outside Los Angeles.

"Fully armored Cadillac," Garcia said. "Grenade resistant."

Ryan also took home a dark grey Audi R8 two-seater sports car, something Garcia has badly wanted for a long time.

The 24-1 boxer has every right to spoil himself this holiday season, and it's well deserved ... RG bounced back after his first loss ever which came at the hands of Gervonta 'Tank' Davis in April, one of the biggest fights of this year. Ryan returned and knocked out Oscar Duarte Jurado in the 8th round earlier this month at the Toyota Center in Houston.

"A lot of hard work and commitment has been put in and it’s paying off," Garcia said on IG. "To be clear not just in a materialistic way but it’s just one example of you reaping what you sow."

"Thank you, God for providing strength in everything I do and allowing me the opportunity to work hard Love you with all my heart ❤️"

Dmitry Bivol -- one of the biggest names in boxing -- is giving Jake Paul his flowers ... telling TMZ Sports the internet star's fighting career is impressing the hell out of him.

"To be honest," Bivol told us just days after Paul scored a violent knockout win over Andre August, "I like that the guy who's not boxer, he really loves the sport."

"We see he's training hard. I respect him for this."

Of course, when Paul first got into the boxing biz, many saw it as a gimmick -- as he was fighting social media personalities and former professional athletes. In fact, Canelo Alvarez said back in 2020 that Jake and his brother, Logan, were displaying a "lack of respect" for the fight game with their choices of matchups (an opinion he later changed his tune on).

But, Bivol made it clear to us he's loving what he's seeing from Jake -- saying the 26-year-old is taking all the right steps when it comes to being a real-deal pugilist.

"He's going and doing his fighting," said Bivol, who beat Canelo back in May 2022. "He's not just like, 'I will beat everyone' and think like this."

Paul is currently 8-1 in his career with five knockouts -- and he's made such an impact on the sport through his nine fights so far, Team USA boxing just partnered with him so he can help promote Olympic fighters as they get ready for the Paris Games in 2024.

As for Bivol's own boxing career -- he's got a big tilt coming up this weekend against Lyndon Arthur on DAZN's Day of Reckoning card ... but, if he gets by that matchup, don't expect him to get in between the ropes with Paul anytime soon.

Dmitry Bivol —uno de los nombres más grandes en el boxeo— está dandole a Jake Paul varios elogios, diciendole a TMZ Sports que la carrera de la estrella de Internet lo tiene muy impresionado.

"Para ser honesto", nos dijo Bivol pocos días después de que Paul anotó una victoria por nocaut sobre Andre August, "Me gusta que el tipo que no es boxeador, que realmente ama el deporte."

"Vemos que está entrenando duro. Le respeto por ello".

Por supuesto, cuando Paul entró por primera vez en el negocio del boxeo, muchos lo vieron como un truco, ya que estaba luchando contra personalidades de los medios sociales y ex atletas profesionales. De hecho, Canelo Álvarez dijo en 2020 que Jake y su hermano, Logan, estaban siendo "falta de respeto" por enfrentarse de manera mediática, opinión de la que más tarde se retractaría.

Sin embargo, Bivol nos dejó claro que le encanta lo que está viendo de Jake, diciendo que el joven de 26 años está dando todos los pasos correctos cuando se trata de ser un verdadero pugilista.

"Él va a luchar", dijo Bivol, quien venció a Canelo en mayo de 2022. "Él no va con el simple pensamiento de 'voy a vencerlos a todos'".

Paul está actualmente 8-1 en su carrera con cinco nocauts, y ha hecho tal impacto en el deporte a través de sus nueve peleas, que el boxeo Team USA acaba de asociarse con él para que pueda ayudar a promover a los combatientes olímpicos mientras se preparan para los Juegos de París en 2024.

En cuanto a la propia carrera de Bivol. Tiene un gran encuentro este fin de semana contra Lyndon Arthur en DAZN's Day of Reckoning, y si él consigue manejar bien esa pelea, no esperes que se ponga entre las cuerdas con Paul en el corto plazo.

Logan Paul and KSI are rivals-turned-business partners, but they got back to beating each other up during a backyard football game with Patrick Mahomes this week ... when the WWE Superstar went all Ray Lewis on his buddy's ass!!

The two Prime entrepreneurs suited up in pads and helmets to run some routes with the Kansas City Chiefs superstar ... and when the two-time Super Bowl champ told J.J. to run a "Corndog left," Logan was there waiting to make the punishing tackle.

Logan's hit was so fierce, it made both their helmets come off ... and he was super hyped about drilling KSI into the ground.

In fact, Mahomes' pass was off target ... but if his route running is any indication of his ability on the football field, it probably wouldn't have made a difference if the pass hit him in the hands!

Of course, the trio were together as part of their new Prime partnership ... with Mahomes joining the company as its newest sponsored athlete.

Jake Paul is using his massive social media presence to give exposure to some rising stars in boxing ... joining forces with Team USA to help promote fighters ahead of the Olympics.

The Problem Child -- who has millions of followers and subscribers on the internet -- will spend time at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado as well as the Paris Games in 2024 through the partnership ... documenting their journey on his accounts.

Jake has already been spending time with Olympian boxers like Joshua Edwards and Morelle McCane, who recently attended his first-round K.O. victory over Andre August this past weekend.

The 26-year-old spoke about the decision to work with Team USA ... telling TMZ Sports, "It has always been my goal to shine a spotlight not just on boxing as a sport, but on the people who work so hard to be the best within it."

"The mindset of pursuing greatness is one I both see and personally share with Mo McCane, Joshua Edwards, and the rest of Team USA's boxing talent. The Olympics are the greatest stage in the world, and I'm honored to help bring awareness to USA Boxing and mentor these young, inspiring athletes as they fight for gold. Anyone who works hard enough to receive the honor to represent Team USA at the Olympics deserves a platform, so I'm looking forward to getting down to business in Colorado Springs with Coach [Billy] Walsh and the rest of Team USA."

Of course, USA Boxing has been home to some massive names in the sport ... including Oscar De La Hoya, Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Evander Holyfield.

What's next for Jake Paul?!

That's the question many fans are asking after The Problem Child dispatched Andre August with a vicious uppercut less than 3 minutes into their boxing match on Friday in Orlando.

TMZ Sports asked Tyron Woodley, who was behind the microphone for Paul's scrap with August last week, who the YouTuber-turned-combat sports star should challenge next.

"I think if you're gonna fight anyone in MMA, you fight me MMA. I'm the one that did the numbers with you. I'm the one that did the millions and millions of views in the press conference. I'm the one that was a 5x champion. I'm the one who took the fight on 2 weeks' notice," Woodley told us.

The UFC legend continued ... "I was doing Cobra Kai for 14 hours straight. I trained at 3 AM and I saved that card. That card was not going to happen. People would not have been buying Christmas gifts had I not stepped up to the plate. So to talk about fighting anyone in MMA outside of me is disrespect."

Tyron added ... "If you really, really wanna prove that you can do it in my world, you fight the number one guy in that world."

Of course, 26-year-old Paul signed with PFL earlier this year, and he hasn't been shy about his desire to fight MMA.

Jake and Tyron fought twice previously ... but in a boxing ring.

The first bout in August 2021 went to the judges ... and Paul won by split decision. Later that year, T-Wood stepped up on short notice in place of Tommy Fury, saving the event. The former longtime UFC welterweight champion lost by 6th round knockout.

As for how 8-1 (5 KOs) Jake looked against August -- billed as the first true boxer he faced -- Woodley was impressed with the performance.

"I thought he did a great job."

"I literally said, 'Hey man, Andre better watch ducking his head 'cause he's gonna get hit with an up, I couldn't even say uppercut. I just got the U-P off and then he was sending him to the moon."

Tyron also talked about the experience of being on the losing side of things against Jake.

"I know how it is to be on both sides of it, thinking I won the fight, and then two judges thought it went the other way, and also being in there winning the fight every millisecond of the fight, and then all of the sudden you drop your hands one time, he got enough power to get the job done," Woodley said.

If Red Bull gives you wings, Logan Paul and KSI have rockets strapped to their backs ... Prime Hydration is exploding, and now the company has struck an endorsement deal with one of the biggest athletes in the world, Patrick Mahomes!

28-year-old Mahomes inked a deal with the YouTubers-turned-drink moguls ... as the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback becomes the face of Prime Hydration, joining other athletes like Israel Adesanya, Alex Volkanovski and "Bud" Crawford.

"PRIME is a disruptive brand that has taken over the beverage industry since it first launched. They are gamechangers, and that's exactly what I strive to be on the field. Our partnership is a winning play, merging innovation and excellence, setting a new standard both on and off the field," Mahomes said.

"It's an honor to join the PRIME family alongside some of the greatest athletes, leagues and teams in the world."

The deal is different than your run-of-the-mill sponsorship agreement ... we're told Logan, KSI, Patrick, and Prime have plans to collaborate on a bunch of different charitable efforts.

In fact, Prime has already donated $100k in support of Patrick's 15 and the Mahomies Foundation.

KSI and Paul are clearly thrilled they've landed a guy like Mahomes, who fits right in with the brand.

"At PRIME, we believe in teaming up with greatness, and Patrick Mahomes isn't just one of the best quarterbacks of all time; he's rewriting the record book and bringing a whole new level of excitement to the game," Logan and KSI said.

Deontay Wilder is warning his fans not to blink during his fight with Joseph Parker later this month ... 'cause the star boxer says he's going to KO his opponent in a flash!!

The 43-2 pugilist made it clear to TMZ Sports this week that that's his plan ... explaining he's not foreseeing any ring rust whatsoever when he steps up to Parker (33-3, 23 KOs) on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia.

"I'm expecting to be very fresh," said Wilder, who hasn't fought in over a year. "I'm expecting to be intact. I got a great team on my side and we're looking for greatness. Nothing less."

Wilder wasn't sure of the exact round in which the knockout would happen ... though he guaranteed it'd be "early."

"It's a Deontay Wilder fight, guys," the Bronze Bomber said. "When he's fighting, he always keeps you on the edge of your seat because you don't know when it's gonna happen but when it happens, bam, baby! Goodnight!"

Following the tilt, reports are Wilder will be in line to next take on Anthony Joshua ... though Wilder said nothing is set in stone there just yet.

"It's a lot of different ways it can go," Wilder said, "but at this point, I'm just focusing on Joseph Parker. After that, we'll talk."

Jake Paul made short work of Andre August in a professional boxing match Friday night ... knocking him out in the first round!!

Paul went toe-to-toe with August in the ring at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, but the cruiserweight bout was over just minutes after it began.

Check out the video ...  the boxers dance around the ring trading blows for a bit, yet nothing wildly exciting happens.

That all changes at the 2:32 mark of the first round when Paul throws a powerful right uppercut, clocking August right in the kisser.

August hits the canvas like a sack of potatoes and struggles to get back up to his feet as the referee stops the fight.

Paul celebrates by raising his arm and waving goodbye to August with his gloved hand.