TMZ Sports - Page 50

Brandon Marshall has accepted a challenge to race his new teammate for jersey #15, but the veteran wideout has thrown a few conditions on top ... sensing a straight race is not in his favor.

Marshall was recently traded to the New York Jets, where he quickly learned his #15 already belonged to fellow WR Saalim Hakim.

Hakim made a video with a challenge: they race, and if Marshall beats him, he can have the number for free. If Hakim wins, Marshall can still wear the number ... but he's gotta fork over $25,000 for it.

We quickly pause to present you a Tale of the Tape:

Marshall: Ran a 4.52 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 2006. He's 30-years-old.
Hakim: Reportedly ran a 4.23 40-yard dash and is just 25-years-old.

You see where we're going here ... and apparently so did Marshall.

Saalim tells TMZ Sports that Marshall has accepted the challenge, but Marshall wants to race AND compete in another challenge of his choosing ... which is to remain a mystery.

Mike Tyson says the only person who can get him back into the music studio is Madonna ... telling TMZ Sports he probably won't spit hot fire on the mic ever again unless the Material Girl asks him to.

Mike was out in NYC when we asked the former champ -- who dropped a guest verse on Madonna's song "Iconic" earlier this year -- if he has any plans on jumping back into the music game.

Madge clearly made an impression on Iron Mike -- who says he'd even join Madonna ONSTAGE and perform his verse at a live concert if she so desired.

BTW -- Madonna recently admitted she secretly dated Tupac ... she's more gangster than we thought.

Rocky had Mickey. Daniel had Mr. Miyagi. And now Laila Ali has a wise mentor to guide her if she squares off with Ronda Rousey ... with ex-champ Antonio Tarver formally offering to train Muhammad's baby girl.

Tarver -- a former 5-time boxing champ -- tells TMZ Sports he's been friends with Laila for years and strongly believes he could train her up to beat the UFC star in a boxing match.

"She knows I got her back and front," Tarver says.

In fact, he's even got a game plan for Ali, who hasn't stepped in the ring in 8 years -- "[Laila] needs a serious training camp and a tune up fight."

"I think it's time to dust off [the gloves] and you got my services."

Tarver says Rousey is an "amazing athlete" -- but he's 100% confident he could train the 37-year-old back into face-bashing shape and get the biggest victory in female fight history.

Before Mayweather had Bieber ... Evander Holyfield says he had a music superstar sidekick of his own ... MC Hammer!!

Holyfield tells TMZ Sports he brought the "U Can't Touch This" rapper to the ring with him when he beat Riddick Bowe in Vegas back in 1993 ... after losing to Bowe in their previous bout.

But while Evander says his celeb tagalong wasn't exactly a "lucky charm" -- he seems to be saying that Hammer affected the energy going into the fight ... which might've given him a boost he didn't have the first time around.

As Holyfield put it -- Hammer helped to "bring a new shake into the game."

#TooLegit

Johnny Manziel has become a cautionary tale ... at least according to rap legend Method Man ... who says he hopes Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota won't make the same mistake JM did.

The Wu-Tang Clan co-founder is a huge football fan -- especially when it comes to the Jets -- so we had to ask how he felt about all the crazy moves in the NFL this week.

SIDEKICK [noun]: a person who helps and spends a lot of time with someone who is usually more important, powerful, etc.

But a delusional Justin Bieber REFUSES to acknowledge that he's Floyd Mayweather's sidekick ... despite the fact he fits Merriam-Webster's definition of the word to a T.

Just hours before we saw Bieber out at Greenblatt's Deli on the Sunset Strip Wednesday night, the pop star accompanied Floyd to Floyd's news conference to promote Floyd's big fight ... featuring Floyd, the biggest superstar who is driving the biggest boxing event in the history of the world.

Still, Bieber says he's no second fiddle.

Sure pal.

Call 'em the Filipino "Partridge Family" ... because it seems ALL of the Pacquiao's are obsessed with singing -- and Wednesday, Manny's Aunt Lilia flexed her pipes with a street rendition of "Let It Go!"

This video is amazing ... Manny's extremely spirited auntie is PUMPED for the fight -- and told us why she's convinced her nephew's gonna beat Floyd's ass!

Then, after more Pacquiao family members gathered around Auntie Lilia ... they broke out in song!

Finally some good news for NFL star Chris Johnson -- officials in Florida have dropped the misdemeanor gun charge against him stemming from a January arrest.

Johnson was arrested on January 9th after he allegedly rolled through a stop sign and cops found 2 guns in his car. According to reports, the guns weren't properly stowed, so he was arrested for "open carrying" of firearms. Johnson maintained his innocence and later pled not guilty to the charge.

Now, court officials in Orange County, FL tell TMZ Sports ... the State Attorney has officially dropped the case against the running back.

Johnson posted a comment on the situation via social media Wednesday night ... writing, "Gun charges was dropped yesterday due to no evidence of me doing anything wrong."

He continued, "Also me have concealed weapons license the arrest should have never happen #GOD100."

Seems Manny Pacquiao may have a plan on how to spend that $100 mil paycheck after all ... 'cause he's been looking at real estate in Bev Hills -- including the BALLER mansion Diddy used to call home.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Manny and his crew went to scope out the 10,000 square foot estate this past weekend and sources say he "really liked" what he saw.

The mansion is insane -- 7 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, home theater system, massive backyard and a SICK mancave with a pretty awesome wet bar.

Diddy used to live in the home back in the day -- and sold it in 2001 for $2.313 million.

The new owners renovated the hell out of the place -- and now it's on the market for a cool $12.5 million ... pocket change to a fat cat like Manny.

Our real estate sources tell us Manny is definitely interested in the house -- but didn't make an immediate offer ... in part because he's got that whole fight thing he's trying to focus on.

But we're told Manny is expected to make a decision whether to pull the trigger or pass in the near future.

Prison's not just for license plate making and shower rape ... it's also for GAMBLING ... so says ex-NBA star (and ex-con) Jayson Williams ... who says inmates LOVE to bet on the TMZ show.

Williams knows a little something about doing time -- he spent eighteen months in a New Jersey prison before spending eight months at Rikers Island stemming from a DWI arrest.

So, how did the former New Jersey Nets superstar pass the time in the big house?

JW says he and his fellow prisoners would bet on the time stamp that shows up on screen at the beginning of "TMZ on TV" which shows the exact time Harvey Levin starts the morning meeting (see below).

But get this ... Williams says he found a way to beat the odds -- connecting with his snitches on the outside who had already seen the show.

Hey, when gambling with crooks ... anything goes.

Laila Ali said NO woman could beat her in a fight … not even Ronda Rousey! And now Ronda is smack talking right back, telling Laila to bring it on!

You may or may not see the chick fight of the century -- but you will definitely see Ronda whip a male reporter's ass! Awesome.

It's the question everyone hopes they'll have the chance to answer -- how do you plan on spending your $100 MILLION paycheck?!

That's the question we fired at Manny Pacquiao earlier today -- and while he's clearly pumped about the money, Pacman says he's keeping his eye on the real prize ... a victory.

Still, one of his promoters had a suggestion that made him chuckle.

We also asked Manny about his un-retirement from singing ... and he explained why he was so proud to get back in the studio to record his entrance music for the Mayweather fight.

As we previously reported, the song is called "I Fight for Filipinos" ... and it's ... well, his intentions are good.

Every boxer's gotta have a lucky charm ... and for Floyd Mayweather, it's clearly Justin Bieber ... who popped up at the news conference Wednesday just in time for the photo op.

Bieber and Mayweather have been boys for years -- in fact, Justin has famously walked Floyd to the ring in previous fights.

Justin didn't sit on the stage during the speeches -- but as soon as Floyd and Manny posed with the honchos, JB was glued to his hip ... reppin' for The Money Team.

As for Manny, there were no pop stars in his crew -- then again, he does his own singing ... sorta.

Boxing superstars Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao just came face-to-face for the official unveiling of their May 2nd fight ... and the traditional stare down lasted 54 VERY tense seconds.

Watch it closely. So, who blinked?

Manny Pacquiao says he honestly believes UFC champ Ronda Rousey could BEAT UP Floyd Mayweather in an MMA fight ... saying, "She's strong enough."

Manny made the comments on "His & Hers" on ESPN -- saying, "She's strong. She's strong enough to beat Floyd Mayweather in MMA."

And Pacman's not the only one who believes it -- Ronda does too!

Kurt Busch will be back on the track this weekend -- 6 days after criminal domestic violence charges were dropped ... NASCAR has reinstated the suspended driver.

Busch toed the line following his suspension -- complying with all of NASCAR's requests, including participating in an anger management program ... according to NASCAR.

As we previously reported, NASCAR took Busch out of his #41 car indefinitely when his ex-GF Patricia Driscoll got a restraining order against him ... based on Busch allegedly attacking her last fall after a race in Dover. Busch is appealing the restraining order.

But since then ... prosecutors decided there wasn't enough evidence to file criminal charges against Busch.

NASCAR says Busch will remain under "indefinite probation."

After the decision, Driscoll released a statement saying, "Even though Kurt remains on indefinite probation under this decision, I’m deeply concerned about the message NASCAR is sending by letting him compete for the championship after he was found by a judge to have committed an act of domestic violence.

She continued, "But I am gratified, at least, that NASCAR’s decision comes with the mandatory condition that he follow through on the treatment he so clearly needs."