“I’m going to flatten you again. Watch your f–king mouth,” Mayweather was reportedly heard saying on a phone call with Broner, who replied, “I’m trying to tell you, bro, you talking to me crazy, ni–a.”

Compounded by Broner’s apparent insobriety, it’s difficult to gauge what exactly transpired between the two that led to such an exchange. Against that backdrop, Adrien Broner‘s latest comment on the Kick livestream appears to be the most likely cause of the tension.

Saying that he would punch Floyd Mayweather, Broner, looking disturbed, was seen speaking loudly with a team member, who felt it was a joke.

“If you (are) going to be with me, be with me, ni–a. If you (are) going to be with me, be with me, ni–a. I’m getting off on cut. But is you going to follow up though?” Broner asked.

That tension extended beyond the cameras to the event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, where champion Claressa Shields headlined a card promoted by Salita Promotions. She faced Kaye Scott for the unified title in the middleweight division.

Mayweather arrived with his entourage to support Shields, who moved down from the heavyweight division for a new challenge.

However, before the DAZN broadcast unfolded, the arena hosted an influencer-celebrity boxing event promoted by Zeus Network. Among the fights was a matchup between rappers Ray J and Orlando Brown.

To show support for Ray J, Adrien Broner arrived alongside DeenTheGreat and other team members. Reports suggest the former four-division champion had helped train the Mississippi-born rapper. At State Farm Arena, he and Brandy walked Ray J to the ring.

The clearest evidence of reported tension appears to have emerged during the celebrations. After his win over Brown, Ray J met Mayweather. While Broner was not visible, DeenTheGreat was standing by his side.

The footage of the meeting appeared to suggest that Deen was ignored by Mayweather, as several outlets reported.

“The tension reportedly comes after Floyd hasn’t been happy with the way Deen has been streaming with Adrien Broner, especially over concerns that AB isn’t getting the proper help he needs. ,” one post read.

Even with those developments, it’s still not clear what prompted Broner to say that he would knock Mayweather out.

Floyd Mayweather and Adrien Broner: A complicated saga that refuses to end

Mayweather and Broner have had a complicated, on-and-off relationship that began at the Mayweather Gym in Las Vegas, where the undefeated icon mentored young Broner as he expanded his career in professional boxing. However, the relationship eventually turned into a series of bitter fallouts, and that camaraderie did not last long.

At one point during that conflicting phase, Broner called out Mayweather for a fight for a $100 million exhibition fight. After starting his live stream venture, Broner reiterated the callout.

“All I’m saying is this. I know you (Floyd) ain’t want to fight me then, but it’s good to fight me now,” he told rapper Blueface. “I’m back on top of yours. Yeah. My name ringing more than yours, too, in the media. I know you got more followers than me. Come on. Let’s get this money. Hey, 100 million a piece. Let’s do an exhibition.”

Beyond the latest phone call, the episode largely hinges on Broner’s recent conduct.

While expressing interest in becoming a five-division champion and claiming newfound financial success through livestreaming, Broner’s recent behavior has continued to cause concern on social media, especially after reports revealed his erratic behavior and binge drinking episodes.

The most notable instance saw him reportedly being taken to a hospital on a stretcher during a livestream. Based on the discussion DeenTheGreat had with Blueface, it appeared that the physicians said Broner’s continued drinking could soon lead to a life-threatening situation.

In that context, and with Broner looking inebriated on the call with Mayweather, one should wait and watch as the situation may develop further in the coming days.

The post “Watch Your F—ing Mouth”: Floyd Mayweather Lashes Out at Drunk Adrien Broner on His Livestream appeared first on EssentiallySports.

But, as it happened, things really did not improve. After suffering a loss on his promotional debut, the Ukrainian, who won a bronze medal at the London Olympics, revealed that he had been cut from Dana White‘s boxing promotion.

“They terminated the contract in February after a loss,” Gvozdyk told popular Ukrainian MMA and boxing outlet vRinge. “That is, every promoter has the option that if a boxer loses, they have the right to terminate the contract. That’s exactly what they did.”

Those comments follow the fight that took place at the Zuffa Boxing 02 on February 1. Headlined by former title holder Jose Valenzuela and Diego Torres, the card, featuring Serheii Bohachuk vs. Radzhab Butaev in the co-main event, had Gvozdyk facing Serbian American fighter Radivoje Kalajdzic on the main card.

Taking control early, the Ukrainian dropped Kalajdzic with a left hook and straight-right combination. As the rounds progressed, Gvozdyk was ahead of the Serbian on the scorecards. But with barely ten seconds remaining, the situation quickly changed in the seventh round when Kalajdzic knocked out Gvozdyk with a powerful right.

Reflecting on the setback, the Ukrainian, who once trained alongside stars Oleksandr Usyk and Vasyl Lomachenko and was part of the nation’s golden era of amateur boxing, said, “I was winning. I could see in his eyes that he was already looking for a corner to capitulate. In moments like these, you sometimes start to neglect defense. And light heavyweight is a division where people hit hard. I wanted to finish the fight. It seemed like a stoppage victory was just around the corner. It turned out that wasn’t the case.”

Initially, everyone appreciated his performance. Feeling motivated, he resumed preparations for the next outing after a brief rest. But by April, things took an unexpected turn.

“They told me I’d received an email terminating the contract,” he added.

Gvozdyk revealed the move came amid his push for a rematch with Kalajdzic.

What may add a layer of intrigue to the situation is how Gvozdyk previously told Boxing Social during an interview that Zuffa told him they were impressed by his performance against Kalajdzic.

Gvozdyk had his reservations about Dana White’s boxing experiment

But despite that, he remained uncertain about his future, as he said, “They have now been in touch with my manager, and they are looking for me to come back at the end of May or middle of June. I’ve requested a rematch against the same guy, but I don’t know if they are going to approve it or not.”

Gvozdyk also spoke about the culture in Zuffa Boxing, revealing how, unlike other traditional promoters where one person is assigned a single task, under Dana White, the team in boxing’s newest promotion has several people taking care of one job. They work like an army unit, the Ukrainian said.

Despite White’s much-publicized stance about working with rival promotions and other sanctioning bodies, Gvozdyk still joined Zuffa because, at age 39, he realized there were not many options left for him in his career. The financial aspect further compelled him to join Zuffa’s roster.

One point from that interview that now ties closely to his current situation came when Gvozdyk remarked, “I haven’t met Dana White; I saw him from a distance, but I saw him; he didn’t see me. I think they will use the same model they used in the UFC for boxing.”

That point is relevant because, while Gvozdyk could be the first boxer to have been cut from the Zuffa roster, cutting fighters is standard practice in the UFC, where even those with considerable tenure can be removed from the roster.

The promotion deserves the benefit of the doubt, as, being a for-profit organization, it is answerable to shareholders and has to protect its profit margins. That goal demands that the promotion frequently check its roster and remove fighters who are either on a losing streak or, more significantly, have little to offer in terms of future prospects.

Taking that aspect into account, since Zuffa operates under the same management and appears to work more or less like the UFC, the team may have felt that extending the journey for someone like Gvozdyk, who is at the final stretch of his career and has little chance of making it back to elite level, may not make much sense anymore.

The post Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing Makes First Roster Cut as David Benavidez’s Ex-Opponent Loses Debut Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Sidelined from boxing since his upset loss to Blair Cobbs two years ago, the former four-division champion remained in the headlines largely for his life outside the ring, which included his public battle with alcoholism. Adrien Broner finally got his act together, sharing videos that seemingly ensured a steady income as well. His persistent alcohol issues, however, continued to cause worry. But no one would have imagined things would reach this point.

“Former four-division boxing champion Adrien Broner was seen being carried from the rear of a live stream toward a hospital and subsequently failed to appear on that day’s broadcast with streamer DeenTheGreat,” the message on Streamingcentral’s Instagram post read.

“This incident aligns with a longer pattern of public worry over Broner’s health during his high-profile Kick collaboration with Deen The Great, where months of streams have featured heavy alcohol consumption, physical strain, and erratic behavior that previously prompted comments from fighters including Ryan Garcia.”

With DeenTheGreat’s worried-looking face on camera, the accompanying video, featuring assistants rushing around and putting a large screen to obstruct the background while Broner was rushed out on a stretcher by his security team, made the whole situation appear confusing. The situation, however, became clearer after a video of Deen speaking with Blueface started circulating.

With blaring music playing in the background, the Kick live streamer could be seen pulling the rapper aside and saying, “AB (Broner) left (for) the hospital,” before adding that he could possibly die if he continued drinking.

Taken together, the concerns largely center around Broner’s cycle of drinking, attempted sobriety, relapse, and renewed attempts at control.

According to Broner, who once claimed he didn’t drink till he won his first world championship, drinking eventually became a part of his life that came with a lifestyle loaded with fame and money. It did not take long before the issue spilled into his personal life, where he faced legal problems due to intoxication and driving under the influence.

In a 2023 DAZN interview that appeared months before his comeback fight against Bill Hutchinson, Broner revealed how he had been struggling to rebuild his career while dealing with bouts of alcoholism. Around the same time, he also publicly claimed that he had beaten problems with “myself and alcohol” and intended to return to championship fights.

While he defeated Hutchinson, Broner’s career remained inconsistent. It took him twelve months before he landed the Blair Cobbs fight. His inactivity and financial problems only aggravated his existing drinking problem.

Things became more pronounced following the loss to Cobbs as Broner’s alcohol use became much harder to separate from his public persona. There were reports of drinking-related incidents and erratic behavior, including a 2025 case involving an alleged restaurant or bar tab, with reports saying he appeared intoxicated.

When Adrien Broner’s drinking problem became impossible to ignore

The most notable instance occurred when, following an inebriated appearance on one of the episodes of the It Is What It Is podcast, Broner reportedly made inappropriate remarks about one of the hosts, Treasure “Stat Baby” Wilson, and show analyst Arabia Tillery. As a result, Cam’ron told the former world champion to leave the show.

Hopes resurged after Broner marked his entry into livestreams this year. That optimism was soon dashed, however, after images of Broner engaging in binge drinking during livestreams emerged.

In an interview with the No Jumper podcast, which appeared two months ago, Broner opened up about his relationship with alcohol, discussing how frequently he drank and how difficult it had been after he stopped, including the withdrawal symptoms.

Broner, however, refused to acknowledge whether alcoholism had likely ruined his career. “How did it kill my boxing career? And then then then what happens when I become a five-time world champion?” He said when the host mentioned Charleston White’s comments about drinking derailing his career.

Last month, Broner launched a highly publicized 24/7, 45-day streaming challenge called “Locked-In-A-Thon” inside his warehouse gym. The goal was reportedly to maintain sobriety while training through the day, with the intention of getting back in shape.

But as the current situation showed, things did not really change much. During one of the live streams, Broner even spoke about how a meeting with heavyweight legend Mike Tyson became emotional when the icon opened up about his own past struggles. His words clearly affected Broner, who was seen crying as he narrated the incident.

Now things have come to a head, with the doctors reportedly warning that any further alcohol abuse could lead to a life-threatening situation.

This is still an evolving story. Fans are closely watching the development, with many trying to gauge Broner’s current condition.

The post Former Boxing Champion Adrien Broner Carried Out on a Stretcher to Hospital on Livestream appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The former heavyweight champion joined a list of celebrities who appear on the show, talk about hip-hop, and more importantly, rip open packs of rare sports and trading cards. As they sat down for a chat, the opening episode of “Rippin’ 2gether,” Season 2, sparked a deeply emotional moment, particularly for Mike Tyson when Conway the Machine narrated his story about a harrowing shooting incident.

“I got shot in the head and in the neck, and I thought I wouldn’t even be able to rap again in 2012, and I got a little dark in my mind and a [expletive] up headspace and all that [expletive] like not knowing if I wanted to do it anymore,” the rapper said.

He was talking about the life-threatening situation that developed after he was shot in the head and neck. As a result, Conway the Machine, whose real name is Demond Price, suffered paralysis on the right side of his face, commonly known as Bell’s Palsy.

Left with a permanent speech impediment, the incident forced him to relearn normal activities like eating and talking.

However, the setback only stirred him to fight back and put his career back on track, leading to founding a new label called Griseida Records and Drumwork. During that period, one of the biggest inspirations came from Mike Tyson’s life.

“I didn’t know if I wanted to keep going and stuff, and then I watched a guy like you, who, you know, respectfully, I’m sure you’ve been seeing both sides of the coin—the ups and the downs more than probably a lot of us,” the rapper added. “How do you navigate through that? Like how you push through it? What gave you the resilience, the motivation to be like, ‘Nah, f**k that. This ain’t the end for me?'”

In response, the former heavyweight champion revealed that his biggest motivation came from the realization that he needed to stay ahead of everyone else, rather than allow anyone to see him slide downhill.

When Schwartzman pointed out how Tyson had been carrying that mindset and outlook in every endeavor he had ever undertaken, the boxing legend could barely hold his tears. “I’m the monster,” he said, before adding, “That’s my security.”

Sitting among the hosts, Tyson clearly felt embarrassed as he became emotional.

Yet, his tears say a lot. While he may not have faced a scary situation like Conway the Machine did when someone shot at him, Tyson has also come through dangerous situations in life. Growing up in a dangerous neighborhood, the heavyweight champion faced uncertainty from an early age.

Compounded by a troubled family life, Tyson was often a victim of bullying that pitted him against much bigger guys.

“I was abused any way a human being can be abused as a kid,” Tyson said in an interview with GQ. “So, I don’t know, I’ve been bullied all the time. It has a profound effect on me, being bullied. I wish it didn’t, but it had a real profound effect. I’m kind of… I’m a really sensitive guy, and I’m… How can I explain this? For being bullied, I could be really, really malevolent, you know?”

Following a life in crime, things didn’t change until he picked up boxing. Once he picked up the tools of the sport under Cus D’Amato’s care, Tyson became a changed person. From someone who was once afraid, he became one of the most feared fighters in the world.

Looking back, as Tyson himself described, he adopted that mentality to ward off rivals and naysayers. However, like Conway the Machine and many others, Tyson’s adversity ultimately helped shape him into a stronger person, allowing him to reach unprecedented heights.

The post “I’m the Monster”: Mike Tyson Cries After Rapper’s Near-Fatal Shooting Story Strikes a Chord appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Interestingly, what adds a layer to the situation is how the narrative has begun to extend beyond UFC 330 and now centers around Islam Makhachev‘s future. Amid speculation surrounding a potential retirement, the UFC welterweight champion heightened the drama when he spoke about a boxing match chaperoned by Turki Alalshikh against Conor McGregor. In a recent interview with UFC Eurasia, Makhachev revealed a few details.

“I have a new story to tell regarding McGregor,” the champion said. “I went to a boxing event, and I was with Turki Alalshikh. (Alalshikh) called Conor and asked him if he wants to box me.”

“I told him to ask Dana White, who was near us. He laughed about it. We couldn’t really talk (because) he started showing some body language.”

While not a top-tier boxer, Makhachev believes that when it comes to punches, he can hold his own against other MMA fighters. The Russian’s comment follows another interview with MMA Junkie where he shared the details about meeting Turki Alalshikh alongside manager Ali Abdelaziz at Zuffa Boxing 09, which took place at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Describing the meeting as a “secret,” Makhachev sounded optimistic as he revealed that Alalshikh told him to update when he is ready to box.

While personally he did not appear opposed to the idea, when the host Mike Bohn highlighted Dana White’s stance against permitting UFC fighters to cross over to boxing, Makhachev said he left the decision to the UFC CEO.

White was heavily involved in Conor McGregor’s 2017 blockbuster bout against Floyd Mayweather, showing that a matchup with Makhachev could be made. Beyond that history, the relationship between Turki Alalshikh and White under the Zuffa banner also makes the prospects of Makhachev vs. McGregor look strong.

That said, there are a few roadblocks that could potentially complicate a boxing match between two of the most well-known UFC names.

Islam Makhachev vs. Conor McGregor: What could derail the boxing dream?

The first and perhaps most significant is White’s stance on UFC fighters lacing up for a boxing match.

“Boxers get destroyed in MMA and vice versa. There are two completely different sports. Yes, it could happen, but it’s not what I want to do,” he said.

That stance remained in place even after Zuffa came out of the shadows.

His position became clear during the post-fight press conference of UFC London. With several outlets sharing stories about Zuffa signing top-ranked British welterweight Conor Benn with a $15 million offer, reporters pressed White on whether he would allow prominent names like Sean O’Malley, Alex Pereira, or Max Holloway, who have previously expressed interest in boxing, to cross over from the UFC.

“No way in hell. The crossover fights s*ck,” White responded.

Addressing the speculations surrounding a matchup between Pereira and boxing’s heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, White said, “That’s not what we do.”

According to him, he would prefer the best MMA fighters to face each other rather than compete in other sports. White’s apprehensions largely rest on the economics of staging a crossover fight. While the McGregor-Mayweather fight was a huge financial success, there’s no guarantee that matchups, even ones featuring well-known names, would generate equally significant revenue.

By comparison, by staging weekly shows in both the UFC and now in Zuffa, he can bring in the best and most exciting fighters, enthrall the fans, and still generate enough revenue to remain profitable.

The inherent risk involved in allowing UFC fighters to cross over to boxing is what happens when, beyond the champions and star attractions, even rising prospects and contenders start clamoring for a ring appearance, preferring it over a cage matchup.

That scenario clearly puts his business model under tremendous risk.

Against that backdrop, the pattern shows that most fighters who competed in boxing and made millions did so after leaving the UFC. Francis Ngannou is perhaps the best example.

The boxing match between UFC icons Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz should provide enough evidence that not all crossover bouts have a dreamy ending like McGregor vs. Mayweather. While the first fight between the pair at UFC 244 proved a massive success, the 2024 boxing match between the two, who had by then exited the promotion, drew only a modest $1.25 million gate.

With McGregor, who is recovering from the leg injury he suffered at UFC 329, expected to return next year to fulfill the final part of his renewed UFC contract, an MMA fight with Makhachev may be more likely than a boxing one.

The post Islam Makhachev Details Conor McGregor Boxing Match Talks With Turki Alalshikh appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The boxing world has plunged into grief. As the news of Colon’s passing spread, the social media landscape was flooded with tributes and messages. Not only fans but also many well-known figures from the boxing world and some from the broader combat sports landscape joined in, offering their prayers and extending their support to the Puerto Rican boxer’s family in this time of grief.

“Good morning, my people,” Prichard’s father, Richard Colon, wrote on his Facebook in Spanish. “I regret to inform you of the passing of my son Prichard from his earthly world. He is now in a better place. I did everything possible to fulfill his wish, his dream of bringing him on vacation to Puerto Rico as he so deeply wanted, but it could not be done.”

His comments follow the ordeal the boxer had to go through since that fateful night at Fairfax, Virginia’s EagleBank Arena. On October 17, 2015, an undefeated Prichard Colon, who had turned 23 just a month earlier, faced Terrel Williams in his seventeenth professional bout.

The ten-round bout saw Colon, who had started strongly, complain to referee Joe Cooper about Williams throwing rabbit punches—the illegal shots landing behind the head. The situation escalated by the time the fight reached the ninth round.

Seemingly, hit by blows behind his head, Colon fell to the canvas. He later told the ringside doctor he was feeling dizzy. However, the fight continued until Colon’s corner, thinking the bout was over, removed his gloves, resulting in him being disqualified. Thereafter, as the young fighter’s condition deteriorated, he was taken to a hospital and diagnosed with a subdural hematoma.

To reduce the swelling, doctors performed an emergency hemicraniectomy, after which Colon remained in a coma that lasted 221 days.

After initial treatments in Virginia and Georgia, Colon was eventually transferred to Orlando, Florida, where he had remained since 2017 in a persistent vegetative state. After being discharged from the hospital, Colon could not speak and used a computer to communicate.

Born on September 19, 1992, in Maitland, Florida, Colon was raised in Puerto Rico, where his family had relocated. A business administration student, Colon was a standout boxing amateur, winning a national championship five times, including a gold at the Pan American Games.

Making his professional debut in 2013, Colon was coming off a sixteen-fight winning streak before he fought Williams.

While his passing was mourned by many, several prominent figures also shared tributes to the young fighter, whose promising career was cut short far too soon.

Prichard Colon: A name that will live on in boxing

“11 years of fighting like a true champion, receiving the unconditional love from your mother Nieves, your dad, and the so many friends who cared for Prichard Colón, you will never be forgotten,” wrote WBC head Mauricio Sulaiman.

Five years ago, the Mexico City-based sanctioning body had honored Colón with a special Green and Gold World Championship belt, officially naming him an honorary champion for life.

“So very sad. Prichard was one of the warmest, loving people I’ve ever met in this industry,” wrote eminent boxing journalist Jake Donovan. “Rest in power, young king. For as badly as he and his family suffered for more than a decade, praying for peace for the entire Colón family. ”

“Rest in peace, Prichard,” Lou DiBella stated. “What an awful tragedy his injury was, a reminder of the incredible risks associated with #boxing and the darkness those risks can bring. My thoughts go to his loving and dedicated family, who did everything they could to extend his life and bring him moments of joy. Thinking particularly about his mom and praying for her and family.”

The veteran promoter’s comments stem from his well-known stance on fighter safety. One of the most notable instances remains his parting ways with fighter Jermain Taylor in 2009. After Taylor suffered four losses, three of which ended in early stoppages, DiBella expressed concern about his health and was unhappy with the prospect of the middleweight appearing in the Super Six World Boxing Classic.

The boxing world was not alone in mourning Colon’s loss. The broader combat sports landscape also paid tribute. “RIP Prichard Colón,” read UFC Roster Watch’s X post.

One of the most touching tributes came from veteran sports writer Paul Magno. Sharing an image of a young Prichard Colon, standing beside Puerto Rican boxing legend Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad, the editor of Boxing Tribune wrote, “Just crushed by the news of the passing of Prichard Colon. I kept a running private conversation w/ him before his injury about boxing & life in general. I believe we gave him his first featured story, too. RIP.”

Colon’s story has become an inspiration to many.

In his tribute, WBO president Gustavo Olivieri remembered Colon for his “courage, perseverance, and extraordinary fighting spirit.” Those qualities set him apart and will be cherished by many young boxers.

Prichard Colon entered the sport as a promising young fighter with dreams of becoming a world champion. Instead, his life took an unimaginable turn at just 23 years old. For more than a decade, his family stood by him through surgeries, rehabilitation, and years of uncertainty.

Now, with his passing at 33, the boxing world has lost a fighter whose career ended far too soon, but whose story will remain etched into the sport’s history.

The post “Rest in Peace”: Prayers Pour In After Paralyzed Boxer Prichard Colon Dies at Age 33 appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Given the trajectory his career took after the loss to Douglas, particularly as the spotlight turned on his personal life, including the prison term, leading to a comeback and final retirement, a question always lingered. Was Mike Tyson always the vile, ruthless man most saw him as, which he also likely projected? Or is there a different story that shaped him into the heavyweight champion most feared and sometimes loathed? During a May 2015 interview with GQ, Tyson reflected on those early years. His comments will surprise some, since, contrary to his popular image, his youth was consumed by fear.

“I was abused any way a human being can be abused as a kid,” Tyson said. “So, I don’t know, I’ve been bullied all the time. It has a profound effect on me, being bullied. I wish it didn’t, but it had a real profound effect. I’m kind of…I’m a really sensitive guy, and I’m…How can I explain this? For being bullied, I could be really, really malevolent, you know? I don’t even like to talk like that, but yeah, being bullied, it…I got…”

“Being bullied, you contract a really disgusting terminal cancer in you. It’s something you never forget; you just never forget it. It’s any way. Brutally beaten, attacked, or any way anybody could be bullied, robbed, or taken advantage of. I used to…I used to want that to stop.”

Tyson’s pain stemmed from his difficult upbringing. Abandoned by his biological father, the future heavyweight champion of the world had grown up in a household where he had lived alongside his siblings, his mother and Jimmy Kirkpatrick, the man he initially misunderstood as his father.

Beyond the instability of his immediate family, the crime-filled neighborhood where they lived often left Tyson vulnerable to bullying.

As the popular story goes, his first act of violence came when he picked a fight with a much older kid, who had killed one of his beloved pigeons. Years of intimidation and lack of a father figure led Tyson to a life of crime, where he often found himself in and out of correctional homes meant for juveniles.

It wasn’t until Bobby Steward, who, after noticing Tyson’s talent for fighting, recommended his name to famed trainer and boxing savant Cus D’Amato, that the course of young Tyson’s life changed. Yet, as the former champion narrated, the situation changed little when it came to bullying.

However, the time he spent at D’Amato’s Catskill Gym made him realize that much of that fear of bullying was his own making. That realization eventually changed his perspective.

“So if someone were to bully me, now I don’t think there’s nothing wrong with stabbing him and shooting him,” he added. “So I came up in that kind of world. You know those guys bigger and stronger than you.”

It’s likely Tyson, after undergoing training at Catskill, had built a fearsome persona as a defense mechanism to ward off anyone who thought they could bully him.

Even so, it’s worth noting that Tyson may not be the only fighter who went through a difficult childhood before building a legacy that continues to motivate and inspire.

Like Mike Tyson, another champion who fought his way out of the darkness

A case that closely resembles that of Iron Mike is that of former light heavyweight champion and Boxing Hall of Famer Mathew Saad Muhammad.

Born Maxwell Antonio Loach, who later became Matthew Franklin, before embracing Islam and becoming known as Saad Muhammad, the boxer had to endure a childhood in which he lived in an orphanage after his aunt told his elder brother to abandon him in a park. The future champion then lived in foster homes before a family adopted him.

The Philadelphian tragically passed away in a hospital in 2014 after living for years as a homeless person and in shelters. Alongside Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, and Michael Spinks, Saad Muhammad was part of a generation that defined the golden era of the light heavyweight division.

Long ago, Seneca had famously said, “Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men.”

While years of difficulty and hardships took away a normal childhood from them, they forged strength in men like Mike Tyson, Mathew Saad Muhammad, and many others who found the fights inside a ring a much easier test compared to what they had endured as children.

The post “Terminal Cancer”: Mike Tyson’s 2015 Interview Reveals How Childhood Bullying Turned Him Into the Feared ‘Iron Mike’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The UFC lightweight fighter’s livestream featuring him and boxing star Arnold Barboza Jr. has been drawing considerable traction for their multi-discipline crossover sparring session during the stream. What drew particular attention was how easily Green forced the former WBO interim light welterweight champion to tap during a grappling session.

“4 rounds, no one got hurt vs. 4 seconds and then death. I’ll leave it there,” the caption on Green’s Instagram story read.

His comments stem from the way the grappling and boxing sparring sessions with Barboza went. Footage of the exchanges has been shared widely across social media. Combat Casuals’ message on X read, “Arnold Barboza Jr. agrees to grapple King Green after sparring and gets tapped in SECONDS .”

The footage shows Green painting a bar scene for Barboza, where a confrontation takes place. Saying so, after a mild push and shove, he cornered the boxer against the ropes. Within seconds, he was holding Arnold Barboza Jr. from the back. Pushing the latter to the ground, he quickly applied a rear-naked choke that drew an immediate tap from the former boxing champion.

“How long was that?” Green kept asking as the surrounding crowd cheered and laughed.

It was a playful exchange that was nowhere near the seriousness of the boxing sparring session that took place between the two minutes ago.

“He s**ked the sh*t out of me,” Green said loudly, with Barboza standing nearby, drawing laughter from everyone while the two went at each other.

Keeping his hands low during the boxing session, the UFC lightweight tried baiting the professional boxer but to no avail. Showcasing his world class pedigree, Arnold Barboza Jr. kept his guard high. It didn’t take long before he started punishing the cocky Green.

While the MMA fighter had his moments, in which he managed to put Arnold Barboza Jr. on the backfoot, they proved fleeting. Turning the gear up, the boxer soon pushed Green to the corner and pummeled a flurry of combinations to which the MMMA fighter had few answers. Green kept taking the punishing shots from Barboza.

After the live stream, the 39-year-old UFC fighter admitted in a separate video posted on social media that Barboza taught him what “real boxing is.”

“It didn’t exactly turn out the way I thought it was… Very interesting lesson I learned,” he added.

Though he was humbled in the boxing session, he seemingly salvaged his and MMA’s reputations by showing Barboza what few grappling moves could do when compared to rounds of boxing. However, late last week, Green sounded much more cocky when it came to his boxing.

King Green: From the cage to boxing’s frontlines

Fierce backlash erupted after fans came across a video that showed Green and former four-division champion Adrien Broner engaged in a heated exchange. Walking into Broner’s underground gym, the UFC fighter turned the tables on Broner’s fighter, Anthony ‘Bang’ Williams, a professional boxer with a 19-1 record.

After the sparring, Green addressed Broner, who was standing ringside, and said, “You said you were going to be sh-tting on my leg,” before adding, “I’ll pick your heart out of your chest, bro, smoking and chilling. I told you this was fun. I don’t even know I’m playing.”

Broner’s meek presence, where he could only mumble that he would elbow Green, made the situation awkward, with many users saying that the former champion, who has been absent from the scene since the loss to Blair Cobbs two years ago, was clearly intimidated by the UFC lightweight.

The incident once again sparked the MMA vs. boxing debate.

Beyond his frequent appearances against boxers, which now include Arnold Barboza, Green’s comments on the Double Coverage Podcast further fed that narrative.

Blaming Broner’s live stream partner DeenTheGreat, who, he claimed, had been pestering him for a sparring session for some time, for sparking the beef that led to his visit to their gym, Green told host Mystic Zach, “This is the first shot of the war. MMA versus boxing. It’s the first real shot. We’ve been real nice to y’all over there on the boxing side, and we’ve been letting y’all just get off and say, ‘Oh, we make more money.'”

“You guys, you know, so I’m sorry. Sorry. And oh, forget you guys and blah blah blah, you know. And so we’ve just been over here just like poor us, you know, just hating you guys. But now it’s the first shot that we’re getting back at y’all now, and y’all don’t like it.”

The UFC fighter seems to have zeroed in on boxing’s famous disruptor, Jake Paul, saying he would “whoop” the YouTuber-turned-fighter.

Before anything develops on that front, how Green fares against his next boxing opponent could reveal where his war on boxing goes from here.

The post UFC Star Makes Former Boxing Champion Tap in Grappling After Being Humbled During Sparring appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“That’s horrendous. That’s horrendous,” he said on BBC’s Punch Perfect podcast. “What? Because he (Foreman) can sell grills, all of a sudden he can fight?”

His comments, backed by co-host Emily Eubank, daughter of boxing legend Chris Eubank, came after co-host Liam Gough insisted on including Foreman’s name, based on marketability, among the show’s “Frankenstein GOAT,” a running bit where the trio builds a fictional ultimate fighter out of real boxers’ best traits.

To make his case, Gough pointed to how Foreman, alongside Muhammad Ali, played a central role in making their 1974 fight in Kinshasa, Zaire, globally known as the “Rumble in the Jungle,” still one of the sport’s defining landmarks. But his co-hosts disagreed. Eubank argued the fight doesn’t even rank among the top 10 highest-grossing pay-per-view fights of all time, though that comparison is a little uneven since PPV as a format barely existed in 1974; the modern buy-based rankings only really begin in the mid-1990s. Oladipo, for his part, insisted the credit for elevating that fight into legend belongs almost entirely to Ali. 

“Muhammad Ali could have fought Joe Frazier there. He could fool anyone. It’s Muhammad Ali. ‘Ali boma ye’ [Ali, kill him]. I’d never heard anything about Foreman, that is all Muhammad Ali,” Oladipo argued.

Despite the disagreement over Foreman’s drawing power specifically, all three hosts still agreed he belonged among the sport’s all-time greatest punchers.

George Foreman comments put broadcaster in fans‘ crosshairs

As footage of the discussion circulated, plenty of fans took exception to what Oladipo said.

One user wrote, “40-0 Foreman with 37 finishes against Frazier, who split decisions with Ali, and a decision against Norton, and Foreman was a 4-1 favorite; no way that fight is the same with anyone else. How do they get paid to talk about boxing?”

Echoing the sentiment, another fan stated, “Boxing needs to be gatekept. People like this let Jake Paul in. The sport has too many guys like this & Bill Haney running around. The old timers are rolling in their graves seeing who’s involved w boxing at the moment.”

While his fights against Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and Ken Norton made him a household name in the 70s boxing scene, Foreman’s comeback in the 90s, when he became the oldest heavyweight champion, added another defining chapter to his legacy as one of the greatest boxers of all time.

What makes his case stronger is that he returned roughly ten years after he hung up his gloves following the 1977 loss to Jimmy Young.

A user added, “Grossly wrong … the reincarnation of George Foreman, Reverend Big George Foreman, was an INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR of #boxing. His numbers were huge, and his “Q rating,” his popularity as an athlete and celebrity, was off the charts. His grills were a reflection of his big box office. I know; I was one of the people paying him!”

Foreman’s first departure came after losses to Ali and later Young. However, instead of resting on his past accomplishments, he bounced back with a renewed belief in his faith and, more significantly, as a grill-making businessman. The move explains Foreman’s unyielding spirit, which few fighters show when going through setbacks.

A more measured take came from a fan, who said, “Back in 1991, only 16.5 million homes had potential access to the Foreman vs. Holyfield event on TVKO. 1.45 million households bought the PPV. The buy rate for the fight was 8.8 percent. That must be one of the highest buy rates of any pay-per-view event in history.”

The list of the top ten all-time highest PPV fights is dominated by Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson fights. Still, for 42-year-old Foreman to challenge a much younger opponent in Holyfield and attract an $8 million live gate and $55 million in PPV revenue stands out as one of the most remarkable achievements in boxing.

“I had to watch this twice to get my head around the fact they are trying to say Foreman had no marketability. He was (a) champ in the two golden eras of heavyweight boxing, arguably the second biggest star behind Ali. What the fuck are they talking about?” a fan offered a reality check.

To give Oladipo the benefit of the doubt, he may have simply meant that Foreman, while enormously popular, still needed Ali’s presence to turn any single fight into the kind of cultural event the Rumble in the Jungle became. Still, to most fans reacting online, the idea of Foreman as anything less than a genuine box-office draw doesn’t hold up, and with his death still relatively recent, his fights and his comeback story remain some of the most cherished chapters in boxing history.

The post DAZN Broadcaster Faces Fierce Backlash for Downplaying Late George Foreman’s Legacy appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Still, despite his regular media presence, questions surrounding his fighting career linger. Is there any update on when Jake Paul would likely make a return, or does he have any plans to make a comeback at all? During a recent visit to the New York Stock Exchange, where he met popular trader Peter Tuchman, Paul dropped a few hints.

“I’m taking some time off. I’m letting my jaw heal from the last fight,” he told Tuchman, also known as the Einstein of Wall Street. “I have all the plates out. I’m probably gonna fight in December of this year.”

That’s the most specific timeline Paul has offered yet, and it caps off a recovery that’s shifted repeatedly since his brutal knockout loss to Anthony Joshua last December. Coming off wins over Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Paul had initially planned a boxing exhibition against then-lightweight champion and superstar Gervonta “Tank” Davis.

But the plan derailed after the Baltimorean found himself amid legal challenges. As a result, Paul was forced to look elsewhere before turning on Joshua, who was himself coming off a career-threatening loss to Daniel Dubois in September of 2024. The attempt, however, ended badly.

The former champion toyed with Paul before knocking him out with a brutal combination. Beyond the setback of his second career and first stoppage loss, Paul suffered a double jaw fracture that required two separate surgeries, the second needed after the plates and screws from the first came loose.

The images from the hospital bed that showed the scale of the damage, along with his later comments, made his fighting career look uncertain.Sounding doubtful during an interview with Ariel Helwani in May, Paul said,

“I’m getting some new scans here in a couple of days of the jaw to get an update on the healing process. We’ll see what my doctors say. I think I’ll be able to get a more accurate time frame, or, you know, can I even fight again?”

“Yeah. No, most definitely (his fighting career being in doubt),” he added. “I think it just depends on how the bone heals.”

Those comments, and his forlorn appearance around that time, sparked real rumors about retirement. But projections around his return had already been shifting for months before that, from hopes of a five-to-six week recovery right after the Joshua fight, to Paul himself saying in March the realistic window was “late this year, early next year,” to ESPN reporting in April that a full 2027 return was the likelier plan. Even his own team’s language kept moving, with Bidarian telling one outlet in June that a 2026 return remained the “intention,” but only if sparring went well.

Jake Paul: From questioning his future to planning his return

Even with all that uncertainty, this is still Jake Paul, boxing’s perennial “disruptor.” One can never be fully sure until something concrete happens.

Months before the doubtful comments to Helwani, during an appearance on the Impaulsive podcast, run by his brother Logan Paul, the former Disney star had already given an affirmative answer about continuing with boxing. In February, when pressed by a reporter, Paul’s close associate and MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian sounded optimistic too.

“He’s focused on coming back in August. I think the realistic window is anywhere from August to November,” he said.

Paul’s recent moves have made clear he was never close to retiring. Speaking with Pat McAfee, he revealed, without giving a firm date, that his team was already in talks with several potential opponents.

The most telling sign came when he called out former opponent Nate Diaz for a fight. The two traded punches three years ago, with Paul winning. Talk of a rematch has lingered ever since without materializing.

The most telling sign came when he called out former opponent Nate Diaz for a fight. The two traded punches three years ago, with Paul winning. Talk of a rematch has lingered ever since without materializing.

Paul likely saw an opportunity to capitalize on that momentum. Speaking to a panel at a PFL event in New York, he said, “I’m going to continue to fight. I’m going to get into the MMA. Nate Diaz, you yourself, signed the contract. He’s been ducking for a while, actually. You know me; I’ll fight anybody. I’ll fight Joshua, I’ll fight Fury, I’ll fight whoever, whenever.”

Around that same backdrop, Bidarian also reignited the possibility of a rematch with old rival Tommy Fury, who handed Paul his first professional defeat. Beyond that, Paul stirred things up further by expressing interest in a stint with the Cleveland Browns as a slot receiver, and even floated the now-retired Terence Crawford’s name as a potential opponent.

Given how many times his timeline has shifted already, from weeks to months to entire years and back again, it’s probably wise to take this latest December target with the same grain of salt as all the others, until fight night is actually confirmed.

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