TMZ Sports - Page 36

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.

Leighton Vander Esch is retiring at just 28 years old -- the Dallas Cowboys linebacker announced he is unable to return to the football field after his latest neck injury.

The team shared the news on Monday ... days after the former first round pick was released with a failed physical designation.

The All-Pro and Pro Bowler dropped a statement on the news ... saying, "I love the game of football so much, and my body won't cooperate any longer."

"I cherished every moment of my NFL career, and it has been such a blessing to play the game for as long as I have played."

Vander Esch was solid for the Cowboys D on the field ... but his six-year career was unfortunately riddled with injuries, including the neck ailment he suffered back in October that ended his 2023 season.

Jerry Jones spoke highly of LVE ... saying, "Seldom do you come across a player like Leighton, who grew up playing eight-man football only to first play the 11-man game at the major collegiate level and excel."

"His passion and love for the game was contagious, and from the moment he arrived, he has been a difference maker. His grit, toughness, motivation, determination and football IQ will be sorely missed. Leighton also embodied the strong character and personal qualities that make him much more than an accomplished player."

LVE finishes his career with 557 tackles ... including 176 in his first season alone, a franchise record for a rookie.

Kim Kardashian's SKIMS is getting deeper into basketball ... this time the brand is partnering with six of the top college hoopers in the world to serve as models for their men's line ahead of the NCAA Tournament!

The billionaire entrepreneur shared video on Instagram the day after Selection Sunday ...  announcing the campaign.

The clip features several of the best CBB players wearing Kim K's new Men's Terry loungewear, including Arizona guard Caleb Love, Paxson Wojcik from UNC, and Donovan Clingan ... who won a National title with UCONN last season.

Hunter Dickinson -- who transferred to Kansas from Michigan this season  -- and Duke's guard Jared McCain are also involved.

It's just Kim K's latest foray into sports ... remember, she recently teamed up with stars from the NFL, NBA, and MLS, including Nick Bosa, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Neymar Jr.

Kim also featured Patrick Mahomes, Brittany Mahomes, and their two kids ... promoting their 2023 Christmas attire.

Mark Coleman has been released from the hospital after nearly dying in a huge house fire last week ... the UFC legend provided an update to his many fans just days after saving his mom and dad.

"God is great 👊❤️🙏," the 59-year-old retired fighter said on Monday via IG video caption, writing, "I am healing up very well."

"My lungs are sore. My eyes are burnt but I’m very much alive and well. I feel so blessed it’s in my higher power's hands. He wants me to move forward today and I am."

Coleman -- who was hospitalized with smoke inhalation after saving his parents from a house fire in Toledo, Ohio, early Tuesday morning -- thanked all his fans for their prayers, especially for his late dog, Hammer, who sadly perished in the blaze.

Mark also said he hopes the incident encourages people to make the most of life ... before it's too late.

"I'm one of the luckiest men in the world," the UFC Hall of Famer said.

"I can't thank you enough. I'm just grateful. I'll continue to motivate people to move forward and be a better version of themselves. You never know when you're gonna need it, so let's go. Let's start today. Tomorrow's not promised. Get moving!"

BTW, his loyal fans stepped up in a big way, including financially, making over 2,600 donations to a GoFundMe to help with medical expenses ... raising over $121k!

Stray Kids member Seungmin is way more than a K-pop superstar -- the vocalist proved he's got some serious skills on the mound as well ... throwing a perfect strike during the ceremonial first pitch at the MLB Seoul Series game!!

1/8 of the popular boy group was present for the Los Angeles Dodgers' exhibition game against Team Korea at Gocheok SkyDome on Monday ... but he wasn't just there to watch -- he also got to show off his arm prior to the start of the contest.

As it turns out, Seungmin's first love was baseball ... and he played the sport for years before switching over to music.

It's clear it wasn't his first rodeo ... 'cause the windup and follow through look super polished -- and his toss landed right down the middle of the plate.

Fittingly, SKZ's hit song, "LALALALA," was blaring over the PA system as he made his attempt.

Seungmin also shared a moment with Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly after the impressive outing ... posing for a pic and swapping his Team Korea hat for an LA cap.

But he eventually switched back to his original lid as he took his seat in the stands ... repping the home team as he enjoyed a beer and locked in on the action unfolding on the diamond.

The idol's pitch wasn't the only one to turn heads at the Seoul Series ... actress Jeon Jong-seo also appeared to be a fan favorite the day prior, even grabbing the attention of some Dodger players.

Sex isn't prohibited at the Olympics this time around ... the intimacy ban has been lifted, and Olympic Village will be stocked with 300,000 condoms!!!

Remember, bangin' was banned at the Tokyo Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic where athletes had to practice social distancing -- and to enforce the rules, jimmy hats were provided, but they were told not to use them (and to keep them as souvenirs).

But, coronavirus regulations have largely been lifted, giving competitors the green light to get busy this summer.

"It is very important that the conviviality here is something big," village director Laurent Michaud said.

The village -- which will house 14,500 athletes and staff -- will give out 300k condoms ... enough for each person to have sex multiple times per day ... in addition to other amenities.

"Working with the athletes commission, we wanted to create some places where the athletes would feel very enthusiastic and comfortable," Michaud said.

With all the sex and competition, the village is making sure to provide beds that can support [550+ lbs.] and a lot of food.

Speaking of the grub, the Village director says they'll have near 400 yards of buffet, stocked with food from across the world.

"I'm sure that the athletes will be very happy to have some French specialties made over here," Laurent added.

"But the variety will first respond to the athletes' needs for their nutrition and their performance," the director said.

FYI, condoms have been given out at the Olympics since the 1988 Games in Seoul ... in an effort to raise awareness about HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Safety first!!!

The Orlando Magic realized it made a huge mistake on Sunday ... after its social media team posted what it felt was an innocent jersey swap between Gradey Dick and Anthony Black -- before catching on to the wildly inappropriate message the exchange spelled out.

The two rookie hoopers met up on the court to show love to each other following the Magic's 111-96 win over the Toronto Raptors ... and after talking for a bit, it appeared a lightbulb went off in both Black and Dick's heads.

The 2023 lottery picks decided to gift each other the jerseys off their backs as part of the common NBA tradition ... but it was clear they had an elaborate plan to crack a quick joke using their surnames.

The broadcast cameras caught Black running over to a photog to make sure they captured the swap ... and when he posed alongside Dick, he positioned himself to his left so their last names read ... well, you get it.

Black had a smirk on his face as he held Dick's jersey ... and his buddy was also smiling from ear to ear.

The Magic innocently published a shot of the exchange on X ... but after a bit, it was deleted due to the influx of users reacting to the viral moment.

Absolute chaos broke out following a Turkish soccer game on Sunday ... when angry fans stormed the pitch in frustration with the final score -- just to get their asses kicked by the players!!

It all went down at Trabzonspor's home 3-2 defeat at the hands of Fenerbahce ... when the losing team's supporters got so upset over the Super Lig result, they started attacking the opposing players.

But Fenerbahce ended up getting two victories on the day ... 'cause players like Bright Osayi-Samuel and Michy Batshuayi put a beating on intruders -- and it was captured on video.

Batshuayi used his feet for more than footy -- kicking a fan who was approaching him.

Osayi-Samuel was also shown throwing a punch at two fans at once.

Security tried like hell to break up the brawl ... but not before even more spectators made their way to the pitch.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino released a statement on the ugly scene ... saying, "The violence witnessed after the Turkish Super Lig match between Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce is absolutely unacceptable -- on or off the field, it has no place in our sport or society."

"All players have to be safe and secure to play the game which brings such joy to so many people all over the world."

He added ... "I call on the relevant authorities to ensure that this is respected at all levels and for the perpetrators of the shocking events in Trabzon to be held accountable for their actions."

Kristin Cavallari and her boyfriend Mark Estes are clearly pretty serious ... 'cause not only has she introduced him to her kids -- but it seems they've got a rapport!

The mother-of-three shared a picture to Instagram Sunday featuring her new 24-year-old beau with one of her kids ... and they seem deep in conversation while Mama Cavallari is able to hang back a few steps.

KC didn't add anything in the way of words to the pic ... but she did drop a white heart emoji on the photo -- so clearly she's pretty happy with the chummy bonding going on.

BTW ... unclear which of Kristin's sons this is -- but, ya gotta imagine she introduced Mark to them at or around the same time, and it was long enough ago that one of her kids can seemingly hold a convo with him comfortably. Kristin shares three children with her ex, Jay Cutler.

It seems like things are movin' along quickly between KC and ME ... remember, Cavallari only revealed they were dating at the end of February -- so things have seemingly progressed quickly between the two.

It makes sense when you consider it seems almost like fate was pushing these two together ... Kristin recently revealed on her 'Let's Be Honest' podcast that she first spotted Mark on TikTok with his crew The Montana Boyz.

Weeks after spotting the hottie, Kristin got a DM from one of the guys. She invited the group on her podcast, hit it off with Estes and they started seeing each other. Talk about a 21st century fairytale!

Caitlyn Jenner and Lamar Odom are reuniting for a new project -- a sports podcast that pays homage to their "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" connection ... TMZ has learned.

The former in-laws -- Caitlyn was Lamar's stepfather-in-law when the ex-NBA star was married to Khloe Kardashian -- are launching "Keeping Up with Sports," a podcast meant to take a fresh look at what it really takes to be the best.

This venture sounds like a good fit for the pair ... as Caitlyn famously won an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and Lamar won two NBA championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Caitlyn and Lamar, along with cohost Zach Hirsch, will drop their first episode in the next few weeks ... with boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard as their kickoff guest.

Check out a sneak peek video ... where Sugar Ray opens up about being a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of one of his trainers. He says he had an emotional reaction after sharing his truth for the first time in decades, confessing, "I was hurting."

While the new podcast seems promising, we're curious to learn how Kris Jenner feels about it ... seeing how Kris and Caitlyn's relationship has been rocky over the years. Remember, in October, Caitlyn confirmed she doesn't speak to her ex-wife anymore ... for various reasons.

Still, since the podcast focuses on the sports world, it'll be interesting to see if the family comes up at all.

Upcoming guests include CBS basketball analyst Seth Davis, boxer Bryce Hall, model Amber Rose, world champion boxer Zab Judah, professional stuntman Steve-O, and UFC fighter Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett.

The NBA's gonna have a real problem on its hands when LeBron James retires ... so says Kwame Brown, who tells TMZ Sports the league isn't putting enough focus on the next generation of athletes -- like that one guy on the OKC Thunder.

We spoke with the former 2001 No. 1 overall pick at LAX this week about the current state of the Association ... and he pointed out the top teams in the Western Conference aren't getting nearly as much coverage as the Lakers due to the LeBron effect.

"You got this young talent," Brown said. "The only thing I see what's wrong with the NBA is that they hold on to the 'superstar' thing too long. We got OKC ... before, I didn't even know their starting 5. You don't even know their coach."

"You gotta start promoting this young talent that you have. Otherwise, they're going to be scrambling when LeBron's gone."

Our camera guy pretty much proved Brown's point ... 'cause when he brought up MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he asked how his name's pronounced -- and both dudes were stumped.

"I don't know either," Brown admitted. "He's not on ESPN every day."

FYI -- it's "Shay."

As for SGA's season, the 25-year-old Canadian is averaging 31.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.1 steals a game ... leading the Thunder to a 46-20 record, tied for the best in the Western Conference.

Zendaya and Tom Holland put on an impromptu performance during the BNP Paribas Open ... belting out Whitney Houston at a break in the action.

The lovely couple were sitting together at the tennis final Sunday when they were both seemingly overtaken by the music ... launching into their own renditions of "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" by the late, great artist.

You can't hear the pair singing, but just check out the clip ... the dynamic duo's clearly putting on quite the show for anyone looking their way. TH is even getting his body rockin' to the beat.

And, the end of the singing is just as good too ... with the couple sharing a joke during the last notes of the song -- not totally clear what they're laughing about, but they look adorable here, seemingly lost in their own world

The pair were dressed in their tennis best ... a good thing too, 'cause Zendaya headed down to the court after the match to take a snap with the women's champ Iga Swiatek.

What a day for Iga -- a trophy and a pic with Zendaya ... no wonder she's grinning from ear to ear!

BTW both Tom and Zendaya have their own affinities for the sport -- TH has been photographed at multiple tournaments, just like Zendaya ... who seems to like it so much she's starring in the movie "Challengers" based around the sport.

Kim Kardashian and her son, Saint, sat courtside at the Los Angeles Lakers game Saturday night, leading a small group of big celebs who showed up for the event.

As per, Kim looked stunning in a tight white t-shirt and black leather pants while parked alongside 8-year-old Saint at Crypto.com Arena in downtown LA.

At one point, Kim posed for paparazzi by putting her arm around her little guy who was dressed in his Lakers jersey, leaving no doubt as to who he was rooting for.

Kim was also snapped chatting with some fans and Saint even flashed a peace sign for the camera!

Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck enjoyed their courtside seats, watching the matchup while holding each other's hands. The couple seemed pretty chill as they hung out with Ben's 12-year-old son, Samuel.

And that's not all ... singers Bad Bunny was also in the crowd to see the Warriors and Lakers take it to the hoop.

And in the world of sports, tennis legend Novak Djokovic was front and center to see the Warriors take the W, 128-121.

After the game, J Lo gave Bunny a little hug as Ben shook hands with some of the Golden State players.

If Steph Curry gets into politics after his career ends, he's already got a vote from Danny Green ... 'cause the NBA player tells TMZ Sports the country could use someone from the league in office -- so why not Steph?!

Curry mentioned the possibility of running during an interview that aired on "CBS Mornings" this week, claiming he's open to a position in the government after his run with Golden State ends.

Green -- a longtime NBA veteran who played for the 76ers this season -- said Curry is the perfect candidate from the league for a gig like that ... and he would 100 percent support the Splash Brother if he saw his name on a ballot.

"If anybody from our league is gonna represent us in that fashion, it'd be him," the 36-year-old said. "I'd vote for him."

"He does things the right way," Green continued. "Spiritual guy, faith, uses his platform for great things. He's a good human being. How can you hate Steph Curry?"

Green went on to praise the Warriors star for even considering a career in politics ... noting it ain't exactly the easiest post-basketball route to take.

Diamond Dallas Page might not be where he is today if it weren't for Paul Heyman ... 'cause DDP tells TMZ Sports the legendary wrestling personality actually helped launch his career!!

Page said the assist came many decades ago ... after Diamond sent the American Wrestling Association -- where Heyman worked at the time as "Paul E. Dangerously" -- an audition tape of him "managing" a group of aspiring wrestlers.

Initially, Page said the org. laughed at the submission ... after it found out neither he nor the wrestlers he filmed with had any sort of real experience.

But, DDP said after Heyman left the Association for the National Wrestling Alliance ... AWA execs gave him a call about potentially filling Heyman's boisterous void.

Of course, DDP stepped in ... and the rest was history.

"If Paul Heyman does not leave there," Page said, "that spot never opens up. So I have always been a Heyman guy."

Page went on to congratulate Heyman on his upcoming induction to the WWE Hall of Fame -- adding he believes the microphone maestro could have made it even without his most recent twenty-or-so years in the squared circle!!

Not only is Travis Kelce a great NFL player, he's also got a huge future as a film producer ... so says actress Sonequa Martin-Green, who tells TMZ Sports he has all the tools it takes to make it in Hollywood!!

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is an EP for the new flick, "My Dead Friend Zoe" ... and Martin-Green played the lead role of Merit.

The movie is a dark comedy that follows a U.S. Army veteran who struggles with her family due to the spiritual presence of her dead Army friend, Zoe.

The project has solid ratings ... including a 9.2 out of 10 on IMDb.

SMG said Kelce's passion for supporting the military is why he wanted to join the production team ... and that kind of mindset is what's needed in the movie business.

"He wanted to support veterans," SMG said. "That's what I heard -- he wanted to support veterans and someone pointed him to our film."

"It's all about the 'why' and I feel like if anybody has the right 'why,' they'll succeed."

Martin-Green -- famous for her role as Sasha in "The Walking Dead" -- hopes to meet Kelce one day ... to tell him how grateful she is for what he did.

BTW, Kelce is also working on a future project called "King Pleasure," a documentary on Jean-Michel Basquiat, alongside Ray Maiello and Mike Field. Filming for that begins this summer.