Boxing

Floyd Mayweather conquered boxing ... and now the legendary pugilist is taking his talents to a totally different sport -- auto racing -- by launching his own NASCAR team, TMT Racing.

The 50-0 boxer is debuting The Money Team Racing ... with 23-year-old up-and-coming driver, Kaz Grala behind the wheel of the #50 car.

And, yes, the #50 was no accident ... it represents Floyd's flawless record.

TMZ Sports recently had a chance to talk to Grala, just days before their debut race, about working with TBE.

"It's really cool. Really, really cool," Kaz says.

"[Floyd's] been talking about getting into NASCAR for a couple years here, and everyone wondered 'who's their driver gonna be?' It's pretty surreal to be the guy that they picked to pilot the 50 car for their maiden voyage."

But, TMT wasn't just given a spot in Sunday's Daytona 500 -- the Super Bowl of stock racing -- because of Floyd's fame ... they had to earn it on the track. And, that's exactly what Grala did Friday night at Daytona International Speedway.

"Making this race is an accomplishment in itself. It's one of the premier sporting events in the country each year. So, it's a huge victory just to be in the race and make it there," Grala told us.

But, as cool as it is, Kaz says Mayweather and the team aren't content with simply being in the race -- which goes down Sunday afternoon on FOX.

Now they've made the field, and they wanna win!

Ryan Garcia -- one of the best young boxing talents in the world -- is opening up on his serious mental health struggles ... admitting at one point, he felt like killing himself.

"When I was deep in it, I didn't think I was gonna live," Garcia said in an interview with Dan Canobbio on "Inside Boxing Live." "I was so depressive and I went to bad habits. I started drinking, and I never drink, ever."

He continued ... "But I was getting drunk all the time. I wanted to kill myself at one point."

Remember, the 23-year-old undefeated boxing star withdrew from his scheduled bout against Javier Fortuna last April ... expressing he needed a break to focus on his "mental health and well-being."

Ryan's last professional fight was January 2021 against Luke Campbell ... when he defeated him via knockout in the seventh round.

Garcia knew he needed a break when his thoughts were so scattered that his mind felt paralyzed at the time. The champ said he couldn't even begin to describe the torment he was experiencing.

"It was so bad, so intense, that I thought maybe I just rather not be here,'" Garcia said. "I didn’t understand what was going on. I needed professional help."

Ryan said he knows his depression stemmed from mismanaging stress -- like taking on too many things at once ... and not having the right support system in place around him.

Thankfully, RG received the help he needed ... and said he's feeling great.

Garcia returns to the ring April 9 ... where he will fight Emmanuel Tagoe.

Mike Tyson celebrated his weed strain reaching Colorado by posing with -- and possibly smoking? -- insane amounts of ganja on Tuesday ... and the picture is iconic.

TMZ Sports is told ... Iron Mike hit up the Green Solution dispensary and did a private tour with a lucky fan to honor the launch of his "Tyson 2.0" strain launching in the Centennial State.

We're told Tyson's weed team and cannabis expert Jesse Channon were also along for the ride ... and ya gotta imagine they tested the product, right?!

Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya pulled out all the stops for his girlfriend on Valentine's Day ... by gifting her a freakin' Ferrari!!

TMZ Sports is told Holly Sonders -- who went public with ODLH back in August -- initially thought her man was blowing off the special day with a TV show filming and a round of golf with the bros ... leaving behind a Hermes bag and a diamond bracelet to make up for his absence on the special day.

As it turns out, there was one more gift -- an even bigger gift -- on the way ... and when Oscar got home, he told Holly to go out to the garage.

That's when the big finale was unveiled ... a beautiful red Ferrari SF90 Stradale was waiting for her -- with a bunch of roses sitting on top!!

Check out the vid -- Holly is clearly thrilled with the gesture ... recording herself as she takes a seat in her new whip.

Cody and Brandi Rhodes are leaving All Elite Wrestling -- the superstar couple just announced their departure from the promotion in a shocking move.

AEW CEO Tony Khan just confirmed the news on Tuesday ... saying, "Cody and Brandi Rhodes were integral to the launch of All Elite Wrestling."

Sources tell us there was a fallout between Cody and Tony recently ... as Khan's visibility within the company grew. Of course, Cody -- who served as Executive VP of the company -- was pretty much the OG face of AEW when it debuted in 2019.

"Cody's ability combined with his boldness and his passion for our industry and his love for community outreach helped AEW deliver on our mission to give fans what they needed for far too long -- something new, innovative and lasting," Khan added.

"I have immense respect and appreciation for Cody and Brandi, and I wish them both the best as they move on from AEW."

Cody released a statement as well ... saying, "I have loved my time at AEW. Amazing locker room.  Amazing fans. Amazing people."

"The 'revolution' was indeed televised, and I've been incredibly lucky to be part of that."

Here's where it gets interesting -- Cody thanks a number of people in his goodbye statement ... with Khan being first.

"He's taken the baton and run with it, and it was an honor to work for him and to know him on a personal level. He's a beautiful soul," Cody said of his former boss.

We're told Cody is currently discussing a return to WWE. It's unclear if Brandi will follow his lead if Cody signs.

Cody -- the son of legend Dusty Rhodes -- first joined WWE in 2006 ... and went on to become a 2-time Intercontinental Champion, adding several tag team titles as well.

Nate Diaz, one of the most badass and beloved fighters in MMA history, tells TMZ Sports he wants to fight Dustin Poirier ASAP -- in what'll be his last fight ever -- before retiring from MMA.

We talked to the 36-year-old superstar from Stockton at Shaq's Fun House party in L.A. Friday night ... and asked Nate, who has 1 fight left on his UFC contract, who he wants to be his final opponent.

"I would like to fight Dustin Poirier. Like now. Like I've been trying to. If there's any mix-up it's him, and them, and the game," Diaz said.

"I want the fight now. What's up Dana White? Let's get this retirement fight cracking so I can get out of this fight game. I'm done with it."

It's bittersweet for Nate fans ... and he's got millions of 'em. A fight with Dustin would be big ... especially since Diaz says it'll be the last of his future Hall of Fame career.

A career where Nate's beaten everyone from Conor McGregor to Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone ... all while being one of the most real dudes in sports.

We asked Nate ... how would the fight with DP go down?

"He ain't doing s*** to me. I'll tell ya that much," Nate said.

Bottom line -- Diaz has made it clear he wants to fight Dustin. Now, the ball's in Poirier's court.

As for Nate's future ... even though he won't be fighting, he'll still be around. He's got a successful clothing label, Represent, and his protege, undefeated Nick Maximov is one of the UFC's best prospects.

Boxing star Jermall Charlo is in trouble with the law again ... TMZ Sports has learned he was arrested on Friday in Texas.

A Fort Bend County Jail official tells us ... the 31-year-old was booked at around 1:30 PM CT after a warrant for his arrest was issued by the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office.

According to jail records, Charlo was booked on a felony charge of assaulting a family/household member with a previous conviction. His bond was set at $10,000, though records show he's still in custody.

Details of the allegations against Charlo are currently unclear ... we're working on it.

This is the second time Charlo has been arrested in the past year -- as we previously reported, he was taken into custody in San Antonio in August 2021 after he was accused of stealing from a waitress during a dispute at a bar.

That case was dismissed earlier this month due to "insufficient evidence," records show.

Story developing ...

Floyd Mayweather's bodyguard is under investigation for battery after a man claimed he was assaulted by the TMT member, law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports ... but there are inconsistencies with the accuser's story.

Mayweather was at Yard House near Crypto.com arena (formerly Staples Center) in L.A. around 6 PM Thursday. While there, we're told a man claims he was assaulted by a guy on Mayweather's security team ... after the boxer allegedly got upset the alleged victim was filming him.

But, almost the entire interaction is up for debate.

The alleged victim claims he was hit by bodyguard. However, witnesses told police the bodyguard didn't hit the guy ... but rather knocked a cell phone out of his hand.

Witnesses told cops the man "flopped" after the incident with the bodyguard, falling over in dramatic fashion.

The alleged victim told cops the bodyguard then allegedly picked up the phone, and attempted to get the man to unlock him phone and erase the video. But, the man allegedly declined to comply, so the bodyguard gave the phone back, and everyone went separate ways.

As for the superstar boxer, a rep tells us Mayweather stopped by the restaurant, but left because the place was too crowded. Floyd says there was no incident at Yard House.

The man who was allegedly assaulted waited about a half-hour to call police. Cops responded and took a battery report. The man's story was not entirely consistent with witness claims.

Police will now investigate the alleged incident. No one has been arrested.

Logan Paul is taking his rivalry with Floyd Mayweather to the courtroom -- the YouTube superstar tells TMZ Sports he's planning to sue the legend ... claiming he still hasn't gotten paid for their exhibition fight in June.

Logan has been vocal claiming he hasn't gotten a dime from the 50-0 boxer following their popular bout at Hard Rock Stadium last year ... and he says he's so pissed about the situation, he's going to file a lawsuit.

"It's honestly bulls***," Logan said outside Saddle Ranch on Thursday. "Like, having people who aren't a professional promotional company control where the money goes, we made that mistake,"

"It's Floyd Mayweather. Before we fought him, we were kind of willing to do whatever. Now after the fact, we're kind of shooting ourselves in the foot because he's a "f***ing scumbag."

FYI -- Floyd has made a killing over the course of his career ... and reportedly made over $300 million for his Conor McGregor fight alone.

The Logan vs. Floyd fight raked in a ton of cash ... but so far, Paul claims he hasn't gotten what he deserves for his involvement.

Logan has a bit of advice for whoever steps in the ring next -- "don't let him control the money."

Paul also says Floyd has hit him up for a rematch ... but his response was simple -- "suck a d***."

Christmas wrapped up nearly two months ago, but Floyd Mayweather still did his best Santa impression outside of the Lakers game on Tuesday night ... doling out $100 bills to kids!

It was a super generous act for the legendary boxer ... who said, "I'm all about giving back to the kids" as he forked over cash to youngsters who were trying to sell candy bars at Crypto.com Arena.

In total, Floyd handed over $400 or $500 to the kids ... and he didn't blink an eye parting ways with the money -- adding, "The kids out here selling candy, they ain't doing nothing wrong."

Floyd then promised to repeat the gesture "every time" he sees them at the games going forward.

It should be noted ... Mayweather did not take any candy in return for the cash, a sign that he's taking his upcoming exhibition match later this month pretty dang seriously.

Is there anything Jake Paul can't do?!?

Well, perhaps surfing ain't the boxing superstar's forte ... but the Problem Child certainly tried his best to catch a wave during a water park date with his girlfriend -- and TMZ Sports has the vid!!!

We're told Jake hit up the American Dream complex in Jersey with Julia Rose and friends on Friday ... having some fun at the amusement park before going to Carpaccio for some grub.

The fun didn't stop after dinner -- Jake and the gang went to the water park ... where the YouTuber attempted to master a new sport.

Look, he's no Kelly Slater ... but it's pretty impressive to see Jake get a few seconds standing on the board before crashing into the water.

FYI -- Jake was in town to promote the Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor fight ... so it's nice to see he's still able to balance work and play as he begins his next venture in boxing.

The 5-0 boxer is fresh off knocking out Tyron Woodley in their rematch on December 18 ... and has previously said he'd love to try out other sports (from NASCAR to the NFL).

Friday is Oscar De La Hoya's 49th birthday, but the Golden Boy did more giving than receiving on his special day ... by preparing and handing out meals to the critically ill.

TMZ Sports has learned ... ODHL and his GF, Holly Sonders, hit up Project Angel Food in L.A. to give back to the community as part of his bday celebration.

The boxing legend and his lady helped by preparing food and packaging them for those who have a high risk of COVID infection or living with COVID.

Check out the footage -- Oscar's meals even have a personalized label featuring his picture and a special message of encouragement for the recipient.

Of course, COVID-19 hit close to home for Oscar and Holly -- in fact, De La Hoya was hospitalized for 3 days with the virus ... and was forced to back out of his fight against Vitor Belfort.

Because of his experience, Oscar says he knew he wanted to help out in any way he could.

But, don't worry -- there was also some celebrating going on ... with Oscar cutting up an incredible customized cake to share with everyone.

Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya is celebrating his birthday early this year ... by droppin' trou and doing an underwear photoshoot with his smokin' hot GF, Holly Sonders.

The Golden Boy's 49th birthday is on Friday ... and instead of leading up to his cake day with some presents and blowing out candles, he decided to put his modeling skills to the test and go nearly nude with his ride or die.

TMZ Sports is told ... Holly wanted to make ODLH's day so special, she enlisted photogs Collin Stark and Allen Henson to take some iconic images to make the day even more unforgettable for the couple.

If you didn't notice, some of the shots give off Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt "W Magazine" vibes ... which was not by accident.

The pics are pretty steamy -- displaying both Holly and ODLH showing off some skin in their skivvies as they enjoy some cake.

But the sexy fun isn't the only way the couple is enjoying Oscar's special day -- we're told he's spending his actual birthday helping those who have been affected by COVID-19.

"Women weaken legs" ... unless you're Chad Johnson, who says he literally had sex THREE TO FIVE TIMES the night of his boxing match at Hard Rock Stadium, and then stepped in the ring with a professional fighter!

Seriously. And he looked pretty damn good during the fight.

The 44-year-old 6x Pro Bowler sat down for Brandon Marshall's "I Am Athlete" show ... and admitted to the guys he did it multiple times right before his June 2021 bout against pro fighter, Brian Maxwell.

"We did three times, maybe four to five times in three-minute intervals," Chad said, as Brandon sat and listened in disbelief.

Chad says he had pent-up nervousness after arriving at the venue ... and that's when he turned to everybody's favorite relation technique.

Knockin' boots.

Of course, many athletes -- especially boxers -- abstain from sex for days, weeks, or even months leading up to their fights ... as many people believe it severely hampers athletic performance. Sex right before a fight is unheard of.

"Matter of fact, I had to be at the stadium at Hard Rock," Chad said. "I think I fought at 8 o'clock. I needed to get that out of my system to relax me."

#85 went on ... "And it put me in a sense of, a state of calmness going into war. That's fighting. I'm out of my element stepping in a ring with someone that fights for a living."

And from the sound of it ... Chad thinks it helped him in the ring.

"Getting that up out of me was the best thing to do for me," Johnson said, prompting an amused Brandon (who's been boxing for years) to make sure he heard Chad right, asking ...  "You had sex the day of the fight?"

Marshall joked Chad tasted canvass in the fourth round (Maxwell dropped him with a vicious right hook) due to exhaustion from the pre-fight activities.

"That's why your ass got tired in four rounds."

The full interview Monday on IAA's YouTube channel ... where Brandon, Chad, and the rest of the guys chop it up about life as a professional athlete -- from women, money, and entourages to eating habits and working out.

Jermall Charlo is off the hook in his robbery case ... the case was just dismissed based on insufficient evidence, TMZ Sports has learned.

Court records show the 3 robbery charges Charlo was hit with following an alleged altercation at a San Antonio bar last year were dismissed on Monday. The records list the reasoning as "insufficient evidence."

It's a big deal for Charlo ... who was accused of being a complete jerk to a waitress the day before his brother, Jermell Charlo, fought Brian Castaño in San Antonio last July.

Police, in an incident report, said Jermall was with a big group when the waitress came over with the bill. Cops say Jermall handed over his credit card and ID, but said the card was declined despite multiple attempts to run it.

Officers said in the docs Jermall eventually became upset over it all and took two bill collection binders from the waitress, nabbing everything from the inside of them.

Jermall was eventually arrested ... though his attorney, Kent A Schaffer, tells us he believes video and witnesses from the bar ultimately proved Jermall never did anything wrong.

"Police eventually turned over the surveillance tapes that showed everything that our witnesses said was true," Schaffer tells us. "Jermall never robbed anyone at this nightclub and never used force or threat of force against anyone. We have been saying this the whole time he did nothing wrong."

"We presented the evidence to the ADA who came to the same conclusion -- the surveillance video was a huge part of getting the case dismissed. And the 6 witnesses were also a key factor."

Schaffer continued, "Jermall is ecstatic and training for his next fight -- this is something that has been hanging over his head since August -- he can now get back to fighting instead of worrying about going to trial for something he didn't do."

Claressa Shields seems to be burying the hatchet with Jake Paul ... telling TMZ Sports the Problem Child is doing great things for his fighter Amanda Serrano, and women's boxing as a whole.

"I wish [Jake] the best," Shields says, continuing ... "What he's doing for Amanda is great. I think that him getting involved in helping the fight with Katie Taylor is great for Amanda and Katie and it's great for women's boxing."

"I appreciate him for that and I just wish him the best in whatever he does and just keeps his damn hands up, that's it."

The self-described G.W.O.A.T. has gone back and forth with Paul over the last year ... and Claressa says she was most offended by Jake's decision to make fun of her after she lost her 2nd professional MMA fight (in PFL).

"The only beef I have with Jake Paul is don't ever disrespect me. He tried to kick me when I was down and also going to a new sport."

"I lost a split decision. I didn't get submitted, I didn't get knocked out, I didn't get beat up. It was a split and I'm also brand new in MMA and when he made that comment, calling me a loser and stuff, that's what really made me want to fight him."

If you missed it, JP went off on Shields -- who has only 2 MMA fights under her belt -- after the October 2021 fight.

But, Shields has obviously moved on ... and has even found it in her heart to praise Jake for his work promoting women's boxing.

FYI, Jake's promotion, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), signed 33-year-old Serrano.

With Paul's guidance, Amanda has locked down a super fight with fellow boxing star Katie Taylor in April ... at Madison Square Garden.

Speaking of big fights ... Claressa is gunning to set up her very own with undefeated British star Savannah Marshall.

First, the 26-year-old fighter has to beat 21-0-1 fighter Ema Kozin in the United Kingdom on February 5 (on FITE) ... and she delivered a message to the woman standing between her and Savannah.