TMZ Sports - Page 50

Adrien Broner is FINALLY paying off his $1 MILLION jewelry debt ... agreeing to give it all back in 3 installments -- TMZ Sports has learned.

We broke the story ... the boxing star was hit with a lawsuit last year after he allegedly stiffed a jeweler out of more than $1 MILLION in fine jewels.

Pristine Jewelers NY said Broner promised to pay for multiple items which totaled $1.252 Mil ... but his checks never cleared -- and then he refused to follow through on a payment plan.

But, according to legal docs filed this week ... Broner has finally reached a settlement with the company -- and has agreed to pay off his debt.

Per the details of the agreement ... Broner made his first payment on March 4 and will pay $500,000 by Dec. 31, 2019, and then the final $500,000 no later than 6 months after that.

It's interesting ... according to docs -- Broner struck the agreement with the jeweler on Feb. 15 -- just a couple weeks after he reportedly earned a $2.5 MILLION check from scrapping with Manny Pacquiao.

Unclear who Adrien will fight next ... but if he's looking to cash in on an exhibition match -- we know there's a boxing analyst out there that'd be a PERFECT fit.

Baron Davis says this Lakers team could DEFINITELY make the playoffs ... if they were led by a 34-year-old version of Kobe Bryant.

That's this same team ... same roster, except Kobe is leading them instead of LeBron James, whose current Lakers team is 5 games out of the playoffs with under 20 left to play.

Baron is starring in a new Fuse TV show called "WTF Baron Davis," and when we got him out at LAX we asked if Kobe could've achieved the goal with the same squad.

"I say yeah, of course."

Before you think this is a LeBron bashing session ... IT AIN'T ... Davis says the Lakers definitely could've been successful this year with James, but injuries and trade rumors derailed the season.

"You can't just put all the blame on LeBron, I think the Lakers got disconnected from what they was trying to do."

Remember, Kobe DID do it ... going Ham in the 2012-13 season down the stretch, DRAGGING a banged up and dysfunctional Lakers team to the postseason, before tearing his Achilles.

Maybe that's what prompted Baron to give his last vote of confidence.

Jacksonville legend Marcedes Lewis says the Jags would be a great fit for Nick Foles ... but tells TMZ Sports the price has to be right, saying the deal should be worth just $16-$17 mil per year.

Of course, Foles is set to hit the open market next week after the Eagles decided to let the QB walk... and Jacksonville has already become the favorite to land the former Super Bowl MVP.

In fact, some reports have indicated the Jags are so high on him ... he could command a $20-plus MILLION deal per season.

But, Lewis seems to think that'd be a mistake -- saying Jacksonville should only ink him to a short-term, $16-$17 million per season contract.

And, why?? Marcedes says Foles shouldn't be viewed as the long-term answer ... but rather a bridge to a QB Jacksonville pick in next month's NFL Draft.

As for the QB Marcedes would select there ... he tells us why he prefers Dwayne Haskins over Kyler Murray.

There's more ... the Pro Bowl tight end also weighed in on NFL combine freak show D.K. Metcalf -- and as a fellow big man with an insane physique -- he even gave the young WR some advice!!!

George Foreman's daughter, Freeda -- who followed in her dad's footsteps and became a professional boxer -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... Freeda's body was found in her home near Houston, Texas by a family member. Cops are awaiting a report from the coroner's office on the cause of death, but we're told no foul play is suspected.

Freeda began boxing professionally as a middleweight in 2000 and won her first 5 fights before losing her sixth bout in 2001. She retired after the loss with a pro record of 5-1 with 3 KOs to focus on being a mother and other projects, including boxing promotion.

Her parents also didn't enjoy her being in the ring ... so George reportedly paid her to quit.

Freeda was born in Texas and is one of George's 5 daughters. He also has 5 sons, all named George, and Freeda's middle name is George as well.

She appeared in a couple documentaries about her dad, and had a guest role on a 2003 episode of "King of the Hill."

Freeda wrote on her Twitter bio ... "Aside from my love of family, being a good mother, wife, and friend, I aspire to make a positive difference in our American Criminal Justice System."

She's survived by her husband, 2 daughters, 3 grandchildren, her parents and 11 siblings.

Freeda was 42.

2:00 PM PT -- An MSG spokesperson tells TMZ ... "Our policy is and will continue to be that if you are disrespectful to anyone in our venues, we will ask you not to return."

New York Knicks owner James Dolan got pissed when a fan urged him to sell the team to someone who can help them win ... so he flexed his owner muscles and 86'd the guy.

The abysmal Knicks were in the final minutes of another home loss Saturday against the Sacramento Kings when Dolan headed for the exits early. In the vid -- obtained by TMZ Sports -- a fan is heard giving James a parting shot ... and it really gets under his skin.

Check it out ... the fan yells, "Sell the team!" and instead of ignoring it, Dolan calls the man rude for sharing his opinion and tells him his days of taking in Knicks games at Madison Square Garden are over.

Then James sics security on him!

Witnesses tell us the fan was held while 2 cops and security came over to ID and question him before asking him to leave. It's unclear if he's been permanently banned from Knicks games ... we're working on it.

We're told there were other fans heckling Dolan, but he singled out the guy who doesn't want him to be the owner anymore.

Dallas Cowboys star David Irving says he will NOT reverse course on his decision to quit the NFL over their policy on marijuana ... and he's got a message for Jerry Jones in case they never speak again.

The 25-year-old defensive tackle famously lit up a joint and announced his sudden retirement from the NFL during an Instagram Live session on Thursday night. Shocking, considering he could've made MILLIONS continuing his career in the league.

But, Irving tells us he's 100% done playing pro football -- and now he's moving on to the next phase of his life.

"No regrets whatsoever," Irving says ... "I know what I wanted to do. I've had plenty of time to think about it."

Irving says he's heard the critics who have called him stupid -- and worse -- for closing the book on such a lucrative profession ... but he doesn't care.

"I'm living my life. They can do whatever the hell they want to do in their life."

Irving tells TMZ Sports he consulted with his father -- a military veteran -- before making his decision. David feels strongly he should be able to medicate using marijuana instead of opioids, which he considers addictive and dangerous.

UFC star Paige VanZant says she fell in love with herself all over again ... and it's all 'cause she's a super sexy bikini model now!!!

TMZ Sports spoke with PVZ about what it was like to get picked for this year's S.I. Swimsuit Edition ... and she says it was a major, much-needed confidence boost.

"Even being in the UFC, I've always have had those body insecurities," Paige tells us.

"After the shoot, seeing all the pictures, seeing the way they look and the reaction I'm getting ... I have been like feelin' myself lately!"

Not everyone is happy with the results though ... just ask her husband, Austin Vanderford.

"My husband is getting really sick of it, 'cause I love myself a little bit TOO much right now," Paige joked.

PVZ says the shoot was an incredible experience ... and despite having to make a few adjustments to make it easier on her broken arm, she's thrilled with the results.

Check out the clip ... Paige says she was totally comfortable hangin' out in her bikini with a crew following her around ... but what happened when she came face-to-face with a yacht full of tourists???

Check out the vid ... and check out the issue when it drops in May!!!

Conor McGregor has a pretty powerful supporter -- with Chuck Liddell telling TMZ Sports the Irishman is right ... his fight with Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone should be promoted as the MAIN event.

Remember, Cowboy told ESPN this week ... fight negotiations broke down because Conor refuses to be billed as a co-main event.

The issue is that neither Conor nor Cowboy currently hold a title -- so they would share the main event billing with whatever title fight would take place on the same card.

Cowboy claims Conor ain't down with that -- and won't share top billing with anyone else. So, for now, the fight doesn't seem to be happening.

Enter, UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell ... who tells us he REALLY wants to see that fight because Conor and Cowboy are two of his all-time favorites and the bout would be awesome!!!

"I'm excited for that fight," Chuck told us on the way out of 1OAK in L.A. ... "I hope it happens."

As for the main event issue, Chuck says ... "It's a main event fight for sure. No matter what."

"Come on, Conor McGregor and Cowboy?! Two of my favorite fighters! I love watching those guys fight."

Chuck thinks Conor is ultimately using the main event issue as a way to negotiate more money because he's a smart businessman ... and believes the two sides WILL come to an agreement.

Junior Dos Santos is a BAD man, and Derrick Lewis knows beatin' him ain't gonna be easy, but when he does ... "The Black Beast" knows who's next in line for an ass-whoopin' -- Stipe Miocic.

Lewis is headlining UFC Fight Night 146 this weekend in Kansas against Dos Santos -- a 6'4", 250-pound ex-UFC heavyweight champion -- who's beaten 5 former UFC heavyweight champs.

The champs JDS has beaten ... Fabricio Werdum, Cain Velasquez, Frank Mir, Shane Carwin, and Stipe Miocic.

So, it's gonna be a TOUGH fight ... but Derrick tells TMZ Sports after he takes care of biz Saturday ... he knows exactly who's on deck for a date in the Octagon.

"Stipe is the next guy."

The fight ain't a pipe dream either ... Lewis told us Dana White actually tried to make the fight back in January -- but Derrick wanted to chill after fighting Daniel Cormier.

But, Stipe ain't the only guy on Lewis' hit list ... "The Black Beast" says he also wants to run back the Francis Ngannou fight.

"I have to get that fight out of the way again before I retire, ya know? Just to make it right for the fans. Not right for myself. Right for the fans."

Remember, Lewis won the July 2018 match ... but there were only 31 total strikes landed combined and it's widely considered one of the most boring fights ever in the UFC.

Lewis wants to rewrite history ... under one condition.

Floyd Mayweather has 8 more years to beat the hell out of Conor McGregor, that's according to boxing champ Shawn Porter who says Floyd is so much better than Conor, he could beat him at 50!!!

McGregor let it slip on Twitter that he might be interested in running it back with Floyd and making another $100 mil.

Thing is, that fight was 2 years ago ... and Floyd is now 42 ... so if they were to do it again, is Money too old? When we saw Shawn Porter out in L.A., we had to ask him.

"Mayweather will own the sport of boxing against Conor McGregor any day of the week for the next 5-10 years at least. When he's 50 he could still do it."

Porter was full of shade for Conor, saying that he needs to keep his mind off the ring and on the Octagon because he's not exactly setting the world on fire in there these days.

"McGregor should stay the course he's on in the Octagon and try to make that happen. I don't even pay attention to that too much, but I know he's been struggling there as well."

Rasheed Wallace is in for a world of annoyance at his new job as a high school hoops coach ... this according to his fellow ex-NBAer, Kenyon Martin ... who says kids don't listen to a damn thing nowadays.

Sheed was officially announced as the next head coach at Jordan HS in Durham, NC on Friday ... and when we got K-Mart at LAX, he had some slightly bad news for Wallace.

"It's gonna be tough, but I wish him all the best," Martin tells us.

Why exactly??? Kenyon -- whose son is a prodigy at Sierra Canyon in California -- has been around youngins since his boy has been playing ... and says they all have one thing in common.

Ex-MLB All-Star pitcher Esteban Loaiza just got sentenced to 36 months in prison after officials found him hiding 44 pounds of cocaine ... and he'll surrender next month.

As we previously reported, Loaiza -- who made more than $40 MILLION during his 14-year MLB career -- was arrested last year after cops say he was trying to move more than $500,000 in cocaine from a house located near a school.

Officials say Loaiza was using "sophisticated" smuggling devices to hide the 22 kilos of coke.

On Friday, the 47-year-old appeared in court in San Diego for his sentencing. He was facing life in prison -- but seems to be getting off easy ... with just a 3-year prison sentence.

Officials say he'll be deported to his native Mexico following his release.

The story about how he was caught is crazy.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Dept. says he was busted during a drug-smuggling sting by the Border Crime Suppression Team.

Loaiza was initially stopped by police during a traffic stop for a minor traffic violation -- but a search of his car led to the discovery of a "sophisticated aftermarket compartment used to conceal contraband."

Cops then got a warrant to search a home that Loaiza had been renting since early February -- located "steps away from an area preschool" -- and found roughly 20 kilograms of suspected cocaine.

Estimated street value -- $500,000.

Loaiza was initially booked into San Diego County Jail for 3 felonies -- Possession of Cocaine Over 20 Kilograms, Possession of Cocaine for Sale, and Transportation of Cocaine.

He later pled guilty to felony cocaine possession with intent to distribute.

Loaiza, the second-winningest pitcher from Mexico in MLB history, played for 8 different teams in his career -- earning over $43 million.

The guy who hit boxing legend Bernard Hopkins so hard he literally knocked him out of the ring says he rewatches the highlight KO to get him fired up to fight!!!

TMZ Sports talked to Joe Smith Jr. -- a 29-year-old fighter with 24 wins and only 2 losses -- about his iconic, devastating knockout of Hopkins back in December 2016.

In the 8th round, Smith Jr. hit B-Hop with a flurry of punches that lifted B-Hop off the ring canvas and sent him flying through the ropes and onto The Forum floor ... never to fight again.

Smith Jr. -- who's fighting undefeated boxer Dmitry Bivol this Saturday on DAZN -- says he ALWAYS watches highlights of the knockout to get PUMPED before fighting.

"I like watching it before my fights," JS tell us, "It gets me pumped up. it gets me motivated. I tell myself, I need another one of these every time I step in the ring."

We also talked to Bivol -- considered one of boxing's biggest rising stars -- about who he wants after Smith Jr.

Hint, he's Mexican and has red hair.

What does Chris Pratt give his friends on their birthday? STOMACH PUNCHES!!

That's how he celebrated with his pal Adel "Kyokushin" Altamimi -- the pro-MMA fighter who Pratt walked to the cage at Bellator 214 back in January.

Pratt and Adel are close friends -- and to celebrate Adel's big 30th birthday, his training partners at Jay Glazer's Unbreakable Gym in L.A. handed out a flurry of body blows!

It's a birthday tradition at the gym -- hold the cage, flex your abs and everybody gets a shot!

Among the gift-givers ... Chris, Jay and ex-NFL player Nate Boyer.

As for the birthday boy, he's got a pretty amazing story -- he was born and raised in Iraq and was contracted as a convoy driver for the U.S. Marine Corps.

During his service, Altamimi was captured by Al Qaeda and was threatened with death -- until he was saved by a group of U.S. Marines.

After the rescue, Altamimi moved to the U.S. and began his MMA training -- where he became close with guys like Jay Glazer and Chris Pratt.

San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer and his wife have both met with law enforcement as a part of the investigation into their physical altercation that was caught on video, TMZ Sports has learned.

The SFPD launched a probe into the March 1 incident -- in which Baer was seen trying to wrestle a cell phone away from his wife, Pam, knocking her to the ground in the process.

TMZ Sports obtained footage of the altercation -- which took place in a public park area in San Francisco -- and you can hear Pam scream for help.

Cops responded on the day of the incident and spoke with witnesses. Now, we've learned investigators reached out to both Larry and Pam ... who also agreed to speak with authorities.

Larry's attorney, Cris Arguedas, tells us Baer and Pam had separate meetings with law enforcement, but fully cooperated ... and they're confident no charges will be filed.

The case has been kicked over to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office -- which will review the evidence and decide whether or not to bring charges against Larry.

Arguedas tells TMZ Sports she's "never been more confident" Larry will not be prosecuted.

Pam has already commented publicly about the case -- chalking the incident up to a marital spat ... and stating that she still loves her husband.

Larry has stepped away from the Giants while cops and the MLB investigate the situation -- but he's also expressed remorse.

Baer has been involved with the Giants organization for decades. He was named chief operating officer in May 1996, team president in October 2008 and CEO on January 1, 2012.

SHEEEED!!!!

Rasheed Wallace has a new gig -- he's been hired as the head basketball coach at Jordan High School in Durham, NC!!

The ex-NBA star was announced at a news conference (inside the school's library!) Friday morning ... donning a royal blue blazer and smiling from ear-to-ear.

"It's a great day to be a Falcon," Sheed said Friday.

Of course, Sheed has ties to Durham ... he was a superstar at North Carolina for 2 years, making the Final Four in 1995.

Wallace went on to have a great 16-year NBA career ... winning a title with the Detroit Pistons in 2004 and making the All-Star team 4 different times.

It'll be a rebuild for Wallace .. he's taking on a team that went 7-17 this past season, according to MaxPreps.

Sheed had MANY memorable moments during his time in the Association -- who can forget BALL DON'T LIE?!?!?

Worth noting ... Wallace ranks in the top 5 in technical fouls in NBA history, so here's hoping he keeps his chill on the sidelines.