Boxing

John Lennon pulled no punches about how much he detested the Beatles' 1964 knockout photo shoot with Muhammad Ali ... that's according to the guy who snapped those iconic images.

Famed Beatles photog Harry Benson spilled the tea on the tension between the legends while celebrating 60 years of snapping pics of the band, telling Fox News Digital ... Ali wasted no time throwing shade, telling the singers their music wasn't all that.

Not only did he hit the Beatles where it hurt by questioning their musical chops, but Ali also went on to size them up, calling them "tiny, small, little men" compared to his towering frame.

Jake Paul's speed-skating superstar girlfriend, Jutta Leerdam, threw on a bikini and took a swim during a lavish getaway recently ... showing off her incredible, Olympic-worthy body while snorkeling through the water.

The Problem Child and Dutch athlete got some R&R in Costa Rica ... soaking in the sun, enjoying the wildlife and having plenty of time at sea.

The couple of about a year have been inseparable throughout the trip ... sharing plenty of PDA snaps as they celebrated their love.

Ryan Garcia's bizarre social media activity continues ... this time, the boxing superstar claims he's handing out plastic surgery procedures like candy -- including boob jobs and Brazilian butt lifts.

King Ryan made the odd proclamation on his X account Monday morning ... saying he wants to show his support for women by helping them fulfill their cosmetic desires.

"I'm giving out free BBL's and Boob jobs hit me up," Garcia said. "No weird stuff just out here supporting."

Garcia insisted the gesture is not to throw shade at anyone ... adding, "No disrespect either I respect all woman. I love and support all woman in the world."

The 25-year-old explained his decision to help out ... saying he's been getting blown up with requests in the DMs and wanted to go "full support mode."

Garcia ended his post with another weird statement -- "RG FOR PRESIDENT" -- although the guy has a bit of aging to do before he can actually set his sights on the Oval Office.

As we previously reported, Garcia swore off any non-sports social media content prior to his April 20 fight against Devin Haney ... but that promise was short-lived.

Mike Perry es la cara de BKFC, así que, le preguntamos, ¿cuál es tu pelea de ensueño a puño limpio?

Su respuesta... "¡Jake Paul!"

Perry, de 32 años, estuvo en Babcock en el programa de televisión "TMZ Sports" (se emite entre semana en FS1) desde la oficina de TMZ esta semana cuando le preguntamos quién residía en la parte superior de su lista de los mejores.

"Jake Paul, hombre", dijo Mike. "Si le hace daño a Mike Tyson, hermano, déjame conseguir eso, hermano".

Perry es un gran fan de Iron Mike Tyson, y obviamente, está listo para conseguir algo de venganza si "The Problem Child" lastima a Tyson en su pelea el 20 de julio en el scrap en AT & T Stadium en Texas.

Perry y Paul (9-1 como boxeador profesional) tienen algo de historia. Mike fue brevemente sparring de Jake en 2021 antes de su pelea con Ben Askren (Jake noqueó a la estrella retirada de las MMA). Basta con decir que los hombres tienen diferentes puntos de vista sobre quién sacó lo mejor del otro.

Pero, antes de empezar a soñar con un Perry vs Paul mega pelea, Mike tiene sus manos sin guantes lleno de Thiago Alves ... el veterano de deportes de combate que está listo para luchar con en Knucklemania 4 el 27 de abril en el Teatro Peacock.

Perry, que bien podría haber sido hecho para el boxeo sin guantes, va 4-0 en la promoción, con victorias sobre Eddie Alvarez, Julian Lane, Michael Venom Page, y Luke Rockhold.

Mike dice que planea mostrarse el próximo mes aún más peligroso... una propuesta aterradora.

Mike Perry's the face of BKFC ... so, we asked Platinum, what's your dream bare-knuckle fight?!

His answer ... "Jake Paul!"

32-year-old Perry sat down with Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) from the TMZ office this week when we asked him who resided at the top of his hit list.

"Jake Paul, man," Mike said ... "If he hurts Mike Tyson, bro, let me get that, bro."

Perry's a huge fan of Iron Mike Tyson, BTW ... and obviously stands ready to get some payback if The Problem Child hurts Tyson during their July 20th scrap at AT&T Stadium in Texas.

Perry and Paul -- 9-1 as a pro boxer -- have some history. Mike briefly served as a sparring partner for Jake in 2021 before his fight with Ben Askren (Jake knocked out the retired MMA star). Suffice it to say, the men have different views on who got the best of the other.

But, before we start dreaming of a Perry vs. Paul mega fight, Mike has his gloveless hands full with Thiago Alves ... the combat sports vet he's set to scrap with at Knucklemania 4 on April 27 at the Peacock Theater.

Perry, who may well have been made for bare-knuckle boxing, is 4-0 in the promotion ... with wins over Eddie Alvarez, Julian Lane, Michael Venom Page, and Luke Rockhold.

Mike says he plans to show up next month in an even more dangerous form ... a scary proposition.

Mike Perry es la cara del BKFC y le preguntamos cuál sería la pelea de tus sueños.

Y su respuesta fue... "¡Jake Paul!"

Perry, de 32 años, se sentó con Babcock en el programa de televisión "TMZ Sports" (que se emite entre semana en FS1) desde la oficina de TMZ esta semana y le preguntamos quién estaba en la parte superior de su lista de éxitos.

"Jake Paul", dijo. "Si le hace daño a Mike Tyson, hermano, déjame probar eso, hermano".

Por cierto, Perry es un gran fan de Iron Mike Tyson y, obviamente, está listo para vengarse si The Problem Child lastima a Tyson en su pelea del 20 de julio en AT&T Stadium en Texas.

Perry y Paul (9-1 como boxeador profesional) tienen algo de historia. Mike fue brevemente sparring de Jake en 2021 antes de su pelea con Ben Askren (Jake noqueó a la estrella retirada de las MMA). Basta con decir que los hombres tienen diferentes puntos de vista sobre quién sacó lo mejor del otro.

Pero antes de empezar a soñar con un Perry vs Paul, Mike tiene sus manos listas para Thiago Alves, el veterano de los deportes de combate con quien está listo para luchar en Knucklemania 4 el 27 de abril en el Teatro Peacock.

Perry, que bien podría haber sido hecho para el boxeo sin guantes, va 4-0 en la promoción, con victorias sobre Eddie Alvarez, Julian Lane, Michael Venom Page y Luke Rockhold.

Mike dice que el próximo mes planea aparecer en una forma aún más peligrosa, una propuesta de miedo.

Jake Paul believes his boxing match against Mike Tyson is one for the history books ... saying the upcoming event with the combat legend will be "the biggest fight the world will ever see."

The Problem Child made the eye-popping statement on his latest episode of "BS with Jake Paul" this week ... in response to Conor McGregor's recent claim that there's a lack of interest in the bout.

Jake says the social media stats prove the UFC superstar is wrong ... and considering the whole thing will be available to Netflix's 260 million subscribers, it could go down as the most-watched event in the sport's history.

In fact, when he was asked if the Tyson fight would do better than Conor's Pay-Per-View fight against Floyd Mayweather ... Jake said it will undoubtedly outperform the 2017 spectacle.

"It'll be more viewed, 1,000%," Jake said. "For sure."

Jake made note of the fact they won't be able to compare PPV numbers, as the fight is free on the streaming service ... but in terms of eyeballs, he's going to run circles around Floyd vs. Conor.

FYI -- Conor's foray into the ring with Floyd had 4.3 million PPV buys ... and TBE's fight against Manny Pacquiao (the best-selling fight of all time) saw 4.6 million purchases.

Jake said the coverage leading up to the July 20 bout backs his stance ... and there are 10x more articles about the Tyson event than Conor's last fight announcement.

"No fight ever has done these numbers in terms of face-off views, Instagram reels," Jake said. "Just on our main pages alone, it's like 50-60 million Instagram views on both of our posts. Not to mention every single other sports page posting it, that's never happened in the history of the sport, to reach those numbers."

"So this is, in my mind, the biggest fight the world will ever see."

Jake said there's no need for anyone to be jealous ... 'cause, at the end of the day, he's helping the entire industry.

There's a lot more in the episode ... Jake also revealed he offered Tommy Fury a rematch, but his nemesis turned it down due to money.

News confirmed! Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler is finally happening!

Days after The Notorious told reporters he would fight Iron Mike this summer, 37-year-old Chandler joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... and we asked him if McGregor was being truthful, or just blowing smoke.

"I've got the official announcement. It's happening this summer," Chandler said, adding, "I can't tell you the actual date, but it's happening this summer!"

We followed up ... so it's official?!

"We have an agreement. We are fighting this summer."

Ears, meet music.

Of course, the Michael and Conor fight has been in the works forever ... going back to mid-2023 when the men coached opposite one another on "The Ultimate Fighter."

So, Conor the coach has been relatively active ... but not necessarily the fighter. That's because in addition to shooting the highly anticipated "Road House" remake (which dropped yesterday on Prime), McGregor was also healing up.

Remember, McGregor gruesomely broke his lower leg during his UFC 264 scrap with Dustin Poirier in July 2021. That was his last fight.

As for Chandler, he too last faced Poirier ... in November 2022.

Bottom line, both guys are ready to get back in the Octagon ... and although the date isn't publicly known, it's not that far off (check out the clip -- we also talk about which weight class the fight will be contested in.)

Han pasado casi tres años desde que Floyd Mayweather amenazó con "matar" a Jake Paul, pero Logan Paul dice que su hermano pequeño sigue tomando el comentario en serio, empleando seguridad las 24 horas hasta el día de hoy.

Logan le explicó a TMZ Sports en 2021 que él y Jake temían que Mayweather estuviera hablando en serio cuando le dijo "Te voy a matar hijo de puta" al menor de los Paul, tras su ahora famoso encuentro en Miami.

En una reciente entrevista con Graham Bensinger, Logan dijo que su hermano todavía está preocupado por las palabras, y que cuenta con un guardia en todo momento.

"Jake no ha estado sin un guardia de seguridad desde ese momento", dijo Logan en una charla con Bensinger.

Logan dijo que la principal preocupación de su hermano eran todas las conexiones que Floyd tiene en Miami, diciendo: "Tiene matones que matan a un hombre por 200 dólares".

Los dos no tenían ningún problema real, sin embargo, todo comenzó con el incidente en 2021, cuando ambos asistieron a un partido de los Heat en Miami.

Usted recordará que Mayweather se enfrentó a Jake fuera de la arena aquella vez, obligando a la estrella de redes sociales a buscar la protección de la policía.

Desde entonces, las cosas están tranquilas, aunque según Logan, Jake está siento muy precavido.

Logan también habló con Bensinger sobre la posibilidad de luchar contra Floyd de nuevo, diciendo que le ofreció una revancha con poca antelación. Pero Logan dijo que no lo aceptó, sabiendo que necesitaría más tiempo para prepararse.

It's been nearly three years since Floyd Mayweather threatened to "kill" Jake Paul ... but Logan Paul says his little brother is still taking the remark seriously, employing 24-hour security to this day.

Logan first explained to TMZ Sports back in 2021 that he and Jake were afraid Mayweather was being for real when he exclaimed "I'll kill you motherf***er" to the younger Paul following their now-famous "gotcha hat" encounter in Miami.

In a recent interview with Graham Bensinger, Logan said his brother is still so concerned over the words ... he's making sure a guard watches his back at all times.

"Jake has not been without a security guard since that moment," Logan said in a sitdown chat with Bensinger.

Logan said his brother's main worry was all the connections Floyd has in Miami ... alleging, "He's got goons who kill a man for $200."

The two didn't have any real issues, however, in the wake of the '21 incident -- at least, that was the case until 2023 ... when they both attended a Heat game in Miami.

You'll recall, Mayweather confronted Jake outside the arena following the tilt ... forcing the social media star to seek protection from cops.

Since then, it's been quiet ... although according to Logan, Jake's not taking any chances.

Logan also talked to Bensinger about potentially fighting Floyd again -- saying TBE actually offered him a rematch of their '21 bout in 2022 on short notice. But Logan said he didn't take it, knowing he'd need more time to prep.

Conor McGregor se desnudó completamente en la nueva película "Road House", y tenemos que admitir que el tipo tiene un buen culo.

Las mejillas de la superestrella de la UFC tienen un breve cameo en el nuevo proyecto de Prime Video que se estrenó el jueves, donde por un momento, Conor aparece vistiendo nada más que una sonrisa en su rostro.

No vamos a revelar ningún spoiler de la película -literalmente acaba de estrenarse- pero teniendo en cuenta Conor ha hablado de la escena del desnudo en la gira de promoción previa al lanzamiento, es justo hablar de su retaguardia.

Es bastante gracioso, Conor declaró anteriormente que no tenía ni idea de que su personaje "Knox" se mostraría desnudo, pero su dedicación le impidió rechazar la oportunidad de mostrarlo todo.

Por supuesto, "Road House" es una re-imaginación del clásico de culto de 1989, y el difunto Patrick Swayze también muestra su trasero en el original, por lo que al parecer se ha convertido en toda una tradición para los hombres mostrar piel en estas películas.

Ha habido un montón de ruido en torno a la película dirigida por Jake Gyllenhaal, no solo Conor tiene un papel importante, Post Malone también muestra su talento como actor.

Conor McGregor got fully naked for his role in the new "Road House" movie ... and we can't even front -- the dude has a nice ass.

The UFC superstar's cheeks make a brief cameo in the new Prime Video project that dropped on Thursday ... when at one point, Conor shows up wearing nothing but a smile on his face.

We're not going to reveal any spoilers -- the flick literally just dropped -- but considering Conor has talked about the nude scene in the promo tour leading up to the release, it's fair game to talk about the dude's peach.

It's pretty funny -- Conor previously stated he had no idea his "Knox" character would be shown in the buff ... but his dedication to the role kept him from turning down the opportunity to lay it all on the line.

Of course, "Road House" is a re-imagining of the 1989 cult classic ... and the late Patrick Swayze also shows off his tush in the original, too -- so apparently it's become quite the tradition for dudes to show skin in these flicks.

There's been a ton of hype around the Jake Gyllenhaal-led movie -- not only does Conor have a big role, but Post Malone also shows off his acting chops as well.

All the boxing purists crying over the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight need to chill out ... at least that's what Tyson Fury thinks, 'cause the Gypsy King says their upcoming fight is "fantastic" for boxing -- and it's a "pretty even" matchup!!

The heavyweight champ gave his two cents on the huge July 20 event this week ... and while he acknowledged the naysayers' points (Tyson being 57 and Paul's lack of experience), he believes it's a perfect combination for a "good spectacle" that'll attract new eyeballs to the sport.

"You've got a legend in Mike Tyson. You've got a YouTube boxer who has come into the game and blew it up and he's got millions of followers and millions of views and millions of eyes," Fury said. "Good, bad or indifferent. Some people love him, some people hate him."

Fury -- who's named after Iron Mike -- pointed out Paul's rise in boxing after starring on the Disney Channel ... saying he doesn't blame the Problem Child for wanting to fight a legend like Tyson.

As for the fight, Fury says there will be no winners since the boxers will undoubtedly make a ton of money ... but he believes with Tyson's age and Paul only being a few years into the sport, it's actually a fair matchup.

Meek Mill and Akademiks' 7-figure deal to squash their beef with body blows is still an option -- but YK Osiris is advising you not to wager on either guy ... and simply bet on him.

Yep, the R&B star took time out of his NYC hustle and bustle to laugh off Meek and Ak's unresolved clash -- telling TMZ Hip Hop he's confident he'll pummel them both in the ring!!! 🥊

YK hits the high notes, but loves his boxing highlights as well ... having sparred with Lil Uzi Vert, Tjay and Blueface in the past.

Damon Feldman, CEO of Official Celebrity Boxing, drummed up and sent out an agreement for both Meek and Ak to sign ... $1M for participating and an additional million for the winner!!!

Quite the payoff for beating up your arch-nemesis but we're told neither Ak or Meek have responded to OCB's request to sign the paperwork.

They may be moving toward a more peaceful solution ... Ak recently offered Meek a million dollars of his own for a year-long podcast deal, which probably won't happen either.

Ak recently scolded Meek for flip-flopping on his stance about street life -- much like Dee-1 did months ago, and the two seem to be in their comfort zone yelling at one another on X.

Ryan Garcia just got super emotional on video ... crying as he tried to create a TikTok to thank his fans for their recent support.

The boxing star can be seen in the footage -- which was posted to his social media page on Monday -- listening to Hillsong UNITED's "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" ... before he suddenly starts to break down.

In the clip, Garcia tearfully explains that he's "been going through a lot lately," but his faith -- and the love from his supporters -- have helped him get through it.

Garcia noted he was torn up over the fact that despite trying to do good in his community -- some tried to muzzle him ... and even cancel his upcoming megafight with Devin Haney.

"I was trying to do something good, you know?" he said ... adding, "I love you guys. And I appreciate every one of you guys. And I love all you guys."

Garcia ended the vid by promising to address his fans again soon.

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks for the 25-year-old ... especially when it comes to social media postings. Since announcing his April 20 tilt with Haney, he's shared bizarre messages and clips frequently on both his X and Instagram pages.

At one point following a series of unusual posts earlier this month, he actually vowed to no longer talk about anything but sports, boxing, and his fight with Haney.

Clearly, however, he's still making content ... although Haney's father and trainer, Bill, said on Tuesday he's sure Garcia is fine and the fight will go down as scheduled.

"No matter how many distractions, no matter the antics Ryan has displayed, I know the kid ain't crazy," Bill said.

The Keith Thurman comeback has been put on hold -- the boxing star suffered a bicep injury that is forcing him to back out of his upcoming fight against Tim Tszyu.

The Boxing Voice broke the news of the ailment on Monday ... saying the 30-1 welterweight fighter was getting an MRI for a possible arm injury that could put his March 30 bout against Tszyu in jeopardy.

The fight is still a go ... but without Thurman -- ESPN Ringside's Mike Coppinger reported Tszyu will now defend his WBO junior middleweight title against Sebastian Fundora (20-1) instead.

This is unfortunate news for Thurman, who would've stepped in the ring for the first time in over two years ... and he previously said it was a chance to prove he's not washed.

"I believe boxing needs Keith Thurman. I really deliver some of the greatest entertainment on that world-class scene every time they put me in the ring," Thurman told us earlier this month.

"My haters are my real motivators!" So keep hatin' baby, and I'ma keep pushing."

Thurman also told us he was gunnin' for a knockout ... and his win against Tszyu would've been an opportunity to get closer to a match with Terence Crawford.