Boxing

Javon "Wanna" Walton is looking to solidify his spot in the boxing world when he enters the ring next week ... telling TMZ Sports it's the first step to becoming a champion.

The "Euphoria" star is making his global debut against Joshua Torres in a super featherweight bout on Most Valuable Promotions' March 2 card in Puerto Rico ... and he said he's been training like crazy to make sure he comes away with his hand raised.

Of course, 17-year-old Wanna has been fighting for most of his life ... but he feels he has to go out there and prove to everyone he's dead serious about fighting -- and not just some famous actor.

"I have a lot to prove -- and even past March 2, I have a lot to prove," Walton told us. "Every single fight I'm taking is a stepping stone as far as my skill set to really show the world what I can really do in this boxing game."

"Hopefully five years down the line, I'm fighting for a world title. And looking even further than that, I hope my name goes down in history in the boxing world."

As for his opponent -- 32-year-old Torres -- Walton said he didn't want an easy fight so he could show off what he's capable of in the ring.

Walton added he's hoping to dominate every round and come away with the unanimous decision ... and can't wait to put on a show for the fans in Puerto Rico and his longtime supporters.

Floyd Mayweather once again proved no one celebrates a birthday better ... the legendary fighter threw a super exclusive party for his 47th trip around the sun, and was gifted an insane $150K watch!

The shindig went down Thursday night at Swan -- David Grutman's spot in Miami -- where Mayweather, who turns 47 on Saturday, hosted 150 of his closest friends, including Nicky Jam ... many of whom TBE flew into town, and put up at a fancy hotel.

On the menu ... everything from pizzas to wagyu steak and truffle fries. Guests also sang karaoke, as Floyd danced.

But, the highlight of the night was when Mayweather was presented with a $150k watch from Avi Hiaeve of Avi & Co. -- jeweler to a ton of celebs -- made with 18 karat gold, and over 29.3 carats of diamonds!

“It’s rare to find such a human being like Champ. Giving him a gift is the least I can do to show my appreciation for having him in my life,” Avi told us about giving such an expensive gift.

And get this ... last night's party was just one of multiple bashes the former champ is having this week. In fact, the partying started Wednesday night when the 50-0 fighter was chillin' with Rick Ross!

Floyd, thanks to his buddies Jona Rechnitz and P Reala, has a bunch of fun things planned in the MIA area through Monday!

Floyd Mayweather is still trying to find closure after his longtime assistant, Marikit "Kitchie" Laurico, died last March ... breaking down in tears as he praised her as the kindest, most selfless woman he's ever met.

The boxing legend showed his vulnerable side in a heartbreaking interview on the "Pivot" podcast this week ... explaining how Kitchie was way more than just an employee -- she was his best friend.

"Kitchie was the only person in life that I could talk about anything to, that knew my deepest secrets," Floyd said. "There was no male or female in my life that I told more stuff to than her."

"She taught me a lot, she helped me a lot. Through rain, sleet, snow or hail, she had my back."

Kitchie was Mayweather's assistant for more than a decade ... but he pointed out that even though he could financially assist her in any endeavor she wished to pursue, she never asked him for help.

"All my assistant wanted to do was support me and help me be the best man I can be and she wanted my kids just to be positive and she was a positive person," he continued.

Mayweather added they had already made plans to go to Aruba for her 50th birthday and attend the Super Bowl in Las Vegas together ... but tragically, she passed away before that could happen.

The 50-0 fighter said Kitchie seemingly dealt with health issues ... and six days before her death, he encouraged her to seek medical treatment.

Floyd lamented how he couldn't give her a proper farewell ... as she more than deserved it.

"We argue, we debate, we help each other ... that's a sister I never had. A best friend I ever had."

WHEN's unclear, but put the IF question to bed ... 'cause Tyson Fury ain't quitting boxing, and absolutely, positively says he will return to the ring!

The legendary pugilist even laid out a tentative 5 fight blueprint ... and it's got some of the biggest names in the sport.

“I keep hearing talk of people saying that I should retire or that I’m going to retire soon or whatever. I ain’t retiring anywhere!" Fury, directly addressing the camera, told his social media followers.

Of course, 35-year-old Tyson was set to fight Oleksandr Usyk later this month, but was forced to pull out of the title fight after sustaining a wicked cut over his eye during a sparring sesh.

Given all he's accomplished, and with many fans commenting The Gypsy King didn't look like his dominant self against Francis Ngannou last year, some speculated he'd hang up his gloves.

But, not happening.

In fact, Fury has even laid out a road map for himself ... picking his next three opponents.

“I got two fights with Usyk, for the undisputed, twice. Then I’m going to fight [Anthony Joshua] at least once, maybe twice, if there’s a rematch, if he wants one after the first battering I’m going to give him.”

Tyson continued, announcing another major rematch is in the cards.

“Then I’m going to fight Ngannou again and that’s just the start, so that’s five little fights to wet your appetites with. I ain’t going nowhere, nowhere, 35-year-old prime of my life and I’m ready to smash on.”

That'll be music to Francis' ears. The former UFC champ recently told us he wasn't interested in fighting the winner of Fury-Usyk ... no, he just wants a rematch with Tyson!

Jarrell Miller is pleading with a judge to remove the ankle monitor that officials placed on him following his carjacking arrest last month ... claiming the thing is hindering his ability to prep for future fights.

The boxing star's attorney filed a motion to amend the conditions of his pre-trial release last week ... stating in the docs Miller "trains as a fighter for a living and having a monitor limits his training."

Miller's lawyer also said the 26-1-1 pugilist's request should be granted because he "has not been in any trouble before and is not a flight risk."

A judge is expected to make a ruling on the motion at a hearing in a Broward County courtroom later Monday.

Miller is facing two charges in the case -- one felony count of carjacking without a firearm and one felony count of burglary with assault or battery -- after prosecutors alleged he beat up an employee on a car dealership lot, before stealing a truck from the property.

In police video we obtained of his arrest back on Jan. 2 ... you can see he was in a jovial mood despite the allegations against him, joking around with cops before they placed him into a squad car.

Sylvester Stallone is speaking on Carl Weathers' sudden death -- and it couldn't be more emotional and heartfelt .... yeah, this one's a tear-jerker.

The actor posted a video Friday just hours after news broke that his 'Rocky' costar had passed away the day prior -- and you can tell Sly is absolutely torn up about it ... fighting back tears as he honors his longtime friend and companion in the ring.

Sly says he owes so much of his career and success to Carl ... noting the man had a magnetism and energy about him that made him so special -- especially for the 'Rocky' franchise. SS recounts first meeting Carl ... and knowing right away, this guy's a star.

This video was actually filmed with Sly standing in front of the famous painting that was commissioned to recreate the end of 'Rocky III,' where they face off in the ring anew.

Sylvester ends his gut-wrenching remarks here with a special message for his good friend -- "Apollo, keep punching."

He also adds this of the late Weathers ... "We lost a legend yesterday. My life was forever changed for the better the day I met Carl Weathers. Rest in power."

We couldn't have said it better ourselves.

Sylvester Stallone está hablando sobre la repentina muerte de Carl Weathers, y no podría haber sido más emotivo y sincero.

El actor publicó un video el viernes, unas horas después de que se conociera la noticia de que su compañero de reparto en "Rocky" había fallecido el jueves, y se puede decir que Sly está absolutamente destrozado por ello, luchando por contener las lágrimas mientras honra a su viejo amigo y compañero en el ring.

Sly dice que le debe mucho de su carrera y de su éxito a Carl, y que este tenía un magnetismo y una energía que lo hacía único, especialmente para la franquicia "Rocky". Sylvester Stallone cuenta que cuando lo conoció inmediatamente supo que era una estrella.

En el video, Sly aparece delante del famoso cuadro que se encargó para recrear el final de "Rocky III", donde se enfrentan de nuevo en el ring.

Sylvester termina sus emocionantes declaraciones con un mensaje especial para su buen amigo: "Apollo, sigue pegando".

También añadió: "Ayer perdimos a una leyenda. Mi vida cambió para siempre y para mejor el día que conocí a Carl Weathers. Rest in power".

Nosotros no podríamos haberlo dicho mejor.

3:41 PM PT -- Two of Carl's former costars have expressed condolences for the late actor.

Arnold Schwarzenegger posted a photo of them from the set of 'Predator,' and wrote ... "Carl Weathers will always be a legend. An extraordinary athlete, a fantastic actor, and a great person. We couldn’t have made Predator without him. And we certainly wouldn’t have had such a wonderful time making it."

Dolph Lundgren of 'Rocky' fame also posted a tribute, writing ... "I was saddened to hear the news this morning. Along with the world, I will miss Carl. He was a great actor, a terrific athlete and a good friend. I cherish many special memories of Carl, both professionally and personally. Like Apollo Creed, he had that special charm that always brought a smile to your face"

Carl Weathers -- famous from a number of movies, but most prominently as Sylvester Stallone's early nemesis in the 'Rocky' movies -- has sadly died ... TMZ has confirmed.

The beloved actor passed away peacefully Thursday while surrounded by loved ones -- this according to a statement from his family. They say, "We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers."

They add, "He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend."

Unclear what ailments, if any, Carl may have been battling lately ... he'd been actively acting in recent years -- and on the surface, there didn't seem to be much wrong with him.

In any case ... it's an absolute blow to showbiz -- Carl was a titan in the movie industry, with acting credits dating back to the early 1970s when he was guest starring on shows like "Good " 'Kung Fu," "S.W.A.T.," "The Six Million Dollar Man," "Cannon" "McCloud" and more.

His true big break came courtesy of Sly ... Carl was cast as the brash and bold heavyweight champ of the world, Apollo, and he was pitted against Rocky in the ring for two films.

His character stuck around for another two 'Rocky' films ... in the third one, he actually brought the Italian Stallion out of a slump and back to glory with a new type of training he'd never experienced ... making for some iconic, memorable scenes as part of a montage.

The shot of them slow-mo running on the beach, and Sly eventually pulling ahead, goes down in movie history as one of the most awesome and inspiring things caught on camera.

Apollo was killed off in "Rocky IV" -- in dramatic fashion, no less -- but his imprint in that movie franchise lives on even today ... Michael B. Jordan plays his fictional son in the 'Creed' flicks, which are still going strong -- and which continue to be cranked out in Hollywood.

Even outside of 'Rocky,' Carl's presence left an impression in just about every cult classic flick he's been a part of. Just to name a few right off the bat -- "Predator," "Happy Gilmore," "Action Jackson," "The Defiant Ones," "Braker," "Death Hunt," "Hurricane Smith," and others.

His TV credits are also quite impressive ... CW was on shows like "Fortune Dane," "Tour of Duty," "Street Justice," "In the Heat of the Night," "Brothers," "The Shield," "Arrested Development," "Chicago Justice," ... and more recently, in Star Wars' "The Mandalorian."

He'd appeared in episodes of the latter as recently as 2023. In all, he has 80 acting credits.

Outside of Hollywood, Carl was involved in noble charitable efforts -- including Lupus L.A., The L.A. Police Memorial Foundation, The PEACE Fund and The Tower Cancer Research Foundation.

Prior to his acting career, Weathers played for the Oakland Raiders from 1970-1971 ... and the team addressed the tragic loss in a statement Friday afternoon.

"Always a proud Raider, Weathers will be missed dearly by his Raiders Family and his many fans worldwide," the team said. "Our deepest condolences are with the Weathers family at this time."

He's survived by his two sons. Carl was 76.

RIP

Carl Weathers, famoso por una serie de películas, pero sobre todo por las primeras películas de Sylvester Stallone, "Rocky", ha muerto ... TMZ ha confirmado.

El querido actor falleció en paz el jueves mientras estaba rodeado de sus seres queridos. Esto, de acuerdo a una declaración de su familia, quienes dicen: "Estamos profundamente tristes de anunciar el fallecimiento de Carl Weathers".

Y añaden: "Murió pacíficamente mientras dormía el jueves 1 de febrero de 2024. ... Carl fue un ser humano excepcional que vivió una vida extraordinaria. A través de sus contribuciones al cine, la televisión, las artes y los deportes, ha dejado una huella indeleble y es reconocido en todo el mundo y por generaciones. Era un hermano, padre, abuelo, compañero y amigo muy querido".

No está claro con qué dolencias, si es que había alguna, podría haber estado luchando Carl últimamente. Había estado actuando activamente en los últimos años, y en la superficie, no parecía que estuviera mal.

En cualquier caso, es un duro golpe para el mundo del espectáculo: Carl era un titán en la industria del cine, con créditos como actor que se remontan a principios de los años 70, cuando actuaba como estrella invitada en series como "Good Times", "Kung Fu", "S.W.A.T.", "The Six Million Dollar Man", "Cannon", "McCloud" y muchas más.

Su verdadera gran oportunidad llegó de la mano de Sly. Carl interpretó al audaz campeón de los pesos pesados, Apollo, y se enfrentó a Rocky en el ring en dos películas.

Su personaje se mantuvo en otras dos películas de "Rocky". En la tercera, sacó al Semental Italiano de un bache y lo devolvió a la gloria con un nuevo tipo de entrenamiento que nunca había experimentado, lo que dio lugar a algunas escenas icónicas y memorables.

La escena en la que corren por la playa en cámara lenta, donde Sly acaba adelantándose, pasará a la historia como una de las más impresionantes captadas por una cámara.

Apollo murió en "Rocky IV", nada menos que de forma dramática, pero su huella en la franquicia cinematográfica perdura aún hoy. Michael B. Jordan interpreta a su hijo ficticio en las películas de "Creed", que aún siguen produciéndose en Hollywood.

Incluso fuera de "Rocky", la presencia de Carl ha dejado huella en casi todas las películas de culto en las que participó. Por nombrar solo algunas: "Predator", "Happy Gilmore", "Action Jackson", "Los desafiantes", "Braker", "Death Hunt", "Hurricane Smith" y otras.

Sus créditos televisivos también son bastante impresionantes. Estuvo en series como "Fortune Dane", "Tour of Duty", "Street Justice", "In the Heat of the Night", "Brothers", "The Shield", "Arrested Development", "Chicago Justice" y más recientemente, "The Mandalorian" de Star Wars. En esta última, apareció en episodios tan recientes como 2023.

En total, tiene 80 créditos como actor.

Fuera de Hollywood, Carl estuvo involucrado en nobles esfuerzos caritativos, incluyendo Lupus L.A., La Fundación L.A. Police Memorial, El Fondo PEACE y La Fundación Tower Cancer Research.

Le sobreviven sus dos hijos. Carl tenía 76 años.

February's highly anticipated heavyweight clash between champions Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is OFF ... after The Gypsy King suffered a deep cut above his eye, forcing him to pull out of the fight.

"I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such superb condition. I feel bad for everyone involved in this huge event and I will work diligently towards the rescheduled date once the eye has healed," Fury said.

Tyson continued, even saying sorry to Oleksandr and his people.

"I can only apologize to everyone affected including my own team, Team Usyk, the undercard fighters, partners, and fans as well as our hosts and my friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

It's especially a bummer for Fury 'cause he'd been training so hard for the fight ... and had his body looking better than it has in years. In fact, he's noticeably leaner now than when he fought Francis Ngannou in October 2023.

If you're a boxing fan, there's a good chance you were pumped for the upcoming bout, originally scheduled to go down on February 17 in Saudi Arabia ... until this morning's sparring sesh.

The deep cut is very close to where Fury was split open while fighting Otto Wallin in 2019 ... nearly forcing that fight to be stopped. It's unclear if that played a part in today's cut ... as scar tissue can make a fighter more apt to sustaining cuts.

A rep for Fury said the eye required immediate medical attention, including stitches, to close up the wound.

It's unclear how long Tyson will need to heal up ... but several reports indicate Usyk may not want to wait, and will instead seek out another opponent to step in on short notice.

Shakur Stevenson just made a shocking announcement -- he says he's retiring from boxing -- but almost all of his fans aren't buying it.

The undefeated lightweight said on his social media page Monday night that he's hanging up his gloves after seven years ... opting to focus on becoming a mentor for aspiring boxers instead.

"I’m officially retiring from the sport of boxing," Stevenson wrote on his X page.

"I’ll be in the gym forever perfecting my craft and helping the next generation become great and chase they dreams but I ain’t fw this weak boxing game."

Of course, many of his fans are callin' BS ... as Stevenson -- who's 21-0 -- is just 26 years old and is currently the WBO featherweight title holder.

Most believe Stevenson is simply frustrated that Emanuel Navarrete, a boxer he wants to fight, was ordered to box Denys Berinchyk in a WBO 135-lb title match.

Another fight Stevenson also wanted was Vasily Lomachenko ... but he's facing George Kambosos Jr. in May.

Stevenson, of course, wouldn't be the first star pugilist to "retire" before "unretiring" ... Teofimo Lopez just did it last year.

Jake Paul will face off against another legit boxer in his next fight -- this time, he's going to duke it out with former Golden Gloves champion Ryan Bourland, his team announced Tuesday.

Jake (8-1) has been teasing his next opponent ever since he handled Andre August with a first-round knockout in December ... and has made it clear his goal is to become a world champion.

The Problem Child said in a statement the decision to go up against the 35-year-old Bourland (17-2) keeps him on the right path toward legitimacy -- and he's been training non-stop for his next opportunity.

"I've always said my goal is to become a world champion," Paul said of the fight. "I beat a pro boxer in December in the first round, someone who's been boxing their entire life, and what did I do next? I went straight back to camp to get ready to face my next opponent, a professional boxer who has twice as many professional fights under his belt than I do."

"It's a new year, it's an even better me, and I'm facing an even more experienced, seasoned boxer on Saturday, March 2 as co-main to the Puerto Rican GOAT, Amanda Serrano."

Bourland is on a three-fight winning streak ... but has not seen any action since 2022.

Jake added he's doing all this for the love of the sport -- NOT the fat paycheck that would come with it -- as he's going to donate his purse to his Boxing Bullies charity, which will help renovate gyms in Puerto Rico.

Roy Jones Jr. could be back might be back in the ring sometime soon 'cause the boxing legend tells TMZ Sports he's down to fight fellow great, rival Antonio Tarver for a FOURTH time ... if he keeps talkin' trash.

That's what the 55-year-old pugilist told us this week when we asked if we'd be seeing him back in the ring ... following his last exhibition with Mike Tyson in 2020.

"Why do you wanna see me in the ring so bad?" Jones Jr. said this week, "I'm old news!"

We all know that's not true ... and despite the pivot attempt, Jones Jr. did mention Tarver is a guy he'd like to see in the ring.

"Okay, listen," Jones Jr. said ... "A guy just sent me a video today of Antonio Tarver saying something about I would never fight him again."

"He probably needs some shine but you just can't say anything about Roy. I don't care how old I am."

Remember, Jones Jr. and Tarver have a history ... the two star boxers had an epic trilogy back in the 2000s -- with Roy winning just one fight.

Meanwhile, Tarver -- who last fought in 2015 -- has been eager to get in the ring for an exhibition match ... a fight Roy says he'd do this year.

"I heard he said that I won't fight," Jones Jr. said, "Ain't nobody in the world I won't fight!"

"If you wanna talk crazy -- stop! This what I do for a living!"

We also talked to Jones Jr. about some of the young stats in boxing. Roy told us he'd like to see Devin Haney finally fight Gervonta 'Tank' Davis -- who he believes will be his toughest opponent.

But first, he'd like to see Haney vs. Ryan Garcia.

Tommy Fury just went under the knife to fix a nagging injury he's dealt with for YEARS ... spilling the beans on the secret ailment after a successful surgery.

TNT posted a shot from his hospital bed on Wednesday ... and he appeared to be in great spirits as he updated his fans on his status.

"Since 2019 I have been dealing with a hand injury that I’ve never spoken about/shared online," Tyson's half-brother said on Instagram. "Since my third professional fight I have been trying to manage this injury, training and fighting through extreme pain which led me to often not being able to use my right hand at all."

In fact, Tommy (10-0) claims he didn't use his right hand at all in the weeks leading up to his most recent fight against KSI in October ... which he won via unanimous decision.

Tommy said after years of fighting through the pain, he finally addressed the issue with the procedure ... and now he's expecting to be fighting fit soon.

Logan Paul was once in the crosshairs of a man who seemed obsessed with him -- and who even broke into his home -- but he didn't realize the man took his own life ... until now.

We sat with the YouTuber-turned-boxer for a conversation about this dark chapter in his life -- namely, back in 2018 when a guy named Tahj Deondre Speight allegedly trespassed by making his way into Logan's house without authorization, which led to a confrontation.

LP ended up detaining Speight -- and he was ultimately arrested, charged, prosecuted and eventually jailed ... but at some point, he died -- and it appears it was via suicide.

Harvey actually broke this news to Logan in our interview ... and it's clear he was not aware of this development -- with the update hitting him hard on the spot. We ask the question ... did the system fail Speight by not getting him the help or resources he needed?

Logan gives an honest answer, and somewhat surprisingly ... he says he has empathy for the man he once wrestled to the ground. It's an emotional response, and a heartfelt one too.

His full chat is part of a new show called 'TMZ Investigates: Obsessed and Dangerous: Hollywood’s Stalker Crisis' -- the start of a weekly series that hits FOX Monday at 9/8c.

Logan Paul estuvo alguna vez en la mira de un hombre que parecía estar obsesionado con él, y que incluso irrumpió en su casa, pero no sabía que el hombre se había quitado la vida.... hasta ahora.

Nos sentamos con el YouTuber convertido en boxeador para conversar sobre este capítulo oscuro de su vida. Esto es, cuando por allá por 2018, un tipo llamado Tahj Deondre Speight supuestamente entró sin autorización a su casa, lo que llevó a un enfrentamiento.

Logan Paul terminó deteniendo a Speight, quien finalmente fue arrestado, acusado, procesado y finalmente encarcelado, pero en algún momento murió y parece que fue a través del suicidio.

Harvey le dio la noticia a Logan en nuestra entrevista y está claro que él no estaba al tanto del suceso y la noticia le golpeó fuertemente. Nos preguntamos... ¿le fallo el sistema al no proporcionarle la ayuda o los recursos que necesitaba?

Logan da una respuesta honesta, y algo sorprendente, dice que tiene empatía por el hombre con quien alguna vez luchó. Es una respuesta emotiva y sincera.

Su charla completa forma parte de un nuevo programa llamado "TMZ Investiga: TMZ Investigates: Obsessed and Dangerous: Hollywood’s Stalker Crisis", el comienzo de una serie semanal que se emitirá en FOX el lunes.