Boxing

Ryan Garcia wants his family and fans to know he is alive and "okay" ... but his current situation is far from pleasant -- claiming he has been stripped of access to his phone, Instagram and finances.

TMZ Sports has obtained a video statement from King Ryan himself ... where he explains he has no idea what is happening, but he believes he's being exploited.

"Hey guys, it's Ryan," the 24-1 boxing superstar says in the clip. "I'm coming on here to explain what's going on. I'm not in possession of my phone, I can't get access to my Instagram. My cards are locked. I'm being really taking advantage [of]."

"I would personally want to just send out a video to the people that love me and my fans, family that's concerned that I'm okay. I'm not dead, I believe in Jesus, all those [rumors] are lies."

Ryan goes on to state an unidentified party is trying to put him in jail ... and when he's reached out to people for help, he's been met with radio silence.

"I don't know what's going on but just know I'm okay," he continued.

The video comes following genuine concern from fans who have grown worrisome over Garcia's recent odd social media activity -- including a video that claimed something bad had happened to Ryan.

Ryan Garcia's recent social media activity has fans worried for his mental well-being ... but according to his dad, Henry, the boxing star is doing just fine -- claiming it's all the result of some bad trolling.

Garcia's seemingly been living on Instagram lately ... posting over 20 times in the past week alone, with a handful so bizarre in nature, it's led to many followers wondering if he's going through something behind the scenes.

In fact, King Ryan raised eyebrows after he shared a puzzling video that featured the caption, "We got him boys. RYAN GARCIA RIP BITCH" ... and fighters like Mike Perry and Dillon Danis hit the comment section to voice their concern.

Some folks also wondered if Garcia had been hacked ... but the video is still live on his page, so it didn't seem likely.

Henry -- who also coaches Ryan -- adamantly denied there are any issues going on ... saying the 24-1 fighter is just looking to get people talking.

"Yes Ryan is ok," Henry said in response to a fan's question, "he's just trolling the wrong way."

Garcia is slated to fight Devin Haney on April 20, but he shifted his focus to Jake Paul on Saturday ... taking blame for the Problem Child's boxing career and promising to put an end to it.

He's also professed his love for multiple women ... hinting he wants to give marriage another shot after his recent divorce.

Terence "Bud" Crawford is showing just how much he appreciates his team for holding him down throughout his boxing career ... gifting each member iced-out pendants of his signature logo!!

TMZ Sports is told the 40-0 welterweight fighter hit up celeb jeweler and friend Mazza NYC -- whose client list ranges from Jadakiss to Dak Prescott -- with hopes to create something as a "thank you" for their devotion.

Crawford felt his TBC symbol would be the perfect image to make into a keepsake ... and Mazza agreed.

In fact, he took it one step further ... by turning the outline of Crawford's body (the T in the TBC logo) into an actual figure of the undefeated pugilist.

We're told Crawford copped five total pendants, including one for himself ... each decked out in VS E diamonds and 14k rose gold.

Crawford's piece also came with a 21-inch diamond ball chain with VS E diamonds.

"It was created with his team in mind, so they could receive something special for all their commitment and hard work," Mazza told us.

The team certainly deserves it -- they helped Crawford become the best pound-for-pound in boxing following his TKO win against rival Errol Spence.

DJ Akademiks is accusing Meek Mill of being a snitch after cops allegedly showed up to his house -- and if he wants to fight the rapper ... they now have the opportunity to do so!

There's a lucrative 7-figure offer on the table to sweeten the deal between these 2 foes ... and it comes courtesy of Celebrity Boxing czar Damon Feldman.

He tells TMZ Hip Hop ... he's got a cool $1 million purse locked and loaded for Ak and Meek -- in addition to other amenities, if they wanna take him up on this. Damon also says he has a venue in Atlanta booked for May 18, adamant he wants both guys to give it their best.

Meek already has a boxing trainer in his corner, but Damon says he's willing to provide Akademiks with one of his top guys -- if he's inclined to train ahead of the fight.

Ak told Adin Ross this week that he considers Meek a straight-up bully -- while going on to call him cowardly, accusing him of hiding behind his goons ... and he seems eager to take him with his fists.

They've had beef for years, of course, but the latest episode spilled into the e-streets over this wild Diddy lawsuit filed this week by his ex-producer ... who floated salacious claims.

Meek took the bait and went down a wild social media rabbit hole ... responding to Ak but all the posts have since run their course with fans.

Jake Paul is keeping his enemies closer -- the Problem Child has signed Indian boxer Neeraj Goyat to Most Valuable Promotions ... this after the two came face-to-face in a heated "confrontation" earlier this week.

32-year-old Goyat -- a three-time WBC Asia title holder -- has been calling out Paul for months ... and it all came to a head when he pulled up on the YouTube superstar in Puerto Rico ahead of his fight against Ryan Bourland.

The whole thing (which was obviously staged) showed both guys getting into a shoving match before being separated.

It turns out the clip was seemingly meant to hype up the big addition to the company -- its first international signee -- and on Friday, the news was made official.

Neeraj -- who's also an actor -- spoke about joining Paul's company ... saying, "I'm truly honored to be the newest member of the Most Valuable Promotions family. MVP has been making waves in the boxing world, particularly with its commitment to showcasing and uplifting women in the sport since 2021."

"In just 2.5 years, MVP has organized some of the world's most significant boxing events, and I'm excited to work with MVP to elevate the status of professional boxing in India and bring attention to boxers from India globally."

Joining MVP makes sense -- Goyat has been pro for more than a decade ... and also boasts a large social media following.

Ryan Garcia is taking this Devin Haney fight so personally that he can barely put his emotions into words ... finding himself nearly speechless when talking to TMZ Sports about his upcoming megafight!

The star boxer has been trollin' the hell out of Haney as the men promote the April 20 scrap at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Ryan and Devin even got into a scuffle at Super Bowl LVIII.

So, we had to ask Garcia if this was personal or just business ... and Ry's whole demeanor switched up real quick.

"To me, it is personal in a way," Garcia said, "I don't know, something's just in me and just ... I don't even feel like answering these questions bro, I'm sorry."

Not only did that trigger Garcia, but so did the fact that many consider Haney (31-0) as the best boxer in their weight division ... something Ryan clearly doesn't cosign.

"I don't give a f*** about his boxing skills," the 25-year-old said. "I'mma beat his ass, that's it!"

"I'm not a boxing analyst. Forget that dude! He's gonna get it, 4/20, that's it!"

Haney, on the other hand, doesn't care whether Garcia is offended ... nor is he phased by the trash talk, implying Ryan's more bark than bite.

"Blah, blah, blah, we heard this story before," Haney told us.

"We heard this against Tank where he said he was gon' do this, he gon' do that. Then he got stopped and then he made every excuse up in the book."

Forget Tom Cruise -- Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou are the newest big action stars on the scene ... 'cause the two boxing superstars just dropped a Hollywood-esque trailer for their upcoming fight!!

DAZN released the high-budget promo for the March 8 bout on Tuesday ... and it could easily pass as a teaser for any major entertainment studio.

The clip is titled "Knockout Chaos" ... and kicks off with Ngannou learning the news of his matchup with AJ being finalized and saying he'll take him on "anytime, anywhere."

As luck would have it, the two fighters bump into each other in the street right after ... and a crowd forms around them in anticipation of an impromptu showdown.

The trailer then channels the classic "Street Fighter" series ... and the two start duking it out, bouncing between real world and video game.

AJ and Ngannou trade vicious blows -- even getting knocked into outer space before crashing back down to earth.

The vid ends with both guys knocking each other out in the ring ... officially putting a stop to the madness after more than a minute of violence.

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.