Boxing

Le'Veon Bell is no longer playing in the NFL and apparently he no longer even watches the league, as he told TMZ Sports:

"I ain't gonna lie, I have not watched one down of football," Bell said after being asked about the Pittsburgh Steelers. "I don't know nobody's record or nothing."

The running back played eight games last season with the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he has stepped away from football to instead focus on his boxing career.

Bell began his boxing career with a knockout win against fellow former running back Adrian Peterson:

Though that match was an exhibition, the 30-year-old will make his professional debut on Oct. 29 against former UFC fighter Uriah Hall. Bell believes this will be the start of a distinguished boxing career.

"My first pro fight gonna be the last fight I'm an underdog," he told TMZ.

Deontay Wilder made a triumphant return to the boxing ring Saturday thanks to a first-round knockout of Robert Helenius in a heavyweight match from Brooklyn, New York's Barclays Center.

The former WBC heavyweight champion's vicious right hand ended the night early.

Wilder had been out of the ring for the past 12 months after losing to heavyweight champion Tyson Fury via knockout. He returned to his domineering ways in the ring, however, after delivering the 42nd knockout of his career.

Wilder, who is now 43-2-1 lifetime, got the knockout in with just three seconds remaining in Round 1.

Here's a look at how Twitter responded to Wilder's performance.

Helenius fell to 31-4 with the defeat.

Deontay Wilder returns to the ring Saturday, looking to chart a path back to the top of the heavyweight division. The power puncher takes on Robert Helenius in a WBC world title eliminator on a pay-per-view card from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Wilder last fought in October 2021, losing to Tyson Fury for the second time in a row. He was outclassed in both of those fights, but that doesn't mean the former WBC titleholder isn't worthy of another shot at a belt.

The 35-year-old is a perfect 42-0 against fighters not named Fury, and the latter may not be in the game for much longer.

If Wilder can return to his winning ways, he just might get another shot at glory.

Wilder vs. Helenius Fight Info

When: Saturday, Oct. 15 at 9 p.m. ET (main card)

Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York

TV: Fox Sports PPV

Live stream: Fox Sports PPV, Fite.TV ($74.99)

Odds: Wilder -800, Helenius +500

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Wilder is undoubtedly the name selling this pay-per-view, but Helenius isn't a fighter to be overlooked.

The Nordic Nightmare was considered a potential star a little over a decade ago, even scoring a split-decision win over Dereck Chisora in 2011. But injuries and some lackluster showings derailed his career, and he's never been able to maneuver his way into a world title challenge, though he's come close.

A pair of dominant stoppage wins over the previously undefeated Adam Kownacki has put Helenius in position for a nice payday and a potential showcase against Wilder. And the Sweden-born slugger is looking to capitalize on the opportunity.

"I'm really happy to get this opportunity, of course. I've been training and boxing for 25 years, and I've had my ups and downs. I feel like everything is connecting, and that's why I'm here," the 38-year-old told reporters.

Helenius will have to show the same skill and spirit he's displayed in recent fights against Kownacki if he's to score a significant upset. Wilder is not the most technically savvy of fighters, but he has a devastating right hand and knows how to set it up well. His highlight reel speaks for itself.

There is, of course, concern that his losses to Fury may have taken something out of him. He was stopped twice in both fights and suffered a total of five knockdowns. Those are the kind of beatings that can permanently alter a boxer.

Then again, Wilder has spent much of his career dishing out swift punishment thanks to his legendary power, and he has had a full year to recover. It wouldn't be surprising to see him put in a sharp performance and patiently set up Helenius for a late show-stopping number.

Wilder has also set new goals for himself with the Fury trilogy behind him. He's called out the likes of Anthony Joshua and professed a desire to fight at least three more years.

"I only want to do this until 40," Wilder told Ben Baby of ESPN.com. "I feel like I have a little bit more time left that I can provide my service to my greatness. And that's what I'm going to do."

If his heart is truly in it, Wilder is a good bet to take down Helenius. Fury is considered the genius of his heavyweight generation, but the Tuscaloosa, Alabama native has managed to knock him down four times in three fights, and was seconds away from winning their first meeting in 2018.

Any version of Wilder that is even close to his peak should be enough to get a stoppage against a dangerous but overpowered Helenius.

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Deontay Wilder said a potential long-awaited showdown with Anthony Joshua is the biggest fight the boxing world has to offer right now.

"The biggest fight in the world is not [Tyson Fury], it's me versus Anthony Joshua," Wilder told Michael Babcock of TMZ Sports on Friday. "That's still the biggest fight in the world. Everywhere I go, people talk about that fight. That's the one that they want to see."

Wilder and Joshua have been linked for the past handful of years, but the sides have never been able to reach an agreement to make the heavyweight bout a reality.

Since Wilder has lost two straight fights against Fury, there hasn't been much widespread clamoring for a fourth bout between the stars. Their first meeting in 2018 resulted in a split-decision draw before Fury scored knockouts in the pair of rematches.

The Bronze Bomber has been calling out Joshua for years, saying all the way back in 2017 that he was ready to face the British sensation.

"I've been waiting on that fight for a long time now," Wilder said after a win over Bermane Stiverne. "I declare war upon you. Do you accept my challenge? ... I've been waiting for a long time. I know I'm the champion. I know I'm the best. Are you up for the test?"

At the time, a clash between the undefeated heavyweight champions probably would have been the best fight on the table. It's not so clear that's the case now.

Wilder and Joshua have combined for five losses and a draw over their last 10 fights. Joshua is coming off back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk and shockingly suffered a knockout loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019.

It's a situation similar to the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao matchup in 2015. Fans waited so long for them to step in the ring together, but by the time a deal was finally made the fight was only a shell of what it could have been a few years earlier.

So, even though the possibility of Wilder facing off with Joshua would still generate some attention, it's no longer the must-see event it would have been in 2017 or 2018.

In the bigger picture, Wilder told TMZ he's planning to retire around his 40th birthday. He'll turn 37 on Oct. 22.

Next up for the Alabama native is a meeting with Robert Helenius on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in New York City.

Naoya Inoue and Paul Butler will face off Dec. 13 to crown an undisputed world bantamweight boxing champion at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

The fight, which was officially announced Thursday, will see Inoue (23-0, 20 KOs) put the WBA Super, WBC and IBF belts on the line against Butler (34-2, 15 KOs), the WBO bantamweight titleholder.

Inoue added the latest championship to his collection in June when he scored a second-round TKO of Nonito Donaire to capture the WBC title.

"I want my name to go down in international boxing history, and to change Japan's boxing history," the 29-year-old Japanese sensation told reporters Thursday.

Inoue, whose nickname is The Monster, added he can't underestimate Butler, who's riding an eight-fight winning streak since his last loss in May 2018.

"Paul Butler is an extremely well-rounded fighter, with no obvious weak points," Inoue said. "In the fight, I want to weaken him little by little with my boxing, before taking him down. I will demonstrate the overwhelming difference in strength between us and unify the four organizations."

Butler won the WBO belt with a unanimous-decision triumph over Jonas Sultan in April.

Now the 33-year-old Englishman is aiming for an upset to shake up the 118-pound division in what he describes as the "biggest fight of my career."

"I am under no illusions as to the size of the task that faces me, but I have been going to bed dreaming of becoming the undisputed bantamweight champion of the world," Butler said. "Inoue is a phenomenal fighter, but not one person should be underestimating me, my skills or my resolve. I am going to Japan to write my name into the history of our sport."

Inoue will likely be a heavy favorite when fight night arrives in December, but Butler showed enough in his dominant win over Sultan to believe he has a chance.

Pace is the key for the Baby-Faced Assassin. If he can maintain a strong defensive posture and keep Inoue from pushing the tempo and shifting the advantage toward his offensive style, he'll have a shot.

Otherwise, it could be an early knockout for Inoue in front of his home country crowd.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has announced an upcoming docuseries about his life entitled The GOAT, per TMZ Sports.

"I want to be able to tell my story in my way," the boxer said. "The good, the bad, the ugly. I don't want the people to think I take certain pieces out and it's all glory. There's a lot of ups and downs in life every day. And there's a lot of struggles. Not just with myself but with my loved ones. People gonna love it. Believe me."

Mayweather has teamed with Hidden Empire to create the series, featuring director Deon Taylor and producer Roxanne Taylor. Billionaire investor Robert Smith will also help produce the show.

Mayweather is undoubtedly one of the greatest boxers of all time, officially retiring with a perfect 50-0 record while winning championships in four different weight classes.

The 45-year-old became the richest athletes in the world in 2018, earning $285 million from winnings and endorsements, per Forbes.

Though the docuseries will feature the highs of his career, Mayweather explained it will also show his struggles earlier in his life.

"Since the beginning of my professional career in 1996," he said, "I've been asked, 'Floyd, let's do a documentary on your amateur career. How your dad went to prison. How your grandmother was cleaning hotel rooms and offices to take care of you. And how you was living in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Seven of us in a one-bedroom.' The story is just so amazing. Like I said before the people are going to love it."

Mayweather was a highly touted amateur boxer, wining multiple Golden Glove titles. He earned a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, although his loss featured a controversial decision.

The superstar said shooting for the docuseries will begin this year.

Several pieces of Muhammad Ali memorabilia, including artwork created by the famed heavyweight boxing champion, have hit the auction block.

TMZ Sports reported Saturday the group of items, which include Ali's artistic depiction of a fight against rival Joe Frazier, are available for bid through TMN Auctions.

In all, there are almost 250 Ali pieces available for purchase, including nearly 30 pieces of artwork.

Along with the art, other notable items include his training robe from the Thrilla in Manila—his third fight with Frazier, which took place on Oct. 1, 1975—and a signed Olympic torch from 1996, when he lit the cauldron for the Atlanta Summer Games.

There are also numerous boxing pieces, including trunks, gloves and training materials, as well as a large group of autographed items.

Bidding will begin Oct. 24 and run through Nov. 6.

Ali established himself as one of the greatest boxers of all time with an extended period of dominance. He captured his first heavyweight title in February 1964 and continued to take part in championship fights until October 1980.

The Louisville native, who died in 2016 at the age of 74, finished with a 56-5 record, and three of those five losses came at the tail end of his career when he was no longer at the peak of his powers.

Along with his success in the ring, he was also one of his generation's most influential activists, a role that earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.

"When you saw me in the boxing ring fighting, it wasn't just so I could beat my opponent," Ali once said. "My fighting had a purpose. I had to be successful in order to get people to listen to the things I had to say."

His wide-ranging impact is the reason the memorial service following his death was one of the most-watched television events in worldwide history.

Colombian boxer Luis Quinones died on Thursday at the age of 25 after being hospitalized following a knockout loss against Jose Munoz in Barranquilla, Colombia, on Sept. 24.

Leonardo Quinones, Luis' brother, confirmed his brother's death on Facebook (h/t Salvador Rodriguez of ESPN Deportes).

"You went ahead of us my loving brother, now you are with your heavenly father, whom you adored and served, I love you my brother Luis Quinones, forever and ever in our hearts," Leonardo wrote.

According to Rodriguez, Luis Quinones was put on a respirator after he was declared brain-dead on Thursday. His death was announced at midnight.

Cuadrilatero Boxing, promoter of the fight, issued a statement about Quinones (h/t Rodriguez):

"Cuadrilatero Boxing is deeply saddened by the death of Luis Quinones, an exceptional and disciplined human being, who always showed the greatest commitment to this sport. Luis was passionate about boxing, so much so that he left his hometown of Barrancabermeja to continue his career in Barranquilla and become a national athlete. His idol was Julio Cesar Chavez."

Rodriguez noted Munoz lost his mouthguard in the eighth round of the fight, prompting referee Leonel Mercado to send Quinones to the opposite corner and allow Munoz to put his mouthguard back in.

"Quinones was on wobbly legs in the ring at that point, and when the fight continued, after a punch, Quinones was knocked down. He was put on a stretcher and taken to the hospital," Rodriguez wrote.

Quinones was taken to North General Clinic in Barranquilla. He underwent surgery for "neurological deterioration as a result of head trauma due to traumatic contusions," and doctors discovered a subdural hematoma that required a craniectomy.

Born in Barranquilla, Quinones turned pro as a boxer in 2018. He had 11 career fights in the junior lightweight division, winning each of his first 10 bouts.

With talks between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua stalling and a matchup with Mahmoud Charr seemingly closer to an agreement, Fury pitched the unique idea of taking part in two fights on Dec. 3.

"Just been doing a little bit of brainstorming," he said in a video he posted on Instagram. "Dec. 3 is coming, Mahmoud Charr is agreed, why don't I fight two people in one night? Mahmoud Charr and somebody else? That would be pretty damn awesome, I'd probably be the first WBC heavyweight champion to have two fights in one night and that is a guaranteed fact. What do you think? What we saying?"

It all appears to be the latest salvo in the staredown between Fury and Joshua. Fury set a Monday deadline for contracts to be signed, which passed, then appeared to set a second deadline for Thursday in a Twitter post:

Later on Thursday, Fury said he would be fighting Charr instead:

Fury also briefly retired in August after defeating Dillian Whyte, which didn't last long, so some in the boxing world are likely looking at his artificial deadlines for Joshua as an idle threat.

When Fury ended his incredibly brief retirement, he said it was to face Derek Chisora.

Of course, the odds of the British Boxing Board of Control ever sanctioning two fights for Fury in one night is slim to none. Likewise, Fury taking on both Charr and Chisora in one evening almost assuredly would never happen—Eddie Hearn recently said that Fury's camp made Chisora another offer after preliminary talks broke down, per Donagh Corby of The Mirror.

One potential explanation for Fury creating artificial deadlines in talks with Joshua, keeping Charr and Chisora fights in the running and creating wild scenarios where he undertakes two fights in one night is that he simply isn't interested in a Joshua fight. Another is that he's trying to whip up interest and frenzy for such a matchup, keeping the negotiations in the headlines.

It's hard to imagine a potential Fury vs. Joshua matchup needing much more hype. Fury (32-0-1) and Joshua (24-3) are two of the biggest names in the sport and in the heavyweight division, even if Joshua's back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk—both by decisions—have perhaps stolen a bit of shine from his resume. He's now lost three of his last five fights.

But a fight against Fury would be huge. If he meets all of the arbitrary deadlines being sent his way, that is.