Boxing

Andy Ruiz turned 30 years old on Wednesday -- and he celebrated by hanging out with inmates at one of the most infamous prisons in Mexico.

Just days before the heavyweight boxing champ kicks off training camp for the Anthony Joshua rematch, he visited Topo Chico prison in Monterrey, Mexico ... where he was cheered by the hundreds of prisoners like a conquering hero!!!

It just so happened, the prison was hosting the prison championship boxing tournament that day -- so Ruiz got to see some of the inmates flex some real athletic ability.

During the visit, Ruiz spoke with the inmates and encouraged them to follow their dreams and get their lives in order ... noting that he was on a bad path himself before turning his life around and becoming a boxing superstar.

Andy's rep tells us, "For his birthday he decided to spend the day with these guys and talk to them and motivate."

Ruiz will get a second crack at Joshua on Dec. 7th in Saudi Arabia.

By the way, Topo Chico prison is notorious for a 2016 prison riot in which 49 people were killed. Two rival factions of the infamous Zetas cartel went to war inside the facility ... setting the cell blocks on fire.

In 2011, police found the body of a prison official -- completely dismembered -- inside of a box in an abandoned car near the penitentiary.

There's more ... but it's similar stuff.

Sorry, Conor McGregor ... there's a "0.00% chance" you'll get your rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov -- so says Khabib's manager.

We spoke with Ali Abdelaziz (looking fresh in his Versace shirt) after Khabib's big victory over Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi this weekend ... and we had to ask who's next on the hit list!!!

Of course, Dana White has said he wants Khabib to fight Tony Ferguson -- the #1 ranked lightweight contender -- but Ali says Tony's not the priority.

"Georges St-Pierre is next," Ali tells TMZ Sports ... "If Khabib is going to fight for legacy, a fight with GSP would be a huge fight."

Ali says Tony has never been a champion -- while GSP is widely regarded as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time ... so for him, it's a no-brainer.

Plus, Ali says there's WAY more money in a Khabib vs. GSP fight ... explaining, "People would care more!!!"

Ali tells us, Khabib could be ready to take that fight before the end of 2019 -- and he's confident Georges could be ready too.

As for Conor -- who recently tweeted about wanting a 2nd crack at Khabib -- Ali says Khabib has nothing left to prove ... and since he smashed McGregor so badly in the first fight, there's no need for a rematch.

"Not interested at all ... for what?!? We already beat him, we already whooped his ass."

Ali also says Khabib doesn't want to get involved with the "ugliness" associated with Conor ... an obvious reference to the racist and disgusting insults McGregor spewed while promoting the fight.

"We don't wanna go through with this Conor bulls**t again."

When asked specifically about the chances of a rematch coming together, Ali said bluntly -- "0.00."

Is the Return of the Cannon a possibility at age 47??

HELL YEAH!!! So says Shannon Briggs himself, who tells TMZ Sports he'd be down to take a fight in 2020 ... all he needs is a few months to get back into shape.

We spoke with the 2-time world heavyweight champ about the upcoming rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz ... when Briggs started showing us he's still got it!!

Of course, Briggs hasn't fought since 2016 ... but posted a 60-6-1 record during his career. Dude was/is a STUD.

So, we had to ask Briggs if he could take on AJ or Ruiz ... and he says ABSOLUTELY, as long as he has time to get ready.

"I think that if they give me a shot in 2020, they're gonna see who the real champ is."

He turns 48 in December, but he clearly doesn't give a DAMN about age.

"I think right now, I'm out of shape. But, I think that you give me 6 months and a couple fights, I'll be able to beat any man in the world."

Andy Ruiz says he's not bothered ONE BIT by Tyson Fury calling him a "fat guy" ... telling TMZ Sports the Gypsy King is just bashing him to stay relevant!!!

Remember ... Fury made fun of AJ to our camera guy out in NYC last month ... clowning him for getting "knocked out by a fat guy!!!"

But, The Destroyer is taking the high road after the body shaming ... 'cause he says he's actually a fan of Fury ... and sees it as a sad attempt to capitalize on Andy's superstar moment.

"Tyson Fury, he wants to be relevant," Ruiz tells us. "He wants to be in the scene. I like the guy too. I'm a big fan of him. I like how he is. I like his energy."

The 29-year-old says he's not gonna let Fury distract him from his rematch with AJ in Saudi Arabia -- aka the "Clash on the Dunes" -- but once he's done with Joshua again, THEN they can settle it in the ring.

"I don't wanna look past Anthony Joshua. I want to win on December 7th, then maybe me and him can get in a fight too."

Forget Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier ... the BEST heavyweight mixed martial artist is Bellator's Ryan Bader -- so says the man himself!!!

TMZ Sports talked to Bader -- Bellator's heavyweight AND light heavyweight champ -- before his clash with Cheick Kongo at Bellator 226 this weekend.

Ryan's been DOMINANT -- he ran through the promotion's HW tournament, beating guys like Matt Mitrione and the legendary Fedor Emelianenko ... prompting Bellator honcho Scott Coker to declare Bader "the best heavyweight fighter on the planet."

Guess what? Bader says his boss is right!!!

"I went through that tournament, I didn't get punched in the face one time," Bader tells us. "Why shouldn't I believe that? I believe I can beat anyone at any given time and that includes heavyweights."

"So, I don't think that's a crazy statement. You put myself and Stipe or Cormier in there, I do believe I can beat them."

Bader says he's hopeful that the future may hold some cross-promotional dream fight that'd pair him against the UFC's top big guys ... but before that, he's gotta deal with 6'4, 235lb. Kongo who was a part of one of MMA's craziest fights ever.

Remember this???

Are you a history-making former leader of the free world?! Game-changing music mogul??!? Or look super hot in a thong???

Well, good news -- Anthony Joshua wants YOU front and center at his upcoming rematch with Andy Ruiz!!!

The boxing superstar has a massive celebrity following -- with stars like Dame Judi Dench and Ed Sheeran throwing their support behind the 29-year-old heavyweight.

But, who's on AJ's dream list of ringside stars for his massive "Clash on the Dunes" fight in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 7? We asked. He answered. It was awesome.

"Barack Obama, The Rock, Will Smith, Jay-Z, Beyonce ... some Instagram models ... I'm getting to the fantasy part of my brain now!"

In all seriousness, AJ tells TMZ Sports he has a totally different approach to Ruiz this time around -- and realizes how many people are counting on him to avenge his loss.

You gotta watch this clip ... Joshua says he now realizes how devastated his fans in England (and around the world) were after his loss and it motivates him.

"I took my first L as a professional and started realizing, yo, there's people out there who are REALLY rooting for me, feeling emotionally, who really want me to win."

"And, now mentally, I know I don't just fight for myself. I fight for the nation, I fight for the continents, I fight for the people who love boxing. So, it's just more than that."

We also asked Anthony if he's already considering a fight with Tyson Fury down the line -- but he told us one of the mistakes he made before the Ruiz fight was thinking AHEAD instead of focusing on the present ... and he vows not to make that mistake again.

UFC superstar Tyron Woodley says his hand is just about healed up and he's ready to punch faces again -- telling TMZ Sports he expects to get back in the Octagon before the end of the year.

Woodley was supposed to fight Robbie Lawler on June 29 -- but had to pull out because his hand was still jacked up from a previous fight.

But, good news! Woodley says "I'm good now" -- and he's working with the UFC to line up his next opponent.

"They offered me a couple of fights the last couple days so you should see me in there pretty soon."

Tyron wouldn't name potential opponents -- but said he's still gunning to get a rematch with Kamaru Usman, who defeated him back in March to win the UFC welterweight belt.

"I want my belt back. That's the fight I want the most."

Besides Kamaru, the top names in Tyron's division are guys like Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards ... which would all be great fights.

In the meantime, Tyron says he's training his ass off -- and gunning to work with legends like Georges St-Pierre and the Diaz Brothers.

"If I'm not gonna fight them ... why not train with them?"

The promotional tour for the massive Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua rematch is officially underway -- the fighters faced off in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday ... guaranteeing another slugfest.

The reality is ... this was no trash-talking, expletive-filled, racist, ugly sideshow (a la Mayweather vs. McGregor), these guys showed nothing but class and respect for each other.

Of course, Ruiz upset Joshua at Madison Square Garden to win all of his championship belts when they faced off in June -- and Andy says he's motivated to show the world it was no fluke.

Ruiz essentially said he doesn't want to be known as a 1-hit wonder -- he wants to solidify a legacy as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time!!!

Of course, Joshua says he's determined to get his belts back ... and warns Ruiz he won't get the benefit of home country advantage this time around.

So, how will the fight go? Ruiz put it best ... "Two big heavyweights punching each other in the face."

The Logan Paul vs. KSI rematch is FINALLY SET -- it's going down at Staples Center on Nov. 9 ... and this time, it won't be counted as an amateur bout, this is a PRO fight!!!

Remember, the two social media superstars clashed in England back in August 2018 and fought to a draw in a pretty solid match on YouTube Pay-Per-View.

The fight did so well, even UFC honcho Dana White praised the guys for attracting a pretty big audience ... not an easy feat for people with no real fighting experience.

Clearly, the folks at DAZN took notice -- because they just inked a deal with Paul and KSI to stream the rematch on their app. DAZN is the same company that signed Canelo Alvarez to a 5-year, $365 MILLION deal last year.

As for the actual fight, KSI and Logan will NOT wear headgear this time around -- and it will be promoted by Matchroom Boxing, which is owned by boxing super promoter Eddie Hearn.

Hearn represents huge stars like Anthony Joshua and Daniel Jacobs.

In other words, this is the real deal.

TMZ Sports spoke with Logan over the weekend ... and he said he might literally kill KSI in the ring in "under 90 seconds."

"It's gonna be aggressive. It's gonna be violent. If you're not into violent sports, don't watch."

As for Logan's bro, Jake (who fought KSI's little bro, Deji, on the 2018 fight card)  -- he's been teasing a return to the ring as well but, so far, no opponent has been announced.

If Conor McGregor's keepin' it 100 about wanting a Frankie Edgar fight, he's got a willing dance partner, 'cause the UFC superstar from Jersey tells TMZ Sports he'll literally fight Conor at "any weight, any time."

Remember, last week The Notorious told ESPN's Ariel Helwani that he admired Frankie ... and was interested in a bout with the former 145 pound champ.

But, is Frankie -- who declared he was going down to 135 pounds after losing to Max Holloway -- down for that fight?

Hell yes!

"I'm game, he knows I'm game. I'm supposed to go down to bantamweight, but I will obviously delay that for the McGregor fight."

Edgar says Conor's interview actually made him optimistic the fight could finally happen ... after years of talk.

"It gave me hope that maybe I could get a fight with him. I've been trying to fight this guy for a really long time."

McGregor said he was targeting an Octagon comeback before the start of next year ... and Frankie says he wants to fight once more before 2020 rolls around.

So, what's Edgar's message to Conor?

"Hey, lets stop faking the funk, man. Don't just say it. Lets follow through on it and get it done. I'm game. Like I said, any weight, any time. We could really do it anywhere. That's a fight you get remembered for."

Bernie Sanders hit a speed bag. The speed bag hit back!!!

The Presidential candidate hit up the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky this week ... and decided to take a swing at one of the speed bags on display ... fun, right?!

Bernie threw a hard right and connected ... but the 77-year-old didn't realize the bag was going to swing back at his head -- and dude got ROCKED!!!

Sanders went flying backwards and both hands up in the air like Tyson Fury on the receiving end of a Deontay Wilder shot ... it didn't look good for the Senator from Vermont!!!

But, Bernie -- just like Fury -- regained his composure and got back into the fight ... throwing another couple of jabs before the video cuts off.

After the footage went public, his opponents began using it to attack Sanders -- with Donald Trump Jr. saying, "This wouldn’t exactly strike fear in the minds of our adversaries."

He added, "Imagine this guy sitting across the table negotiating with world leaders?"

Lenny Dykstra's son says the MLB star has told him personally he wants to murder Bagel Guy in their fight next month ... telling TMZ Sports, "He told me he's not stopping 'til he's dead!"

The former Phillies star is set to square up with Chris Morgan (that dude who went crazy in a bagel shop earlier this year) in a celeb boxing match on Sept. 28 ... and the trash talk has already been intense.

Dykstra clowned Bagel Guy's penis size to TMZ Sports earlier this month ... and even shoved the dude at their promo event in Philadelphia last week.

But, when we got Lenny's son, Luke Dykstra, out at Delilah earlier this week ... he told us Lenny is dead serious about his hatred for Bagel Guy -- saying he wants to kill him!!!

"It's real simple," Luke said ... "This guy called me, right? And, he told me, he's not stopping 'til he's dead!"

"Honestly, you hate to hear it, but it looks like if he doesn't stop, he's dead."

Seems the dislike for Bagel Guy runs in the Dykstra blood ... 'cause even Luke shaded the dude to our camera guy!!!

Kendrick Lamar may be small, but the man is mighty -- that much we can tell by the way he trains in the ring.

The Grammy-winning rapper has been getting his box on lately at a gym in Northridge, CA -- about 20 minutes north of L.A. -- and TMZ Sports got a hold of what appears to be the only footage of Kendrick in the ring doing his thing. This clip is from earlier this year.

Dude's from Compton, but it seems he's been looking to keep an even lower profile than usual ... 'cause we're told this specific facility is pretty dang discreet.

As for what Kendrick has been getting into inside, welp ... take a looksy for yourself. As it turns out, Kung Fu Kenny's got hands -- you can see him doing a vigorous round of focus mitt drills with a trainer ... and we gotta say, KL could go toe-to-toe with any Joe there.

We're told Kendrick went about four rounds of mitts on this outing -- and he looked sharp all the way through. It's unclear what he's training for -- maybe he's just keeping fit?

Either way, the MC is no stranger to combat in his art. During his "DAMN" tour, he embraced the martial arts aesthetic in a video that accompanied his set, and homeboy could move.

Whether it's boxing or kung fu fighting ... Kendrick has made major strides from the way he used to throw down (jokingly, of course).

Forget a MayMac 2 ... there's a NEW fight to be made -- Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather SENIOR!!!

"I would beat the s*** out of Conor RIGHT NOW," 66-year-old Floyd Sr. told us while shadow boxing right in the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

... And, by the way, dude can still throw a punch!!!

So ... how'd this all come about??? TMZ Sports spoke with the boxing legend about the video of the UFC superstar socking a 50-year-old man at a pub back in April ... and asked Floyd Sr. what he'd do in the same situation.

"I'm double his age and I'd whoop his ass."

Of course, Floyd Sr. ain't fighting Conor ... but his son might.

In fact, he recently told us he believes Floyd will come out of retirement for a rematch with Manny Pacquiao ... so why not book another bout with McGregor (and bank another $300 mil) while he's at it?!

Justin Gaethje says he wants to beat the dog snot out of Conor McGregor for sucker punching the guy in the bar, telling TMZ Sports he wants the fight, and it's personal.

On Thursday, Conor told ESPN's Ariel Helwani that he and Gaethje were lined up to fight in July ... before he broke his hand, torpedoing the match.

But, it ain't curtains on the fight just yet ... 'cause Gaethje joined the fellas on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) and says he badly wants to meet Conor in the Octagon ... and it ain't just for his sake.

"Of course I want to f**k him up. I see him punch an old man, do I want to punch him for that? F**k yeah, I want to f**k that dude up for s**t like that. He looks like a crackhead on your video."

We asked Gaethje if he's lost respect for Conor after seeing video of the bar attack.

"Absolutely. Who didn't? If you don't, then you're a piece of s**t yourself. C'mon. The lack of respect, lack of morals, whatever you wanna call it."

But, before any Conor superfight, Gaethje's gotta take care of business with Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone at UFC Fight Night 158 on September 14.

"Hey I got f**king business in front of me, I got 'Cowboy.' And then I'm your huckleberry," Gaethje says ... "I'm right here, this s**t has to go forward, has to move on. He's either in or out."

Sergey Kovalev's big-money fight with Canelo Alvarez is about to get the royal hater treatment ... because Anthony Yarde says he's gonna c-block the fight ... by knocking Kovalev the hell out.

Here's how this goes ... Kovalev is hoping to get a huge payday for fighting Canelo (boxing's biggest draw) but has to keep winning to make that a reality.

Sergey fights the undefeated Yarde on Saturday in Russia on ESPN+ at 12:30 PM ET and Yarde says it's HIS MISSION IN LIFE to stop Sergey's cash flow.

"There's a big thing about him fighting Canelo next. I want to c**k block."

Yarde has knocked out 17 of 18 opponents, so he can DEFINITELY do it ... plus, if he gets the win, it could end up being him who gets the life-changing money of a Canelo fight.

As for Sergey ... we talked to him too and he says Yarde ain't even ready and experienced enough to block his ... well, you know.