TMZ Sports - Page 50

Deontay Wilder is warning his fans not to blink during his fight with Joseph Parker later this month ... 'cause the star boxer says he's going to KO his opponent in a flash!!

The 43-2 pugilist made it clear to TMZ Sports this week that that's his plan ... explaining he's not foreseeing any ring rust whatsoever when he steps up to Parker (33-3, 23 KOs) on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia.

"I'm expecting to be very fresh," said Wilder, who hasn't fought in over a year. "I'm expecting to be intact. I got a great team on my side and we're looking for greatness. Nothing less."

Wilder wasn't sure of the exact round in which the knockout would happen ... though he guaranteed it'd be "early."

"It's a Deontay Wilder fight, guys," the Bronze Bomber said. "When he's fighting, he always keeps you on the edge of your seat because you don't know when it's gonna happen but when it happens, bam, baby! Goodnight!"

Following the tilt, reports are Wilder will be in line to next take on Anthony Joshua ... though Wilder said nothing is set in stone there just yet.

"It's a lot of different ways it can go," Wilder said, "but at this point, I'm just focusing on Joseph Parker. After that, we'll talk."

Grab a pen and paper, chicken wing lovers -- food guru Guy Fieri is dropping knowledge on how to make the perfect drums and flats ... AND keep you from burning your house to a crisp in the process!!

The celebrity chef recently joined the "TMZ Sports" TV show on FS1 to talk about his annual Super Bowl party ... but before he got off the interview, Babcock had to get Guy to weigh in on a recent traumatic food experience.

Here's what happened -- Babcock was enjoying the UFC 294 fights with some buddies back in October ... when a longtime TMZ Sports producer from Buffalo decided to whip together his hometown's signature grub on the stove.

Babcock explained there were a few mishaps with the oil during the frying process ... resulting in a smoke-filled apartment and a growing fear the apartment would burst into flames at any moment.

Sources close to the situation tell us the wings were damn good, but came with a side of watery eyes due to the clouds creeping in from the kitchen.

Guy gave a step-by-step tutorial on what Babcock's coworker can do moving forward ... and also revealed some key pointers on how he can make them even better next time.

Justin Bieber's been out of the spotlight for the majority of the year -- focusing on his own health -- and it looks like he's capping off 2023 going downhill ... literally, that is.

The singer was spotted in Aspen Saturday, where he was snowboarding ... a bit of a tradition for him this time of year. He appeared to be shredding here all by his lonesome, but he did have some company going up the mountain -- chatting up a fellow chairlift rider.

JB looked fairly stone-faced and serious cruising down the slopes ... staying up on his two feet and handling himself well. Dude's an avid snowboarder -- so he knows what he's doing.

BTW, his wife Hailey is there in tjown as well ... they jetted on over together on Friday.

As for Justin, this is just more of the same with him lately -- the guy's been super active when it comes to athletics and other activities ... and he's always hitting the town with Hailey as well. The one thing he isn't doing much of these days ... singing/performing.

Remember, it was way back in March when he officially suspended the rest of his 'Justice' tour dates internationally ... this not too long after pumping the brakes on it all in 2022.

He cited mental health concerns ... but he's battling physical ailments on and off for a while now too.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar took a nasty spill at a concert in Los Angeles -- and the NBA legend ended up in the hospital with a broken hip, TMZ has learned.

His rep, Deborah Morales, tells us ... Kareem was attending the show Friday night -- but it was unclear who was performing and where. Anyway, the former Lakers star center accidentally fell to the floor, shattering his hip.

Paramedics quickly responded and transported Kareem to the hospital for treatment.  His condition was not disclosed.

Morales said Kareem was "deeply appreciative" of the support he received from the Los Angeles Fire Department on site and the "amazing medical team and doctors at UCLA Hospital who are taking great care of (him)."

Based on what his rep is saying, it sounds like Kareem is going to be OK.

Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann are back to their squabbling ways ... with things so toxic their marriage is now completely beyond repair ... so say sources close to them.

Our sources tell TMZ, the pair's latest falling out doesn't have anything to do with the newly released police body cam footage emerging of their explosive fight from Nov. 20 -- instead, it's over their continued money woes, their home, and the overall state of their marriage.

The pair appeared to have reconciled after the explosive incident at their home ... even enjoying a hibachi lunch date ... though, it didn't last long.

In fact, our sources say their close friends say no amount of therapy will fix things between them ... they just need to accept that and move on with their lives separately -- adding it's the healthiest thing that can happen for them and their kids.

One of their kids actually made the 911 call alerting cops to their infamous fight weeks at their home earlier ... and recently released footage showing police struggling to calm down a fuming Kroy.

Jake Paul made short work of Andre August in a professional boxing match Friday night ... knocking him out in the first round!!

Paul went toe-to-toe with August in the ring at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, but the cruiserweight bout was over just minutes after it began.

Check out the video ...  the boxers dance around the ring trading blows for a bit, yet nothing wildly exciting happens.

That all changes at the 2:32 mark of the first round when Paul throws a powerful right uppercut, clocking August right in the kisser.

August hits the canvas like a sack of potatoes and struggles to get back up to his feet as the referee stops the fight.

Paul celebrates by raising his arm and waving goodbye to August with his gloved hand.

WWE Superstar Liv Morgan got smoked by the police ... 'cause she was busted driving with marijuana in Florida and thrown into the pokey, TMZ has confirmed.

Law enforcement sources tell us .... Morgan was cruising down the street in her jeep in Sumter County Thursday night when a sheriff's deputy pulled her over after seeing her swerve across the white and yellow lines.

We're told the deputy walked up to the vehicle, smelled reefer and conducted a search, finding less than 20 grams of marijuana in Morgan's possession.

Our sources say the deputy seized the small plastic bag of weed along with a vape pen containing an "oil-like substance."

Morgan was promptly arrested and booked into the Sumter County Jail for possession of cannabis 20 grams or less. She was later released after reportedly posting a $3,000 bond.

Tony Ferguson may have lost his last 6 fights, but Paddy Pimblett is NOT overlooking the future UFC Hall of Famer ... telling TMZ Sports he's preparing for the "best version" of El Cucuy!

We talked to 28-year-old Pimblett ahead of his UFC 296 scrap with the 39-year-old legend ... and asked what he expected out of Ferguson.

"We've prepared for the best Tony Ferguson possible," Paddy said.

"What I just say is he's on a bit of a decline, and that's why I've said this fight is a lose-lose for me, cause when I win, people are gonna be like, 'you only beat a washed-up Tony' when he's still a dangerous motherf*****, and then if I did happen to lose, people would be like, 'Oh, Paddy's finished. He's just been beat by a finished Tony.'"

Ferguson, who once went on a 12-fight win streak in the UFC (where he beat the likes of Josh Thompson, Rafael dos Anjos, Kevin Lee, Edson Barboza and others), has dropped his last 6 fights, albeit to some of the best fighters in the world (Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira).

As for 20-3 Pimblett, he's won 6 in a row, including all 4 of his UFC fights. However, his last victory over Jared Gordon wasn't without controversy, and Paddy is looking to make a statement to remind people who he is.

"Biggest fight of my life, definitely. Biggest opponent. Coming back off three major surgeries. Gotta make a big statement after me last fight, simple as that," Pimblett said.

There's a bunch more with Paddy The Baddy ... we also talk about Ferguson training with David Goggins, and a recent impromptu meeting Pimblett had with Ian Garry (we talked to Pimblett before IG was pulled from his fight) at the UFC's gym in Las Vegas, where PP shared advice with the embattled 26-year-old fighter.

Former MLB GM Dan Duquette -- who was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2022 -- tells TMZ Sports if he were in the Dodgers' front office ... he would've had some reservations about signing Shohei Ohtani to a $700 million contract.

The ex-Boston exec explained that while he believes the two-way star is truly one of the most unique talents the MLB's ever seen ... the elbow surgery he recently underwent would make Duquette nervous.

"I was a little uncomfortable with the values given the injury," Duquette said.

Ohtani, of course, had the procedure back in September ... the second major one his throwing arm's undergone since 2018.

Both the player and the Dodgers don't seem too concerned about it -- they each expect him to take the mound again in 2025 ... but Duquette told us it's a risky situation he might not have wanted to be a part of if he were making decisions in LA.

"This guy is a huge player," Duquette said, referencing Ohtani's 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame. "He hit a couple of home runs, he pitched a really good game, and then he got hurt."

"I don't know that the performance at the top-end of the scale for these great big guys is sustainable. Because there's so much power and force going into a pitch, going into a swing."

However, one thing Duquette was fine with was the structure of the deal -- which will reportedly pay Ohtani $20 million for the next 10 years ... before it gives him $680 mil from 2034-2043.

Duquette told us the deferrals will benefit everyone -- from the team, to the player, to the league as a whole.

Alexandre Pantoja says it'd be an "honor" to fight Demetrious Johnson -- if Mighty Mouse ever were to return to the UFC -- a guy he's looked up to for years, in and out of the cage!

TMZ Sports talked to 33-year-old Pantoja, the UFC's flyweight champion, ahead of his first title defense against Brandon Royval at UFC 296 on Saturday (more on that in just a minute) ... but we also talked about DJ.

"For me, if I have the opportunity to train with Demetrious Johnson it's gonna be awesome for me. If I think about fighting him it's gonna be like heaven. I have respect for him. He's one of the best guys fighting in the world fighting pound-for-pound," Pantoja said of the ONE champ.

But, it's not just about Johnson's exploits in the cage ... it's about how he conducts himself as a person, too.

"He's a family guy. He's a very good example for me. Not just for me, for everyone. He cares about his kids. He cares about his wife. Don't make mistakes, don't make trash talk. Don't try to go to the media with fake news. He is a true warrior and true man and family guy. A very good example of what this world needs right now."

That's about the best compliment a person could get from a peer.

As for what a fight would look like between the champs ... we asked Alexandre, and he answered with a Dragon Ball Z comparison.

Of course, the 125 lb. division was on life support for years ... but thanks to guys like Pantoja, Brandon Moreno, and Deiveson Figueiredo (who has moved up to bantamweight), who built upon what DJ started, the flyweight division is thriving.

If you need proof ... Pantoja and Royval are the co-main event on one of the year's most anticipated cards.

There's more with Alexandre ... who breaks down the matchup with Brandon, and while it's clear AP has a ton of respect for BR, he doesn't plan on giving up his belt come Saturday night!

We also talked to Royval ... who tells us why he's the best in the world and soon-to-be UFC Flyweight champ!

If Shawne Merriman was in Dean Spanos' shoes, he would NOT hire Bill Belichick or Jim Harbaugh to replace Brandon Staley ... telling TMZ Sports he thinks his former team needs to go younger with its next hire.

Of course, both coaching veterans have been rumored to be on the Bolts' radar following Staley's firing on Friday ... but Merriman made it clear, he would prefer it if L.A. looked elsewhere.

"The game has gotten much younger," the ex-Chargers pass rusher said. "If you look around, a lot of these head coaches are younger. They relate well to the players."

Belichick is 71 years old, while Harbaugh is 59 ... ages that Merriman obviously thinks just won't cut it when it comes to directing guys like 25-year-old Justin Herbert or 27-year-old Derwin James on the field.

But, don't get it twisted, he still loves both guys and their résumés -- he just said, "I don't know if that's the proper move in this situation."

"I really don't."

Merriman didn't have any names that he would rather hire -- though he did say he wants no part of being considered for the role ... as he's a bit preoccupied with his MMA promotion, Lights Out, which has a big event coming up on January 6.

Mark Zuckerberg's torn ACL won't derail his MMA career ... the Meta founder just revealed he's got plans to continue fighting once his knee heals up.

The 39-year-old provided an update on his recovery on his Instagram on Friday -- just about six weeks after he went under the knife to fix his busted-up knee -- and he said everything is "going well so far."

He then added that he's got about nine months to get healthy enough to step back into an Octagon and resume his fighting dreams.

"I can already walk and bike," he said. "Working towards running for the next couple of months. Then full leg strength."

He added, "Taking the time to do this well and come back stronger."

Zuckerberg, of course, has taken his MMA career very seriously over the last few months -- winning gold and silver in a Jiu-Jitsu tournament earlier this year ... while also famously challenging Elon Musk to a scrap.

Zuck has trained with UFC stars Israel Adesanya and Alex Volkanovski to get pointers on how to get better in the cage as well.

Britney Spears is firing a shot at Justin Timberlake and what she considers his lack of basketball skills, claiming he was a sore loser when she'd take him down on the court.

The pop star took to Instagram Friday to throw some shade at the "Suit & Tie" singer ... without naming names, she writes, "I never mentioned how I beat him in basketball 🏀 and he would cry … no disrespect 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️ !!!"

Britney's phrasing is no coincidence ... you'll recall, Justin addressed the controversy surrounding him and Britney's memoir, "The Woman In Me," during his performance in Las Vegas Wednesday night.

Right before singing, "Cry Me a River," JT looked to the crowd and said, "No disrespect" ... and the song was one Britney slammed for the connection to their broken relationship. It was alleged Justin wrote it after he had caught Britney cheating.

So yea ... Brit talking about Justin crying after losing a game, two days after Justin performed "Cry Me a River" -- the writing's practically on the wall.

Boxing star Shadasia Green wants to make Franchón Crews-Dezurn just another name on her highlight reel on Friday ... by giving the super middleweight fighter her first knockout loss!

That's what Green told TMZ Sports ahead of her December 15 fight -- where she's on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Andre August -- which is set to go down at Caribe Royale in Orlando.

"I would love to get a knockout," Green said. "She's never been knocked out before. Never been dropped."

That is true ... Crews-Dezurn has never lost by KO -- her two losses have only been by decision.

"I would love for my power to change that," Green said.

Green has plans after Fridfay's event, too ... she's going big game hunting. The 34-year-old boxer has her sights set on Savannah Marshall (14-1, 10 KOs) and Claressa Shields (14-0, 2 KOs), two of the sport's biggest stars and most talented fighters.

(BTW, we also talked to the man fighting Jake Paul, Andre August!)

In fact, the Most Valuable Promotion boxer told us she'd love to go toe-to-toe with Marshall in the UK ... and fight Shields at Madison Square Garden in NYC.

"That's the fight everybody wanna see. Why not?!" Green said. "I ain't never ran or duck nobody."

Offset partied in Miami until 5 AM to celebrate his 32nd birthday without a care in the world -- while his wife, Cardi B, was back at home clearly upset over the state of their marriage.

Offset had not one but two birthday bashes Thursday ... he and his crew were seen inside the Miami Design District hotspot 'Coco Miami' until 3 AM and then hightailed it to South Beach club 'Playa' until 5 AM.

Offset wore shades all night, looking unbothered at both of the parties as he was surrounded by women -- complete with a sprinter van full of 'em.

Also in attendance at the party was producer Southside, Diddy's son Justin Combs, Ari Fletcher and Miami Heat players Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Thomas Bryant.

We now know Offset was celebrating as a single man ... Cardi went live on IG in an explosive rant that pretty much signaled their relationship is over.

She accused her estranged hubby of playing mind games and "feeling himself" because of his new solo album -- which she helped him promote.

Losing by 42 points to the lowly Raiders was apparently the last straw for Brandon Staley in Los Angeles ... 'cause the Chargers just revealed they've fired their head coach after the embarrassing defeat.

The final decision came down on Friday morning, less than 24 hours after the Staley-led Chargers were whooped, 63-21, in Las Vegas.

Bolts honcho Dean Spanos announced in addition to giving Staley the axe, he's also booting general manager Tom Telesco following the historic L as well.

"I want to thank Tom and Brandon for their hard work, dedication and professionalism, and wish both them and their great families nothing but the best," Spanos said.

"These decisions are never easy, nor are they something I take lightly -- especially when you consider the number of people they impact. We are clearly not where we expect to be, however, and we need new vision."

Of course, many expected these moves to come down -- because, after all, Thursday Night Football loss aside, Staley's three years as head man of the Chargers have been largely disappointing.

He piled up a mere 24-24 record in two-plus seasons despite having one of the most talented teams in the league ... and some of his losses -- including a disastrous collapse to the Jaguars in last season's playoffs -- have been soul-crushing.

In fact, Staley said in the postgame press conference Thursday night even he wasn't sure his job was safe.