Doc Gooden just couldn’t wait ’til March to get a piece of his celeb boxing match opponent — attacking Catfish Cooley at a press event — and TMZ Sports has the video!!
The 54-year-old MLB legend and 29-year-old “Nitro Comedy Tour” star are set to square up for real March 7 at the Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City.
The duo met up for a press event Chima Steakhouse in Philly on Wednesday and started trading verbal jabs before Catfish said something that REALLY pissed Doc off — he brought up that epic brawl from 1990.
“I’m 5’5″ and we’re in Philly, but I ain’t Pat Combs, brother!!” Catfish says as Gooden springs at the comedian!!!
“You be ready March 7, I’m coming for you!!” Catfish says.
As we previously reported, Doc says the fight is a good way to stay focused on his health and sobriety.
Cooley, on the other hand, doesn’t have much experience as an athlete … but he can squat 605 pounds, so there’s that.
The boxing legend and Golden Boy honcho decided to show off his pipes with a rendition of the classic Ritchie Valens hit, “La Bamba” … and TMZ Sports has the hilarious video!!!
We’re told ODLH had some time to kill at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino after the Cancio and Alvarado fight over the weekend … so he took the stage in the Twelfth Floor Lounge and told the guitarists to start jammin’.
Look, no one’s expecting Oscar to have the voice of an angel … but the dude put his heart into the damn thing and it looks like he’s having the time of his life.
Unclear how the audience reacted … but we’re told Oscar’s always welcome back for an encore performance if he wants!
You’re looking at the new “Rocky” — actress Ryan Destiny who’s been tapped to star in the new movie about Claressa Shields, the BADDEST FEMALE BOXER ALIVE!!!
Destiny is playing the undefeated champ in “Flint Strong” — a true story about how in 2012, Shields became the first woman EVER to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing.
Destiny is FIRED UP for the role and tells TMZ Sports she’s already tapped one of the premier boxing coaches in Hollywood to train her up.
“Rob Sale, who is an amazing boxing trainer — he trained [Michael B. Jordan] for ‘Creed,’ he’s gonna be training me.”
It ain’t gonna be easy … Destiny — who starred in FOX’s musical drama, “Star” — doesn’t have a boxing background and admits she’s more of a lover than a fighter.
But, she’s athletic … and it’s clear in our video, she’s ready to put in the work!!!
Of course, 24-year-old Claressa is arguably the most dominant woman in combat sports — she’s 9-0 as a pro-boxer and recently began training in MMA in hopes of a superfight with Amanda Nunes.
As for the movie, it’s being written by Barry Jenkins — the guy behind the Oscar-winning flick, “Moonlight” — so this is gonna be a big deal.
That was the WARNING Muhammad Ali gave to George Foreman around 1987 … when a 40-year-old Foreman was considering a boxing comeback after a 10-year hiatus.
“George, that Mike Tyson can hit! That’s punching power there!”
Foreman tells the whole story to TMZ Sports … explaining how Muhammad was like his “big brother” and tried to advise him to stay away from Tyson, who was DESTROYING people at the time.
“It was like a warning, ‘Don’t do that George!'”
Of course, Foreman DID make his comeback and went on a 23-FIGHT WIN STREAK … crushing just about everyone until he faced Evander Holyfield in 1991.
In fact, 45-year-old George beat Michael Moorer for the WBA and IBF Heavyweight title in 1994 — while Tyson was still in prison.
We asked George what would have happened if Tyson and Muhammad Ali ever squared off … and ya gotta hear his answer to that too!!!
There’s more … Foreman also breaks down the upcoming Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua rematch and tells us why it would be very wise for Anthony Joshua to do some film study of Ali vs. Spinks II, the epic fight from 1978.
“If he goes and uses that film, Joshua can retain the title.”
Floyd Mayweather‘s mixed up in another one-sided fight, but he wasn’t the one throwing punches … some guy in his crew delivered this beatdown.
The champion boxer was involved in an incident at a Las Vegas mall on Thanksgiving eve that resulted in a fan getting thumped by a presumed member of his security team … as you can see on surveillance footage, obtained by TMZ Sports.
We’re told Floyd was exiting the House of Hoops store with his girlfriend and his crew when an employee working at one of the kiosks nearby approached for a photo. The employee, Juan Calderon, tells TMZ … he was trying to get a pic for a coworker who felt weird asking, but Floyd shot him down.
Calderon says Mayweather was rude about the rejection, so he let Floyd and his group know that he thought they were “acting like d**ks.”
One of Floyd’s boys allegedly confronted Calderon about the comments, and Juan tells us he told the guy Floyd should take photos with his fans. Juan says the guy tried to smooth things over and shake his hand … but he refused.
That may have been a bad move because Calderon tells us another crew member noticed he was still looking Floyd’s way … so he then approached to confront Juan about his insults.
The apparent bodyguard can be seen in the mall footage wearing a TMT shirt walking next to Floyd and is later seen throwing at least a couple punches at Calderon. Juan says the guy unloaded on him, landing 3-5 blows before leaving.
Calderon says Floyd was right there when the attack went down. Juan tells us he went to the hospital for a CT scan afterward … which fortunately revealed no brain injury.
He also says he filed a police report, and law enforcement confirms it responded to a call for a simple battery incident at the mall on Wednesday night around 9:30 PM.
Sources close to Mayweather tell us … Calderon was antagonizing the boxer and his crew, and they believe he was looking for a fight — and a lawsuit.
The Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua rematch will have TONS of action — but it will NOT have scantily clad women flashing giant cards between rounds.
TMZ Sports has confirmed … promoters have decided NOT to include ring girls at the Dec. 7 event, out of respect for local culture in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has a strict dress code when it comes to women — though the country is easing back on restrictions … especially when it comes to foreigners.
But, the promoters for Ruiz vs. Joshua II aren’t trying to push boundaries or ruffle feathers … so they’ve decided to scrap the ring girls from the event to avoid controversy.
As we previously reported, WWE was faced with a similar decision when they held their “Crown Jewel” event in Riyadh earlier this year … and ultimately decided their female wrestlers would wear more modest costumes instead of the usual revealing, sexy attire.
WWE honcho Stephanie McMahon explained it this way … “We need to be respectful of the cultures in the countries we perform in.”
The event went off without a hitch — and the people behind Ruiz vs. Joshua II are hoping for the same result.
He’s 44-years-old … but Tito Ortizsays his fight game is BETTER than ever — and he wants to prove it against Jon Jones.
“I think I could beat Jon Jones,” Tito tells TMZ Sports … “I think I got a good chance. I really do think I got a good chance.”
Tito has been training his ass off for his Dec. 7 MMA clash with ex-WWE superstar Alberto Del Rio and says he finally feels healthy, clear-minded and strong.
Of course, Jones is only 32 and hasn’t really lost a fight since turning pro — he’s widely considered one of the greatest UFC fighters ever!
But, Ortiz says Jones ruined his shot at being the G.O.A.T. — “He tarnished his career so many times, so much stuff he did in and out of the cage. Bums me out because I love the guy, man.”
As for the critics who say Tito’s too old hang with a guy like Jones, Tito has a message for them too …
“Come to my camp. Come train with me. Come wrestle with me. Come do Jiu-Jitsu with me. Watch me weight train, watch my biking … I’m doing amazing, my mind’s in the right place.”
There’s A LOT more in the raw video (see below) … Tito talks about his issues with Dana White and why he’s down to squash the beef with the UFC once and for all.
He also talks about his rivalry with Chuck Liddell, his upcoming movie with Bruce Willis … and his dreams of becoming a WWE superstar down the road!
12:15 PM PT — Officials have confirmed the body found in a wooded area in Alabama is, in fact, Aniah Blanchard.
Cops say the positive identification means the case will now move forward as a homicide investigation.
Auburn Police
Investigators are still trying to figure out the cause of death and any other facts related to the case. They’re still asking for help from the public if anyone knows anything about Aniah’s death.
Aniah Blanchard‘s mom was surrounded by friends and family at a vigil in Alabama on Tuesday where she shared memories of the 19-year-old and told the crowd, “She was my heart.”
Officials believe Blanchard — stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris — was abducted at a Chevron station in Auburn on Oct. 23rd.
Investigators found remains earlier this week that are believed to be Aniah’s — and while officials are still working to confirm, her mother Angela Harris is already starting to mourn.
“Just her laughter and her smile, that’s what I’m going to miss the most,” Harris told ABC33 … “Just her happiness because she made life better for all of us.”
“She’s never gonna have my grandbabies that I wanted her to have or see her get married.”
Aniah’s closest friends hugged Angela at the vigil as she told the girls, “She loved y’all so much.”
So far, three men have been arrested in connection with Blanchard’s abduction — but Harris says she feels a strong sense of guilt about the whole thing.
“Maybe not even anything I could have done, but I should have prepared her just a little bit better for things she might have come into contact with.”
Officials believe Blanchard was forced into a vehicle by Ibraheem Yazeed — who was seen at the gas station the night of the abduction. Cops tracked him down and arrested him in Florida.
Harris says she hopes other families will learn from this situation to help better protect their children.
“It can happen to you, it can happen to your family. So from tonight on, go home make a plan, get some things together, talk to your kids so we can prevent this and start fighting back for this evil that’s in this world.”
Canelo Alverez thinks the Floyd Mayweathercomeback is HILARIOUS — saying there’s no way Floyd would ever consider a rematch because he’s too focused on MMA guys.
The boxing superstar was leaving Matsuhisa sushi in Hollywood in great spirits when we asked how he felt about 42-year-old Floyd wanting TWO fights in 2020.
“He’s not gonna fight with me,” a smirking Canelo told us … “He’s gonna take on MMA fighters!”
CA’s entourage added a little more commentary — with a female friend saying Floyd “couldn’t handle” a fight with Canelo.
His male pal was blunter, saying, “Canelo will kill him!”
For his part, Floyd is still working on nailing down his two opponents — a boxer and an MMA fighter — and we’re told he’s got his sites set on Manny Pacquiao.
Meanwhile, Canelo’s coming off a violent knockout victory over Sergey Kovalev as he fights his way through his 11 fight, 5-year, $365 MILLION contract.
Unclear what’s next for Canelo — but he’s said in the past he would LOVE a rematch with Floyd, who has the ONLY victory over Alvarez in his pro boxing career.
The two fought back in 2013 — when Canelo was only 23 — and he lost by majority decision. After the fight, Canelo said he simply couldn’t catch Mayweather.
The 70-year-old boxing legend is still a hardcore fan of the sport — and while he’s super impressed with Wilder’s run, he’s simply not ready to put Deontay in the pantheon with the all-time greats.
“He’s good but he hasn’t approached Joe Lewis, Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson. No, he hasn’t approached that kind of recognition yet. No way,” Foreman says.
Despite big wins over guys like Luis Ortiz and Dominic Breazeale, Foreman says Wilder still needs a signature win over a top-tier opponent to get the respect he craves.
“For me, he has to have a performance like Mike Tyson did over Trevor Berbick. Boy, when I saw that, I was down visiting Vegas, and I thought, ‘This guy is a nightmare!'”
In case you need a refresher, Tyson’s 1986 victory over Berbick is one of the most violent EVER — he dominated the WBC heavyweight champ for 2 rounds before finally putting him down.
Foreman says Wilder definitely has all-time great potential … but he’s “gotta fight more title defenses and especially no rematches. Rematches don’t count. Unless they’ve beaten you or something, ya know. Rematches don’t count!”
“I think the Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury rematch would be one of the greatest of all time. Not just today, but of all time. If I see that fight, I would say Deontay Wilder has moved up in status and whoever wins the fight will probably be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.”
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