Fights

Oscar De La Hoya is calling BS on an L.A. radio star who claims the boxing legend treated him like crap during his run with Golden Boy Promotions ... telling TMZ Sports his lawsuit is full of lies.

Oscar just broke his silence on the lawsuit filed by David Gonzalez -- famously known as "Tattoo" -- who accused De La Hoya of doing some seriously messed up stuff in his role as head of the company.

In his suit, Gonzalez -- who was hired to do announcing and PR stuff for Golden Boy -- claims Oscar would force him to run personal, non-work related errands ... sometimes while Oscar was "highly intoxicated and under the influence of various substances."

So, when we saw Oscar at LAX over the weekend, we asked him for his response to the accusations ... and that's when the boxer swung back.

'Black Ink Crew' star Sky Days ain't having it with NYC taxi drivers who allegedly cut her off in traffic ... as evidenced by this video of her ready to fistfight one of 'em.

Sky jumped out of her vehicle and got right in the cab driver's face, Friday afternoon on Madison Ave. The video starts just as Sky bum rushes the guy -- but sources familiar with the situation say it started with a reckless move from the driver.

We're told Sky was absolutely losing it because the taxi had nearly sideswiped her vehicle. Watch the video ... seems like Sky was about to throw down -- 'Black Ink' fans know she's not afraid to get in the mix.

Vontaze Burfict, listen up ... Shawne Merriman's got the PERFECT job for you while you serve your NFL suspension -- a contract to fight in his MMA league!!!

"He's going to have a lot of time on his hands and he needs to put it to good use," Merriman tells TMZ Sports. "So, bring some of that aggression over here!"

Merriman currently helps run the Lights Out Xtreme Fighting league ... and he tells us he's straight-up ready to get the troubled Raiders linebacker a scrap in his cage.

And, why? The ex-Chargers superstar says it's pretty clear ... Burfict is a BAD man -- and he could be a seriously entertaining MMA fighter.

"I just talked to my partners right now," Merriman tells us. "We want to make Vontaze Burfict an offer to come and fight."

Of course, Burfict ain't exactly out of NFL options just yet ... he's still in the process of appealing the season-long suspension the league just handed down to him this week.

But, if the NFL does uphold its initial decision ... Merriman seems all-in on the idea of seeing him scrap in the LXF, telling us, "We got a place for you!"

The crowded heavyweight boxing landscape might have to make some room for an old tenant ... because Wladimir Klitschko might be making a return, according to his trainer.

We talked to Jonathan Banks, the man who trained Klitschko, and is training GGG for his huge fight this weekend against Sergiy Derevyanchenko Saturday night, and Banks hinted to us that Klitschko is contemplating a return. 

"After a conversation with him like a week ago maybe, now I can say anything's possible."

Wlad's last two losses are to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, and he wasn't dominated in either fight, as a matter of fact, he dropped AJ in their fight, which was an all-time classic.

"I told him these exact words, 'If this is what you make up your mind to do, you have my 100% support.'"

WK is 43, making him much older than the dominant heavyweights today, but still, if you watch Banks talk, it seems he believes Klitschko can do it.

Ric Flair has touched down in Los Angeles ... and there's one thing on his mind -- BEATING UP HULK HOGAN!!!

The Nature Boy tells us he's not only healthy and ready to get back in the ring (in fact, he says he's been by cleared by doctors) ... but he's also back on great terms with WWE.

Remember, Ric  told us in September he had some problems with WWE superstar Becky Lynch using the nickname, "The Man" ... because Rick says he owns the rights to that term and thinks the WWE should pay him for it.

But, when we saw Ric at LAX on Thursday with his wife, Wendy Barlow, Flair said things are definitely cool now ... and he chalks it all up to a case of "agree to disagree."

Evander Holyfield is just a few weeks shy of his 57th birthday ... but he's still ready to throw down -- and will fly to Japan for a charity exhibition in 2020.

Holyfield hasn't fought professionally since May 2011 (he beat Brian Nielsen) -- but "The Real Deal" says he's kept himself in prime shape ever since and he's ready to get back in the ring.

The details about the exhibition fight are unclear but Holyfield says he still thinks he's got the at signature knockout power.

Don't get it twisted, Holyfield says the goal is to raise money for people in need -- and not to annihilate his opponent -- so the bout will be more of a performance than a no-holds-barred fight.

"The big thing is to give people in Japan the opportunity to see the only 4-time heavyweight champion of the world."

In related Holyfield news, Evander's 21-year-old son Evan "Yung Holy" Holyfield is about to make his pro boxing debut on the undercard of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Sergey Kovalev fight.

Evan is taking on Nick Winstead in a 4-round junior middleweight matchup.

"Yung Holy" previously told TMZ Sports he thinks he can be better than his Hall of Fame father.

"My dad always tells me every generation gets better. It's pretty much easy to believe, number one it's in the bible, and the bible don't tell no lies."

Deontay Wilder's giving TMZ Sports his hit list ... knock out Luis "King Kong" Ortiz in devastating fashion, beat up Tyson Fury and then fight the winner of the Andy Ruiz-Anthony Joshua rematch.

We got Wilder and his fiancee Telli Swift outside Bomane Hair Salon in L.A. ... and first things first, we asked the undefeated heavyweight champ how he expects his November 23 rematch with Ortiz will go down.

"I expect to have a devastating knockout, as always. When it comes to me and the sport of boxing, I'm a master of it. I love to do it. I'm blessed to have what many fighters would love to have in this sport and that's power."

"Like I said, from start to finish. From 1st round to 12 rounds. From 1 second to 36 minutes, I'm a dangerous man."

Ortiz is a 6'3", 240-lb. badass from Cuba with only 1 loss to his name -- and that L was at the hands of the Bronze Bomber -- who beat Luis back in 2018.

Wilder knocked out Ortiz in the 10th round ... but not before he was pushed to the absolute brink of defeat in the 7th round by the Cuban heavyweight.

If Wilder's prophetic in his devastating KO prediction over Ortiz ... he's got a blueprint that'll make him unified heavyweight champion of the world.

That plan ... start with Tyson Fury. Then take on the winner of Ruiz-Joshua II.

The Baltimore Ravens say Marlon Humphrey NEVER choked Odell Beckham Jr. in their game Sunday ... and they say they've got the up-close video that proves it.

Odell and the Ravens DB went at it all afternoon during the Ravens-Browns game over the weekend ... but tempers REALLY flared late in the 3rd quarter.

On a run play, Odell and Marlon grabbed a hold of each other ... and a violent wrestling match ensued.

Beckham appeared to throw a punch at Humphrey's helmet after grabbing his face mask ... and then Marlon grabbed him by the collar of the jersey and took him to the ground.

Fast-forward to Tuesday morning when the Ravens dropped new video showing the players while they were tussling on the grass ... Humphrey's hands slid from Odell's collar and into the receiver's neck area.

The Ravens say this is evidence Marlon did NOT choke OBJ ... with team writer, Ryan Mink saying, "[Humphrey] did not wrap his hands around Beckham’s neck and did not choke him."

Of course, Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens vehemently disagrees ... because after the game, he said, "He was getting choked on the ground. They get away with that because it's Odell."

As for Beckham, he never claimed he was choked ... saying after the game, "It’s hot out there. We’re just competing. I’m just upset that I lost my earring."

For what it's worth, we watched the video several times and never saw OBJ's earring fly off. Also, still no word if it's been found.

For Humphrey's part, he said of the incident, "I definitely told the referee [Beckham] should have been ejected ... But, it is what it is. Emotions flare. I enjoy going against a top guy like that."

The ring wasn't the only place for action at Staples Center Saturday night ... 'cause a massive brawl took place in the crowd of the Errol Spence-Shawn Porter fight and TMZ Sports has the video.

We're told the fracas got started after the 4th round when 2 fans started arguing about who was winning the fight.

All hell broke loose after that ... with a co-ed scrap going down and bodies flying everywhere.

The fight lasted for almost a minute.

The angry little bagel guy may have made a big mistake by pulling out of his "celebrity" fight at the last minute ... because the promoter's lawyered up and wants to hit him where it hurts, legally speaking.

Chris Morgan surprised everyone involved with his scheduled boxing event Saturday night in Atlantic City by announcing on Twitter hours before that he'd fooled them all ... and had no intention of showing up to get beat up.

We're told promoted Damon Feldman is PISSED about the ruse, and has retained an attorney to explore legal options to take against Bagel Guy.

Our sources say Morgan didn't give anyone a heads up on backing out, so Feldman and other promoters found out he wasn't coming when everyone else did ... which forced them to scramble to find a replacement.

DaBaby's concert Saturday night got way out of hand, with a female fan getting knocked out cold by the rapper's hired muscle.

DaBaby was performing at the Free Water Block Party In New Orleans and things were going okay, until 30 minutes into his set, when he jumped into the crowd -- something he does at all of his concerts.

Apparently, this time around, the crowd got a little too aggressive for his security. You see a female fan run over to him, trying to get a photo.

Errol Spence Jr. is on a mission to get Manny Pacquiao into the ring and nothing ... not even the L.A. turn-up scene, is going to get in the way of that.

We got Spence out in L.A. only a night removed from a razor-thin victory over Shawn Porter in what some are calling the best fight of the year, and he still had one thing on his mind ... Manny.

"I want Manny Pacquiao."

Spence has been calling out Manny for a while, wanting both the big money and the prestige boost that would come from fighting -- and maybe beating -- an all-time great.

Pac-Man has said he's not gonna fight again until 2020, and hasn't said against who ... but after watching the success Porter had against Spence (just look at Errol's face), you gotta wonder if Manny is more inclined to dance with ES.

We'll see about that ... and we'll also see Errol coming from a mile away ... dude's neck was DRIPPING with ice.

Vanes Martirosyan -- a stud boxer who just fought Gennady Golovkin last year -- was arrested earlier this month and cops suspect he headbutted his wife.

TMZ Sports has learned 33-year-old Martirosyan -- a middleweight with a career record of 36-4 -- got into an argument with his wife in their Glendale-area home on Sept. 15.

Our law enforcement sources say the altercation started as a verbal fight ... but then things took a violent turn.

We're told the 5-foot-11, 175-pound boxer allegedly grabbed his wife by the arm and is believed to have headbutted her square in the face.

We're told she was able to flee the home ... and after cops showed up to the scene, they found her with a bruise on her arm and a messed-up nose.

Looks like the Bagel Guy pulled a fast one on folks hoping he'd get in the ring with Dustin Diamond -- aka Screech -- 'cause he just announced he's not fighting the guy.

Chris Morgan took to Twitter Saturday night to laugh in fans' faces as he pulled out of the celeb boxing event in Jersey that he and others had been hyping up for weeks now. In a bizarre video he posted, Chris says ... "I fooled you all! I ain't coming to the fight!"

He went on to say that the best way to NOT get hit is to not be there, and then continued to mock everyone who paid to see him duke it out with Screech.

Chris didn't make it immediately clear why he canceled last-minute, but in two videos he'd gone live with prior to the boxing match -- in which he's sitting alone in his car and arguing with fans who engage him -- he alluded to not wanting to be a laughing stock.

Errol Spence says anyone who thinks Shawn Porter can't beat him is DEAD wrong ... 'cause Spence says Showtime definitely has what it takes to pull the upset.

Porter is a heavy betting underdog in the fight this weekend -- even though Shawn is an elite fighter himself -- and current WBC Welterweight champion.

Most think Spence is too big and skilled to lose the fight, but when we talked to Errol he told us he's not even listening to that talk ... cause he knows how good Porter is.

"This is a huge fight. He has the pedigree to upset me if I'm not on pinpoint and I'm not sharp and I'm not accurate. Me, I'm going to stay focused and not care about the odds."

Those odds are pretty lopsided -- you have to bet $800 on Errol just to win $100 -- but Spence says being the favorite hasn't changed his process.

"I'm 100% focused on the hunt."

Errol has another reason to lock in as well ... he's eyeing a big-money match-up with Manny Pacquiao down the line.

But, lose Saturday, that $100 million fight goes up in smoke.

No pressure though, right???

We also talked to Porter ... and no surprise, he also believes he can beat Spence. In fact, he says it's a 100% lock he wins.

UFC fighter Steven Peterson's spinning backfist was so vicious there's buzz it could be "KO of the Year" ... except the guy who landed the crushing blow says he doesn't deserve it.

That honor is reserved for Gamebred ... Peterson tells TMZ Sports.

"Man, I would love to get knockout of the year, but I can't beat Jorge Masvidal's knockout. You can't beat the flying knee knockout. I bet I'll get runner up, and I'm happy with that. I'm ecstatic to have runner up behind Jorge Masvidal."

Of course, Masvidal knocked out Ben Askren with a flying knee 5 seconds into their July fight.

Spectacular ... but so was Peterson's.

If you missed his fight, the 29-year-old featherweight switched off Martin Bravo's lights with a perfectly placed spinning backfist in the 2nd round at UFC Fight Night 159 Saturday night.

So, what was it like landing the perfect shot full force to the button of Bravo's chin???