TMZ Sports - Page 50

The opposition continues ...

With the 2020 Olympic Games set to begin in less than 3 months, the movement to cancel the event is still strong .. as evidenced by a protest in the streets of Tokyo on Monday.

People held signs reading, "Extinguish the Olympic Torch" and "Cancel the Tokyo Olympics."

The photos show a police presence during the demonstration -- but it doesn't appear things got out of hand.

The protest comes in the wake of a new poll conducted in Japan which reportedly says 80% of Japanese citizens are AGAINST the Olympics beginning on July 23, as currently scheduled.

The poll, conducted by Asahi Shimbun -- one of Japan's largest news outlets -- said of those surveyed, 43% want the Games canceled while 40% would prefer another postponement.

As we previously reported, there has been a recent surge in COVID cases in major Japanese cities, including Tokyo -- which led to the government extending a state of emergency from May 11 to May 31.

The country is currently experiencing a 4th wave of the infection which reportedly contains a variant that is spreading very fast and impacting a relatively large number of young people.

So far, Japanese officials are pushing forward with the plans to host the Games -- insisting there are measures in place to prevent a major outbreak.

Another non-boxing star wants a crack at the Paul Bros -- The Game is calling 'em both out and GUARANTEEING victory!!

"Yerrr, @JakePaul, @LoganPaul .... meet me & my little brother downtown LA in front of Staples Center and let’s just fight head up fades," the rap superstar tweeted out.

"No gloves, no money needed ... just on some me & my brother will f*** you & your brother up s***!!!!"

FYI, The Game is 41 years old and has no pro boxing experience -- but he's been in a ton of street fights over the years and seems incredibly confident in his hands.

Someone on Twitter warned The Game about the call out -- "you and your brother game are gonna be like Nate Robinson don’t do this bro."

Game replied, "On Martin Luther King Jr. speech, I ain’t losing!!!"

Jake Paul -- who famously and violently knocked out ex-NBA star Nate Robinson and UFC fighter Ben Askren -- responded to Game, using a rap lyric.

"Hate it or love it you would get knocked the f**ked out."

Logan Paul -- who just beat up the entire Gronkowski family -- also weighed in ... telling Game, "you gonna need your entire family."

Logan is currently training to fight Floyd Mayweather -- but Jake is looking for his next opponent.

Leigh Steinberg -- the inspiration behind "Jerry Maguire" -- says there won't be a sequel to the classic film, but a movie about his life is very likely ... and the NFL super-agent knows which actor he wants to portray him.

It's not Tom Cruise (been there, done that) ... Leigh tells TMZ Sports he has his sights set on Zac Efron or Jake Gyllenhaal.

FYI, Steinberg currently reps Patrick Mahomes ... and is probably the most decorated football agent of all time. He's repped 12 Hall of Famers ... including Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Bruce Smith, Howie Long and Steve Young.

"Jerry Maguire" hit theaters 24 1/2 years ago ... and Steinberg had a cameo in the film. But, his role was a lot bigger than just a few lines.

Director Cameron Crow shadowed Steinberg for about 18 months -- attending everything from Pro Days to the Draft -- to see how an NFL agent operated.

"[Cameron] went to Pro Scouting Day, USC, he came to some games with me, he came to the Super Bowl, he came to the Super Bowl Party. He spent time in my office and I told him a lot of stories."

As for a "Jerry Maguire" 2 ... Leigh says CC "doesn't make sequels," but adds he's "been approached about my own life story a number of times."

So, would Leigh be down??

"Yes, and I think eventually that will happen. We've talked to people about documentaries."

J. Cole's own sideline story is finally coming full circle on the court -- the guy just made his professional debut as a basketball player ... and he did it in none other than Africa!

The rapper -- who's fresh off a fire sixth studio album -- put on his hooping shoes this weekend not too long after signing a brief three-to-six game contract with the Rwanda Patriots Basketball Club, which is part of the Basketball Africa League.

On Sunday, the club was set to face off against Nigeria's Rivers Hoopers -- a game that was broadcast on national television here in the States. Sure enough, it looks like Cole was part of the starting five at tip-off -- and the dude showed off his famed athleticism early and often.

Different clips captured from the game show Jermaine grabbing rebounds, playing D and hustling up and down the court. He even got his first bucket with a put-back after one of his teammates attempted a layup. It's clear -- the dude can still ball, even at the ripe age of 36.

We say "still" because -- whether you're aware or not -- J. Cole is a noted hooper ... having played competitively in high school and even earning himself a walk-on spot with the St. John's Red Storm team for a while. He ended up leaving basketball behind to pursue his career in music -- but like many among the rich and famous, Cole can hold his own.

He played for the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game back in 2012, and proved himself there ... and now, it looks like he's getting back to his on-court roots in a whole other country.

Unclear what the end game for Cole is here -- but by the looks of it ... he's taking this contract pretty seriously, and based on how big a draw he is -- they may even extend him.

Braun Strowman is one of the most physically imposing men on the planet ... but the 6'8," 345-lb WWE Superstar tells TMZ Sports he still deals with perceived flaws in his appearance after totally transforming his body.

"I used to struggle and I still do struggle with body dysmorphia," Strowman says.

"I struggled with bullying growing up because I was a chubby little kid and then I grew to this gigantic mongoloid of a human being that I am and I'm still judged for it because people look at me and go, 'Oh, this big meathead.'"

FYI, Dictionary.com defines body dysmorphia as a mental illness involving obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance.

Braun -- a former strongman competitor (those dudes are MASSIVE) -- recently dropped around 50 lbs ... and got absolutely ripped.

"15% of this work that I've done and transformed myself has been in the gym and doing the cardio. The rest is mental and food preparation," Braun says.

And, Strowman says his weight loss has had an awesome, unintended consequence ... it’s inspired a bunch of his fans to lose a crapload of pounds.

"The messages I get from fans, friends, family, strangers from all around the world that send me messages, 'Hey I seen your fitness goal, it's made me change the way I eat, made me get back in the gym, I lost 100 pounds, I lost 200 pounds.'''

There's more ... we also talked to Strowman about his Triple Threat match against Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania Backlash this Sunday -- for the WWE Championship.

Strowman described the epic match like this ... "This is King Kong meets Godzilla meets the Incredible Hulk," adding ... "And I damn sure ain't planning on coming out of the backside of WWE Backlash not carrying that WWE Championship."

Good news, bad news for NY Giants fans ...

The good -- Saquon Barkley's recovery from a nasty ACL injury is going well!!

The bad -- the Giants' co-owner, Jon Tisch, is not sure if the star running back will be able to suit up in Week 1.

TMZ Sports spoke with Tisch out at Michael's in New York City earlier this week ... and he told us he's pleased with what he's heard about Barkley's rehab so far.

But, he added he doesn't know if the 24-year-old will be able to begin the season on the field.

You'll recall ... Barkley shredded his knee during the Giants' game against the Bears on Sept. 20, 2020, and had to have surgery to fix the issues just a few days later.

Barkley has seemed optimistic about his chances to play in NY's opener -- which is set for Sept. 12 against the Broncos -- even posting an impressive workout video last month showing off his recovery.

Still, it's clear the Giants have no plans to rush him back ... with Tisch telling us "don't know, don't know" when we asked if the tailback would be ready to go in September.

First, destroy Aaron Carter ... then, get revenge for Nate Robinson by knocking out Jake Paul?!?

That's the plan for Lamar Odom ... who, after his June fight with Carter, is gunning to box Paul to avenge Robinson's embarrassing loss to the YouTube star.

Odom made that very clear in a video obtained by TMZ Sports ... with the ex-NBA star saying, "After Aaron Carter, I would love to fight Jake Paul. For Nate Robinson!"

Lamar is set to throw hands with Carter on June 12 in Atlantic City ... and the 41-year-old is considered the big favorite, especially after recent sparring footage showed him looking polished in the ring.

Carter is training like a mad man with the hopes of not being some sort of pushover ... but if Odom can get through the pop singer as expected, he could be a very intriguing next opponent for Paul.

You'll recall, Jake annihilated Robinson in November, and then demolished Ben Askren in a fight last month ... but, he does NOT have another opponent lined up yet.

Seems Odom would be a great fit if he scores a win next month.

Incredible moment from Vanessa Bryant ... who just delivered an emotional speech as her husband Kobe Bryant was inducted into the the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame -- and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Vanessa -- flanked by Michael Jordan -- talked about KB's incredible accomplishments on and off the court ... from his 5 NBA championships to being a great dad.

"Congratulations baby. All of your hard work and sacrifice has paid off. You once told me, if you are going to bet on someone, bet on yourself. I'm glad you bet on yourself, you overachiever.” Vanessa said.

MJ didn't speak ... but his presence on stage was powerful and clearly very meaningful. Vanessa told Jordan ... "Kobe admired you. This means so much to us."

Of course, Kobe famously idolized MJ growing up -- and they later became great rivals on the court ... and even better friends off of it.

In fact, the two would grab dinner and text each other all the time just to check in.

So, when Kobe passed away back in January 2020, Vanessa knew the obvious choice to present her husband into the HOF would be His Airness.

Vanessa closed with the following message ... "You did it. You're in the Hall of Fame now. You are a true champ. You're not just an MVP. You're an all-time great. I'm so proud of you. I love you forever and always. Kobe. Bean. Bryant."

Jake Paul is under investigation ... this time by officials in Puerto Rico for riding a motorized vehicle on a protected beach.

To use a bullfighting metaphor ... Jake waived the proverbial red flag in front of a bull by posting a video of him and some friends tooling around a beach in golf carts, smack in the middle of turtle-nesting season. That's illegal.

It looks like the driver is his brother, Logan, although we haven't been able to confirm.

Jake deleted the vid, but it's too late because the investigation has been launched by the territory's Dept. of Natural and Environmental Resources.

Logan said back in February he was moving some of his businesses, including Maverick Clothing, to Dorado, Puerto Rico ... which is near San Juan. Logan said on his podcast back then, “I thought it was more third-world than I suspected, so I went out there to scout it and I just fell in love with it.” Jake and Logan snagged a $10 million beachfront mansion.

They fell in love with Puerto Rico, but it doesn't sound like everyone there feels the same.

No bad blood between Robert Kraft and Tom Brady -- in fact, the Patriots owner tells TMZ Sports he can't wait to welcome the QB back to New England!

"Excited to have him," Kraft told us Friday afternoon in Beverly Hills ... "He's a great guy and he did so much for us. I love him."

Of course, Tom will make his highly anticipated return to Boston during Week 4 of the 2021 NFL season -- the first time he'll play in Gillette Stadium as a visitor!

Tickets for the game are already in ultra-high demand -- with some ticket brokers fetching 4-figures for seats in the nosebleed section!

We asked Kraft how he feels about the big matchup -- and he told us, "We should have a fun night! But, I'm excited for Week 1 … and we play Miami."

There's more!!!

We also asked Bob about the Pats QB situation -- they recently selected Mac Jones in the 1st round of the NFL Draft after re-signing former NFL MVP Cam Newton.

So, who'll end up with the starting gig?

"We're excited to have [Mac Jones] but I'm excited to have Cam Newton, too," Kraft said ... adding, "I pay Bill Belichick a lot of money. He can decide that."

Mike Tyson likes what he sees from Jamie Foxx -- telling TMZ Sports the actor's impression of the boxing legend is "magnificent!"

Foxx has been transforming into "Iron Mike" for a project he's been working on for years! It was initially pitched as a feature film but now it's being shopped as a TV series.

In fact, Martin Scorsese is one of the executive producers and Antoine Fuqua signed on as director -- so, yeah ... it's a big deal!

53-year-old Foxx gave a sneak of his Tyson bod back in June 2020 during an appearance on "Catching Up with Mark Birnbaum" ... and more recently posted a topless pic on social media looking JACKED!

So ... what does Mike think?

Spoiler alert: he likes it!

"He's gonna do a great job," 54-year-old Tyson told us this week at LAX ... "[Foxx's impression] is great, magnificent!"

Still no word on when or where the project will drop -- but Mike's fired up. He issued a statement back in March saying, "I have been looking to tell my story for quite some time."

"You want to see a guy who's wiling to die in that Octagon? I think that's Tony and I."

That's UFC fighter Beneil Dariush telling TMZ Sports that he and Tony Ferguson are ready to sacrifice their lives in order to earn a victory at UFC 262.

Yeah ... heavy stuff.

We talked to the 32-year-old, #9 ranked Iranian-American fighter -- the co-main event Saturday night in Houston -- about the biggest fight of his life ... and what both men are ready to risk.

"I think two guys who are willing to go out there, if we have to leave in pieces, we'll leave in pieces, but we love the victory," Dariush says.

"I think that's one of the similarities that Tony and I have and I think that's one of the reasons why everybody should watch the fight.

FYI, Beneil is on a 6-fight win streak ... meanwhile 37-year-old Ferguson is in the midst of a 2-fight losing streak (Gaethje & Oliveira).

Regardless, Tony is still considered one of the most dangerous dudes in the lightweight division.

So, how does Dariush get the dub against El Cucuy?

"I think it can go all three ways. Knockout, submission or decision Whatever it is, I gotta stay one step ahead of him."

This is an incredible video!!!

UFC star Michael Chandler is fighting in the biggest bout of his life at UFC 262 on Saturday night ... and TMZ Sports spoke to his ex-college teammates for some last-minute encouragement before competing for the lightweight title!!!

Oh, and should we mention those ex-teammates are Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley?!?!?

The superstar Missouri Tigers wrestling alums shared some final thoughts with us before their friend takes the Octagon against Charles Oliveira in Houston.

"I think his first performance with the UFC was outstanding,  Askren tells us. "Hey man, he's not a newbie. I think he's been in the game just as long as we have so go out there, fight hard, have fun and enjoy your moment."

Woodley -- who considers himself a "big brother" to Chandler also had some kind words for the guy .... saying, "He's always talked about wanting to be the best, the best in the world, wants to be best and have the glory and have the fame and have all these things."

"I know he's got that Tiger style. I'm sending love out to him, peace and prayers and he represents us when he goes out there. Not just to wrestle, not just the OG fighters but just that pedigree of people that did it the right way and worked hard."

And, if you checked out the video ... you can tell just how much the soundbites meant to Chandler.

"Man, it's pretty emotional because when I think about Tyron and I think about Ben and I just think about being a Mizzou Tiger, I think about where I came from," Chandler tells us.

"I think about walking on to the University of Missouri. I was the lowest guy on the totem pole. I was the guy that didn't really truly believe that ridiculous success was something that I can achieve."

"I worked hard, you can ask Tyron -- Tyron was a 5th-year senior, Ben was a 3rd or 4th year when I came in, they already had the accolades, they already had the mindset, they had the achievements and I looked to those guys like they were gods."

He continued ... "Like, they were the guys that I wanted to emulate. They immediately became my big brothers, they immediately instilled in me most of the time to know that, Michael, you can be an All-American, you can be a national champion and I just think back to the little guy from the little town that was taught to do little things that I was and because of guys like Tyron, because of guys like Ben,"

Of course, Michael DID achieve all those goals ... becoming an All-American wrestler at the Division I level ... and getting a bid to the NCAA Championships 3 out of 4 seasons as a starter.

Chandler says no matter what happens Saturday night, it just goes to show how the Mizzou fam is a strong bond.

"It's not about me getting to the top. It's about Tyron Woodley, who wanted to see me at the top with him. It's about Ben Askren who wanted to see me a the top with him. Two of the greatest to ever grace Mizzou wrestling. Two of the greatest to ever compete in mixed martial arts and they wanted to bring other people up with them."

New Jack a.k.a. Jerome Young -- former ECW pro wrestling star -- died at the age of 58 on Friday after suffering a heart attack, his family announced.

Young was multiple-time tag team champion during his days with Extreme Championship Wrestling in the mid-'90s... and was often celebrated for his reckless abandon inside the ring (and well, from the balcony).

As a result of his wild style -- getting hit with chairs, busting through tables, using weapons in the ring -- NJ dealt with a litany of injuries throughout his career.

While wrestling in ECW, "Natural Born Killaz" by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre famously played during his matches.

New Jack split from ECW when the promotion closed up shop in 2001 ... but the controversial wrestling star continued to occasionally wrestle over the years.

The pro wrestling world is weighing in on the loss ... with X-Pac sharing a photo with New Jack, and writing, "I couldn't help but love New Jack. #RIPNewJack"

New Jack is survived by his wife Jennifer ... with whom he lived in North Carolina.

Floyd Mayweather says the Logan Paul fight was supposed to go down in Dubai -- but the org. he teamed up with to put on the event dropped the ball ... and now his company is suing for more than $120 MILLION!!

TMZ Sports obtained the lawsuit, filed by Mayweather Promotions, alleging a company called PAC Entertainment Worldwide approached them about hosting the event in Dubai at an undisclosed date in 2021.

Mayweather Promotions claims PAC claimed to have "numerous business contacts in Dubai" and "had the financial wherewithal and capability to host a fight of this magnitude."

Most importantly, Mayweather Promotions says PAC "presented financial projections estimating the fight could generate guaranteed amounts for each participant, plus result in the promoters earning more than $100 million in profits after covering all purses and expenses."

Mayweather Promotions admits it was impressed with the pitch and claims it ultimately signed a deal requiring PAC to pay a minimum guaranteed amount of $110 MILLION on a "prescribed payment schedule."

Mayweather Promotions claims the 1st payment of $30 million was due on March 25, 2021 -- but the money never came.

Mayweather Promotions claims the missed payment triggered a clause allowing MP to terminate the deal while still requiring PAC to fork up the full $110 million.

In the suit, Mayweather Promotions claims they were left scrambling to make new fight plans -- and ultimately worked out a deal to move the fight to Miami on June 6.

Mayweather Promotions is suing for breach of contract -- and demanding at least $122.6 million in damages.

Derek Jeter has finally sold his massive Tampa waterfront mansion -- the same place he rented to Tom Brady and Gisele -- and it's the biggest residential real estate deal in the city's history!!!

The MLB legend and his supermodel wife, Hannah Jeter, had listed the place for $29 million back in September -- and according to the realtors in charge of the deal, there was major interest in the place.

Jeter ultimately agreed to sell for roughly $22.5 million -- which the real estate company, Smith & Associates, says is the most expensive home purchase ever in Tampa Bay.

We know what you're thinking ... who bought it?!

So far, the buyer has not been revealed -- but we're told it's NOT Tom Brady and Gisele.

Our Tampa sources tell us they recently moved out of the place and are living nearby while they're building a brand new pad in the exclusive Indian Creek Island community in Miami.

As for Jeter, he bought the 22,000 square-foot estate back in 2005 -- reportedly planning to put down $2.3 million. But, after he bought it, there was a major renovation and the final product is one of the sickest properties we've ever seen.

We're talking 7 bedrooms, 8 full bathrooms plus 8 half-baths (so, 16 total toilets if you're keeping score) ... along with an 80-foot saltwater lap pool, a gym, wine cellar AND a movie theater!

There's also a 6-car garage -- and the place comes with its own private dock with 2 boat lifts!!

Smith & Associates says they did deep background searches on all interested parties before they were allowed to check out the property ... in an effort to make sure only serious buyers were allowed on site.

Jeter moved to Miami a while back -- which is why he was able to rent it to TB12 after the QB signed with the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Tom reportedly loved the place and even held some private workouts in the yard.