TMZ Sports - Page 50

Ryan Garcia -- one of the best young fighters in the world -- has no regrets sharing his personal battle with mental health ... despite the mixed reactions he says he received from fans.

TMZ Sports talked to 23-year-old Garcia -- who's ramping up for his in-ring return in April -- and asked what the response has been like since stepping away from boxing because he was battling depression and having suicidal thoughts.

"Boxing fans are a little bit more harsh than say, if you're a singer," Garcia says. "Even in the NFL or NBA, if you come out, maybe you'll get a better response. But, I guess for boxing, you gotta be as tough as you can be."

"Or you're scared if you don't fight but, you know, it just comes with territory."

The last time we saw Garcia in a boxing ring was January 2021 ... when he defeated Luke Campbell via knockout in the seventh round.

Ryan tells us the long layoff led some boxing fans to question his toughness -- something he says is never in question when he steps inside the squared circle.

"It's been tough just hearing all these things about me, all these opinions on why, or what's the truth on the reasoning on why I'm not fighting," Ryan says. "I gotta hear about myself and character."

"This hate, this noise, I know how special I am when I step into the ring -- that's never been a problem!"

"When I get in the ring, I always show heart and I always show determination."

The silver lining is, Garcia says for all the hate and criticism he's received for his transparency, a lot of athletes, influencers and even people on the street have reached out to him ... commending him on speaking up before it was too late.

Garcia's also got a Snapchat series coming out on mental health ... where he'll interview guests on the topic -- and he tells us it's releasing before or after his upcoming fight with Emmanuel Tagoe on April 9.

Slim Jxmmi is making the transition from music to boxing -- he's preparing for his first match, and already looking to get in the ring with a bunch of famous opponents.

We got the Rae Sremmurd rapper after he finished a training session at Dogpound Gym in WeHo, where a ton of celebs work out, and asked why he's getting into boxing.

Slim says he's turning 30 and wants to make some changes, set a good example for his kids, and as he put it to our photog, "Be done with the stupid s***."

Along with making big life changes, Slim is mending fences.

As we reported, he was arrested in January for the alleged battery of his then-girlfriend -- but she's since recanted, and the case was dropped. He tells us everything is cool between them now, and he intends to take care of her for life.

Kobe Bryant's shooting shirt from his iconic 81-point game just sold for a massive $277,000 at auction -- and the lucky buyer also got a one-of-one NFT that came with it.

The shirt is a one-of-a-kind piece ... not only was it worn by the Mamba before he scored the 2nd-most points ever in an NBA game (back in 2006), experts at Sotheby's tell TMZ Sports it's the ONLY worn piece from that game on the market.

We're told it was worn six other times by Kobe, too -- including in the 2006 playoffs.

We're also told the shoes from that historic game were sent to the Basketball Hall of Fame and the uniform is owned by Bryant's family -- so this might be the only Bryant-donned item from the game that ever becomes available.

The auction for the shooting shirt closed last week -- and after a bunch of bidding, the rare piece sold for a total of $277,200.

The lucky buyer is David Kohler, President of SCP Auctions and owner of one of the largest private Lakers memorabilia collections in the world, and he said after the sale he's pumped to now own the item.

"After collecting Kobe Bryant memorabilia throughout many years, I am thrilled and honored to add this very special artifact from one of the most significant games in NBA history to my collection," Kohler said.

Professional Fighters League star Mark Martin says he's NOT contemplating retiring after his eye popped out during his fight last week ... telling TMZ Sports he's 100% committed to returning to the cage -- as long as he's physically able to.

"Showtime" suffered a broken orbital and blood around his retina after the first round of his bout against Dilano Taylor on Friday ... with his eye coming out of its socket after he blew his nose.

Yes, it's tough to watch.

We spoke with Martin this week about his recovery journey ... and he says he's hoping to find out more after visiting with two specialists.

Martin says he doesn't know how damaged his retina is or if he'll be able to see out of his left eye again ... and it hasn't been determined if he'll need surgery.

Despite all the uncertainty, Martin knows one thing for sure -- he's not walking away from fighting as long as he can help it.

"I mean, I'm definitely not ready to get back into the cage now," he told us. "If everything heals 100%, I'll definitely go back."

"It's not something where I will retire unless I can't see. If I can't see right, then it's time to hang it up."

Martin also shows us how his eye currently looks ... and it's MUCH better than it did a week ago.

Brittney Griner, WNBA superstar and 2x Olympic gold medalist, was reportedly detained in Russia after customs officials say they found hashish oil in the hoopers luggage ... and she could now face 10 years in prison.

On Saturday, the Russian Federal Customs Service announced they'd detained an American basketball player back in February after finding vape cartridges in her bags while traveling through Sheremetyevo airport -- about 20 miles from Moscow.

Russian customs didn't identify the person taken into custody, but TASS, a Russian news agency, citing sources, ID'd the player as Griner, center for the Phoenix Mercury.

Customs released surveillance video on Saturday appearing to show Griner, wearing a mask, going through airport security. The clip shows what appears to be a security official removing a package from the traveler's bag.

According to a statement from Russian Customs, the traveler was flying from New York to Russia. At some point, they claim a drug dog alerted to her carry-on bag. Soon after they claim they found the vapes.

The statement says Russian officials have opened up a drug trafficking investigation ... a charge that could carry a five to ten-year prison sentence, if convicted.

Lindsay Kagawa Colas, Brittney's agent, issued the following statement.

"We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA."

Colas continued ... "As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern."

The WNBA also released a statement pledging their support for Griner, saying their main objective was to return her to the USA as soon as possible.

31-year-old Griner, the 1st overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft, is one of the best players in the league. Brittney is a 7x All-Star, 2x Scoring Champ, 2x WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, and a WNBA champion.

Despite her accolades, Griner and other WNBA players routinely hoop in Russia ... as women can earn significantly more money than what the WNBA pays.

Griner is no stranger to the country. She's won four championships with the Russian Euroleague team, UMMC Ekaterinburg.

It's not publicly known where, or if, Griner is being held ... as the detainment allegedly occurred in February.

It's a perilous time for an American to be held in Russia. Relations between the two countries are incredibly strained, as Vladimir Putin's military invaded and attacked Ukraine, and the west responded with harsh sanctions, dealing a significant blow to Russia's economy.

In case you were wondering who's going to win the highly anticipated bout between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, look no further ... 'cause fellow UFC star Kamaru Usman tells TMZ Sports Covington is going to walk away with the W.

We spoke with 34-year-old Usman, and he tells us the fight on Saturday at UFC 272 is a close call, but the difference in skillset will be the reason Colby emerges victorious.

"Man, I think it's an incredible fight," Usman said. "I think both guys are skilled and both guys know each other. I just think Colby has a little bit more tools to be able to win."

Kamaru went on to say Masvidal does have an advantage in the speed department, but preceded that comment by saying Colby has the edge in wrestling, cardio, and striking.

Usman fought both Covington and Masvidal two times each on separate occasions -- scoring victories over both men -- so he knows what each guy brings to the table.

The feud between Colby and Jorge -- who used to be best friends at one point -- is well documented, with Covington going as far to call it a "blood feud."

Logan Paul will return to the boxing ring -- this year -- telling TMZ Sports he started training again, and the goal is to overshadow his brother Jake Paul's brutal knockout of T-Wood.

We talked to the 26-year-old star Thursday afternoon when the topic of fighting came up.

"I just started training again, bro. I'm a little sweaty. I've been training the last four days. Hopefully, I have a fight by the end of the year. I gotta one-up my brother, he did a bad thing to Tyron Woodley."

FYI, Logan last fought in June 2021 ... in a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather. The fight went the distance, but no winner was chosen because it was an exhibition.

Paul claims Mayweather hasn't paid him what he's owed from their fight ... something Logan also touched on (he has a plan to get his money).

Outside of the fight vs. Floyd, Logan has also fought fellow YouTube star, KSI, twice ... resulting in a majority draw, and a loss (the L was a result of a controversial point deduction).

We also talked to the Paul bro about Saturday's Slap Fighting Championship ... which Logan is hosting with Arnold Schwarzenegger from the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio.

Not familiar with slap fighting? It's pretty much what it sounds like. Two competitors stand across a table from each other, and go slap for slap until someone bows out or gets knocked out.

Is Johnny Football BACK?!?!?!

He very well could be ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned former Heisman winner Johnny Manziel is currently in talks with Fan Controlled Football to make a return to the gridiron!!

29-year-old Manziel was one of the most notable players in the FCF's inaugural season ... suiting up under center for the Zappers for three games.

Our sources feel confident Manziel will be back in season two ... at least for a few games.

But, here's where it gets interesting -- we're told Johnny would NOT be returning to the Zaps for the upcoming season ... as he's dying to play for Druski's new team.

In fact, Johnny went to Instagram early Friday morning to express his interest in joining the comedian's squad ... saying, "Only coming out of retirement for @Druski2Funny and Shoulda Been Athletics."

We broke the story -- Druski was announced as the newest owner of the defending champion Wild Aces earlier this week ... name-dropping Manziel as one of the main reasons he decided to get involved in the league.

It would be a full-circle moment for Druski ... and considering how passionate he is about the team, he's gotta be stoked about the possibility of having Manziel on board.

Barbaric, overly violent ... just some of the words used to describe slap fighting, much like MMA back in the day. But, cage fighting exploded in popularity, and now an undefeated slap fighting champ tells us he believes the sport is about to blow up.

"For us to be doing this at the Arnold, it kind of speaks volumes to where the sport is gonna be in the future, and I believe it's gonna be a thing how like the MMA scene, and the UFC started and was looked at as a brutal sport. Slap fighting is just that, but a little less brutal," Koa "Da Crazy Hawaiian" Viernes, an undefeated slap fighter told TMZ Sports.

Koa -- a 6'2", 378 lb., 9-0 slap fighter from Hawaii -- is competing in the Slap Fighting Championship Super Heavyweight World Championship this Saturday at the Arnold Sports Festival.

The comp is being hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger AND Logan Paul ... and will pit Koa against fellow undefeated champ (16-0), Dawid "Zales" Zalewski.

We asked Koa -- who grew up boxing -- what it feels like to be slapped ... and he says it hurts way more than being punched.

"If you've gotten punched in the face, it's completely different. When you get slapped, your fingers ricochet off the skin, the whole open hand, it hurts a lot more."

FYI, back in the mid and late '90s, MMA promoters had nearly an impossible job when it came to finding a venue to hold their events. In fact, MMA wasn't legal in all 50 states until 2016, when New York reversed a ban that disallowed mixed martial arts competition.

Now, the UFC -- and MMA as a whole -- is insanely popular ... and promotions routinely host hugely popular events at some of the biggest and most famous arenas around the world.

Can Slap Fighting become the next UFC? Koa thinks so ... and we're certainly not gonna tell him no.

Brooklyn Beckham and his fiancée, Nicola Peltz, are one giant step closer to taking their talents to Miami ... cause the couple just found a buyer for their $11 mil L.A. mansion.

The couple's unloading their 5-bedroom, 7-bathroom pad -- less than a year after buying it -- as they reportedly shop around for a more humble abode on the west coast and also a home in MIA.

Once the deal is made and the keys are handed over, the buyer will definitely be able to let his/her hair down -- the place has a ton of zen.

There's a white crystal quartz massage room, sauna, heated pool, spa, steam room and a rooftop made for meditation.

Might we add, it also comes with a pretty amazing view that overlooks a portion of L.A.

BTW, 22-year-old Brooklyn's mom and pop, David and Victoria Beckham, have already snagged a penthouse in Miami ... and Nicola has some family in Palm Beach. So, the South FL move will put them closer to family.

The couple got engaged back in July 2020 and moved into the mansion back in summer 2021.

As they gear up to tie the knot, looks like they are keeping family at the forefront of their mind.

UFC superstar Israel Adesanya says he still wants to fight Jon Jones ... but, he doesn't need it to cement himself as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all-time.

The 32-year-old martial artist and middleweight champ stopped by the TMZ offices Thursday ... and talked about everything from his rivalry with Jones, Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington, whether he has a future in acting, his rise to superstardom and the money and fame that comes along with it, his awesome walk-out before the first Robert Whittaker fight, and so much more.

(Check out the full interview with Stylebender ⬇️)

On 34-year-old Jones ... we asked Adesanya if he still wanted to fight him, despite Jon moving to heavyweight and not having fought in over 2 years.

"We'll see. Time will tell," Israel told Babcock.

"I don't need it, but I do want it. I don't need it, though. People think I need it for my legacy."

You may remember ... in 2019, Jon commented he believed he would eventually fight Izzy. The men then went back and forth, igniting a rivalry that exists to this day.

Jones now resides in the heavyweight division (206-265 lbs.) ... while Izzy fights at middleweight (up to 185 lbs.).

We asked Israel -- who has flirted with fighting at heavyweight -- if that's the division where the fight would happen.

"Nah, I like light heavyweight. That's where he was dominant so I really wanna go light heavyweight."

Adesanya -- arguably the greatest striker in UFC history -- showed off some of his arsenal in the TMZ newsroom ... using a round kick to knock a cup off of Harvey Levin's head.

Don't worry, Israel's okay 😄😄😄

Bottom line ... Adesanya is a superstar in every sense of the word.

Donald Trump says he threatened Vladimir Putin during his presidency ... telling the Russian leader America would attack Moscow if the ex-KGB officer attacked Ukraine.

#45 made the revelation during a phone conversation with golf legend John Daly (JD had the call on speakerphone, and someone recorded) ... which was posted on the Internet.

"It's like they're afraid of him. You know, he was a friend of mine. I got along great with him. I say, 'Vladimir, if you do it, we're hitting Moscow.' And he sort of believed me, in like 5%, 10%, that's all you need."

"He never did it during my time, John," Trump told Daly, adding, "Why didn't he do this during the last 4 years?"

Of course, Trump is referring to Putin's forces invading Ukraine -- a sovereign nation -- just 1 year into Joe Biden's presidency.

Moscow is the capital of Russia, and the country's largest city, with an estimated population around 13 million.

Trump also touched on China and its president, Xi Jinping and the possibility of a future crisis in Taiwan.

Many security analysts are concerned China could follow Russia's playbook and invade Taiwan ... but Trump says he also warned China -- like he did with Putin -- of serious consequences if there was an incursion into Taiwan.

"Xi didn't bother me either. I told him the same thing."

Trump believes with Biden at the helm, an invasion is imminent.

"Taiwan will be next. You won't have any computer chips. They'll blow them off the face of the earth."

The country is responsible for the manufacturing of a majority of the world's semiconductor chips ... a necessity for almost all modern technology, including everything from cell phones to military equipment.

The parents of soccer star Katie Meyer say they fear a possible punishment from Stanford could have led to their daughter's suicide earlier this week.

In an interview with NBC's "Today" show on Friday, Steven and Gina Meyer say their daughter was facing potential discipline over an alleged incident involving her and one of her Cardinal teammates.

The two parents say over the last few weeks Katie had been receiving letters from the school over it all ... and in the past few days, she had gotten "kind of the final letter that there was going to be a trial or some kind of something."

Gina speculated it all might have led to the Stanford goalie's death on Tuesday.

"This is the only thing that we can come up with that triggered something," Gina said.

The school declined to comment on the situation ... telling "Today" in a statement, "We are not able to share information about confidential student disciplinary matters."

Gina and Steven said they've been devastated and heartbroken since Katie was found on Tuesday ... explaining, "the last couple days are a parents' worst nightmare."

Katie was just 22 years old.

Gold medalist boxer Guillermo Rigondeaux -- who famously fought Vasyl Lomachenko in 2017 -- suffered serious eye injuries in a freak cooking accident, his manager, Alex Bornote, said.

According to Bornote, Rigondeaux was cooking in his Miami home last week, when the contents of a pressure cooker blew up in his face.

"When the pot exploded and we saw how Rigondoaux was left, we thought the worst," Bornote told the El Nuevo Herald, "because his face and eyes looked very bad as a result of the impact of the explosion."

Bornote says Rigondeaux -- who just fought on Feb. 26 in Dubai -- has lost a significant portion of his vision due to the accident ... though he said he's hopeful tests will show Guillermo can recover soon.

If tests reveal the damage is significant ... Bornote said the 41-year-old fighter could require a lengthy surgery and recovery process to fix the issues.

It's a sad blow for Rigondeaux, as the boxer was hoping to get his career back on track after losing his last two bouts.

Rigondeaux owns a 20-3-1 record as a pro ... and earned gold medals at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics. He notably fought Lomachenko on Dec. 9, 2017 ... losing in the sixth round.

Russell Wilson is so desperate to have more children with Ciara ... he actually got down on one knee this week and begged his wife on national television for "at least" one more baby.

The NFL star joined the singer while she was hosting "The Ellen Degeneres Show" on Thursday -- and just seconds into the appearance, he pleaded with her to give him more kids.

"Serious question," the 33-year-old said to Ciara. "Can we have more babies?"

"It would be perfect!" he continued. "Just give me one more at least."

Ciara was all smiles following Wilson's ask and ended up accepting his proposal ... kinda.

"We definitely can, but we've got a little time before we get there," the 36-year-old said ... "But, I'm down to do it again with you!"

The couple currently has two kids together ... 19-month-old Win and 4-year-old Sienna. Ciara also has a 7-year-old son whom she had with her ex, Future.

Ciara says fatherhood has looked very good on her husband of six years -- saying to him it's a big turn-on and the "sexiest thing" about him.

"I love seeing you in daddy mode, it's the cutest thing," Ciara said on the show. "I love seeing you with Sienna."

"I'm a daddy's girl so I will say I think it's one of the sexiest things about you."

Shaquille O'Neal's turning 50 this weekend, but he ain't slowing down ... in fact, the NBA legend's literally getting faster after getting a brand new, customized Dodge Charger Hellcat for his big day.

The NBA Hall of Famer -- who's turning the big 50 on March 6 -- showed off his new whip on Friday ... saying it's the "best birthday ever!"

The car looks awesome ... with it's custom silver and red paint job and scissor doors (like on a Lamborghini). It also has the words "Diesel Dog Mafia" painted on the hood.

And, it's not just any old Charger ... it's a Hellcat, with about 800 horsepower.

Shaq was extremely hyped and thanked Swaggpack Shaq, Atlanta Street Xecs and Padgett Motor Sports for getting him the bday ride.

"Best car club ever," Shaq said, "love you guys thanks."

Shaq (of course) also had to take a shot at his buddy Chuck.

"I feel like Charles Barkley eating a piece of chocolate cake."