Terence Crawford cites Floyd Mayweather to explain where the UFC is better than boxing

Terence Crawford thinks UFC fans support their own better than boxing.

[autotag]Terence Crawford[/autotag] thinks UFC fans support their own better than boxing.

In a discussion with former UFC champions Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, super welterweight boxing champion Crawford agreed that the best fight the best more often in the UFC than they do in boxing.

He also argued that beloved UFC superstars don’t get as much heat when they lose as boxers do. He explained how undefeated [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] set the bar so high in boxing.

“UFC do have a good way of putting on the best fights at the right time,” Crawford said on the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast. “Not only that, one thing that I love about the UFC is that a guy can lose and still be supported. Nowadays in boxing, Floyd made it to where you lose and they’re kicking you to the curb and saying you’re a bum, you’re this, you’re that.

“He left with an unblemished record, and he set the bar high. So, now everybody is trying to protect the 0 because you get one loss, now you’ve got to go way to the back of the bus. Now it’s like, dang – your shine is off now because of the fans and the media and how they go around.”

With the help of of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, it appears Crawford may get his highly anticipated matchup with the Ring, WBO, WBA and WBC super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. But first, Alvarez takes on undefeated IBF champ William Scull on May 3 (May 4 locally) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Jake Paul, Logan Paul reality show will remind you of your own family. Well, sorta.

“Paul American,” starring Jake and Logan Paul, releases new episodes on HBO Max each Thursday.

They fight. They make up.

They laugh. They cry.

They love.

“Paul American,’’ the new reality show starring [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] and [autotag]Logan Paul[/autotag], premieres Thursday night on HBO Max. In many ways, the famous brothers and their family will remind you of your own.

Well, perhaps with the exception of Logan Paul apparently smoking weed with his father, Greg, who carries a hunting knife and muses about blowing up Los Angeles.

Or Jake Paul having a romantic anniversary dinner with his girlfriend, only to leave her at the table and loudly relieve himself nearby.

Season 1 of “Paul American” is eight episodes, with a new episode available to HBO Max subscribers every Thursday. USA TODAY Sports viewed the first four episodes, and at times found the series endearing, entertaining, funny and dull.

The bottom line: If you’re fans of Jake Paul, the 28-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer, and Logan Paul, the 29-year-old YouTuber-turned-pro wrestler, their reality show will be mandatory viewing.

If you’re not fans, however, the show probably won’t change your opinion of them. Although some Paul critics might develop an appreciation, if not affection, for the brothers who rocketed to fame via social media.

Their divorced parents add a nice touch to the show. But “Paul American’’ is at its best when the brothers are interacting with their significant others.

Logan is engaged to Nina Agdal, a Danish model who was on the 50th anniversary cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue in 2014. Jake recently got engaged to Jutta Leerdam, a Dutch speedskater, who clearly adores him but in one scene shows a flash of annoyance as Jake starts hamming it up for the cameras.

 “You’re in your character a lot,’’ Leerdam says. “This is reality, so snap out of it.’’

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Trying to discern how much of this show is “reality” is part of the challenge.

The episode focuses on the Paul brothers pitching the reality show to Hollywood producers while simultaneously engaged in a fight meant to underscore their sibling rivalry. It’s not convincing.

Logan calls Tyson old during a podcast. Jake angrily accuses Logan of undermining the fight. Hostility spikes as they’re trying to sell a reality show!

Reality or “reality?”

Soon enough they reconcile and are pitching the show on a joint phone call and celebrating news that they’ve landed a deal.

It’s some of the least compelling content in the first four episodes. But it’s useful as a means of introducing their parents and their dad’s hunting knife to the TV audience, along with Agdal and Leerdam, who establish themselves as pivotal to the show’s success.

Agdal, for example, has a surprise for Logan. A surprise that should help keep viewers tuned in to episodes 3 and 4, when the series picks up steam.

Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam (L), Logan Paul, Pam Stepnick (Paul’s mother) join US YouTuber/boxer Jake Paul (C) as he celebrates winning the heavyweight boxing bout against US retired pro-boxer Mike Tyson at The Pavilion at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, November 15, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

‘Paul American’ does pack some surprises

Leerdam says Jake’s a romantic. Outrageous? Well, it appears to be undeniably true, despite his relieving himself near the table during their one-year anniversary dinner.

For years, Jake has ranted that his critics don’t know “the real’’ Jake Paul. This is his chance to present that person.

The show takes us behind the scenes during Jake’s preparation for a fight against Mike Perry on July 20. Perhaps there is a piece of the real Jake, engaged in meditation, breathwork and a spiritual ceremony as the fight approaches.

You might not know the “real” Jake better than the bombastic YouTuber-turned-boxer, but you’ll probably feel like you know him better.

If there’s a sense of true “reality,’’ it’s Leerdam, who comes across as the most authentic person in the show. Although it’s not entirely clear how much Agdal and Jake’s mother, Pam, approve of her. Perhaps that’ll become clearer as the show progresses and the Pauls wrestle with something that feels real.

“Views and followers and subscribers is a very lethal drug,’’ Jake Paul says at one point. “It’s the YouTuber disease. …

“The cameras are always around.”

This story first appeared on USA Today Sports.

Kamaru Usman, Terence Crawford debate MMA vs. boxing pay: ‘It’s no comparison’

Two of the biggest stars in boxing and the UFC compared fighter pay in their respective sports.

Two of the biggest stars in boxing and the UFC compared fighter pay in their respective sports.

Former UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] and undefeated super welterweight boxing champion [autotag]Terence Crawford[/autotag] discussed the pros and cons of fighter pay in MMA vs. boxing.

Usman argued that there’s more clarity in the pay for MMA fighters than boxers.

“For us, we get a lot of flak that, ‘Oh, you guys aren’t getting paid enough,’ but a lot of people don’t understand how simplified it is for us,” Usman said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Cejudo. “You want to fight, this date, this is the paycheck, yes or no? For you guys (boxing), you have to be responsible for taking care of your manager. Now the promoter and manager have to work something out, and the promoter then has to go to the network to try and get you that money.

“There’s so many different people that the money has to touch their hands before it even gets to your hand. If it’s $100 million that’s being passed down the pipeline, by the time it gets to your hands, you might be touching $10-15 million out of 100. And that’s a hard pill to swallow to where we get a lot of flak for that, but there’s a lot of different situations in boxing to where you don’t get that.”

Crawford disagreed with Usman.

“Boxers get paid more than MMA as a whole,” Crawford said. “It’s no comparison.”

“At the top,” Usman responded.

“No, as a whole,” Crawford countered. “For instance, UFC, a guy headlining at The Sphere, they’re probably getting a couple of million dollars. But you’ll see a guy on the undercard of a big show probably making more than that guy. …You show up, you get $50,000. You win, you get another $50,000. You get the Knockout of the Year, you get another $50,000.”

Usman explained how while the big stars in boxing make more than the big stars in the UFC, the lower-level fighters make more in the UFC.

“For entry level UFC fighters, first fight in the UFC, you might make 10 and 10 (thousand),” Usman said. “You go out there and win, it’s $20,000. To where there are boxers that are maybe 7,8,10-0 still making – they tell them, ‘You want to fight this fight?’ Alright $2,500. That’s all I mean.”

Crawford made the point that Usman is talking about the UFC, which is the biggest promotion in MMA.

“OK, so let me break it down for you,” Crawford said. “The UFC, that’s like the top of the top. You got to work your way up to the UFC. There are boxers coming out of the Olympics getting a sign-in bonus that’s – So those little fights, are the fights you’re fighting that aren’t in the UFC. You can be pro and not be in the UFC.

“So we’re talking about the big stage. So once you make it to the UFC, you’re in the big leagues now. When I make it to the big leagues, when I’m on TV, I’m making more than you making when you come into the UFC. So, you’ve got to compare apples to apples. You can’t say this guy’s first fight in the UFC. Well, what did he do before the UFC?”

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Video: 46-year-old Andrei Arlovski gets cut stoppage win in Dirty Boxing Championship debut

46-year-old Andrei Arlovski won his debut with the Mike Perry and Jon Jones owned Dirty Boxing Championship.

[autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag] started the final chapter of his combat sports career after exiting the UFC in 2024 when he competed Saturday at Dirty Boxing Championship.

The promotion, which is headed by UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Mike Perry, features mixed rules of standup techniques and ground strikes. Former UFC heavyweight champion Arlovski was part of the card in Miami, and he got the victory over by doctor’s stoppage TKO over Terrance Hodges.

Arlovski picked his shots over the opening round, then in the second landed an elbow that sliced Hodges on the forehead. The action was halted, and after the fighter was examined, it was stopped.

Check out the replay below (via X):

After the win, the 46-year-old Arlovski indicated he had no signs of slowing down.

“It was a great f*cking fight,” Arlovski said in his post-fight interview with Jason Anik. “Old guys will keep it rolling.”

Boxing legend George Foreman dead at 76; combat sports community mourns

Legendary boxer George Foreman has died at 76 and combat sports notables have offered condolences.

(This story originally appeared on USATODAY.com)

Legendary boxer George Foreman has died at 76, according to a statement released by his family Friday night on his official Instagram account.

The cause of death was not initially revealed by the family.

Foreman was a two-time world heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist who is regarded as one of the hardest punchers in boxing history. One his most memorable punches was the knockout blow he landed against Michael Moorer in 1994 when Foreman became the oldest heavyweight champion in history at 45.

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He was inducted into both the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

“But my life is much more than boxing – I’ve been knocked out more outside the ring than in the ring,” Foreman told USA TODAY in 2023.

He was married five times. He had 12 children, and one of them, Freeda, died in 2019 by apparent suicide.

One of his most famous fights came against Muhammad Ali in the so-called “Rumble in the Jungle” that took place in 1974 in Zaire. He vowed to kill Ali in the ring. Instead, it was Ali who knocked out Foreman.

But Foreman said he was less demoralized by being knocked out than failing to knock out Ali.

“I just knew no one could stand up to my punch,” Foreman told USA TODAY in 2014. “But Muhammad did. His taking those punches, I went away thinking, ‘What is going on here? That’s not supposed to happen.’ That bothered me more than anything.”

A late friendship with Ali

Just three years later, he retired from boxing. But in 1979, he returned to the ring at 39 – and eventually stunned the boxing world.

In 1994, two decades after his loss to Ali, Foreman fought Michael Moorer, then 26, for the world championship. He won by knockout in the 10th round and news of the feat elevated him to champion for the second time of his career.

But his life outside the ring marked a striking transformation in the public eye.

Foreman evolved from a villainous boxer who once promised to kill Ali in the ring. A few years later, Foreman experienced what he referred to as a religious awakening, and he later became a preacher and businessman who sold millions of George Foreman Grills.

And Foreman and Ali, who died in 2016, went from bitter enemies to close friends.

After becoming the oldest heavyweight champion, Foreman said he received a congratulatory letter from his old nemesis.

“Can you imagine that?” Foreman said during a 2014 interview with USA TODAY. “Who would think almost 20 years later, there’s Muhammad, my conqueror, congratulating me in fighting for the championship of the world and winning it. …

“I was pretty close to hating him; I wanted revenge. He became the best, and one of the longest friends, I’ve ever had. I love him to this day.”

An Olympic gold medal, 40-0 record

Foreman was born Jan. 10, 1949 in Marshall, Texas and, by his own admission, was a troubled youth. He dropped out of school at 15. Boxing provided salvation. He took up the sport at 16 and a mere three years later he won an Olympic gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

He turned pro in 1969 and his power became legendary. He knocked out 10 of his first 11 opponents, and most of his fights ended with opponents on the canvas. In 1973, he became heavyweight champion for the first time when he beat Joe Frazier by second-round TKO.

His record improved to 40-0 before Foreman suffered his first defeat – against Ali in the “Rumble in the Jungle.”

The loss to Ali became a defining moment, but during a 2014 interview with USA TODAY, Foreman recalled another moment with Ali.

In 1989, Foreman said, he and Ali were in England with Frazier, Kenny Norton and Larry Holmes as part of a “Champions Forever” tribute. It was five years after Ali had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

“He was still mouthy,” Foreman said. “And he made a statement, and it was on the front of some London paper, that ‘God is Black.’ They had a picture of him on the front page, and Frazier didn’t like it. Frazier didn’t like Muhammad.”

Later, Foreman recalled, the boxers were putting on tuxedos for a photo shoot.

“(Ali) came down and he was alone,” Foreman said. “He couldn’t put on his cuff links. He couldn’t even put the bow tie around his neck. And I made certain there wasn’t any cameras around and I took him in the room and I fixed him up because I wanted to make sure they see the beautiful Muhammad Ali.”

Frazier saw what happened, and on a ride back from the event that night, he was livid, according to Foreman.

“Frazier said, ‘Don’t help him. Don’t help him. Where are all those people that were screaming Ali? Where are all those hangers-on now? Nobody better help him. Leave him alone,'” Foreman said. “And I remember telling him, ‘Joe, we are our brother’s keeper.’

“There I was for the first time protecting what I was trying to destroy.”

As a boxing analyst for HBO, Foreman further cultivated his likable persona and he was engaging and readily available for interviews. Although as Mike Tyson prepared to fight Jake Paul on Nov. 15, Foreman communicated by text message.

“If he gets in shape like he’s in now, and then gets his timing back, and all the other things fall into place, he can have an opportunity to fight for the title,” Foreman said before Tyson lost to Paul by unanimous decision.

While Foreman withdrew from the public eye, lawyers were fighting on his behalf.

At the time of his death, Foreman faced civil lawsuits from three woman who said he sexually abused them in the 1970s. He denied the charges.

Athletes and boxing figures from across the world paid tribute to Foreman as news of his death spread Friday night.

“Tonight I am flooded with tears after learning of the death of my dear friend and broadcast partner George Foreman,” Hall of Fame boxing announcer Jim Lampley said in a statement. ” I loved him. He was a great fighter and a far, far greater human being. Every great thing that ever happened to him, and there were many extraordinary blessings, was richly deserved. My thoughts and prayers tonight are with his family and his friends and his congregation. It’s a massive loss, but I feel blessed and privileged to have known him and spent countless hours in his presence. He’s with Ali now, and they are at peace with each other.”

“Condolences to George Foreman’s family. His contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten,” Tyson wrote on X.

“George was a great friend to not only myself but to my entire family. We’ve lost a family member and are absolutely devastated,” Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said in a statement.

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Our hearts are broken. With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr. who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025 surrounded by loved ones. A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose.

A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two time heavyweight champion of the world, He was deeply respected — a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name— for his family.

We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers, and kindly ask for privacy as we honor the extraordinary life of a man we were blessed to call our own.

Notable from throughout the combat sports community mourned Foreman’s death:

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Misfits Boxing postpones KSI vs. Dillon Danis event for KSI illness

Almost as quickly as it suddenly was a thing again, KSI vs. Dillon Danis is back off. It’s veja du, Hawkhead.

Almost as quickly as it suddenly was a thing again, [autotag]KSI[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dillon Danis[/autotag] is off. It’s veja du, Hawkhead.

The two were supposed to box in early 2023, but Danis (0-1) pulled out less than two weeks before the fight. This time, it’s KSI (4-1) who is out. The influencer boxer posted a video Friday to say he’s been sick for three weeks and he won’t be able to fight.

Because of that, Misfits Boxing announced Friday it has postponed the entire event, which was set for March 29 at Manchester Arena in England. The promotion said a new date will be announced next week.

 

In response, the typically brash Danis took aim at KSI in a social media post.

The X Series 21 “Unfinished Business” card was set to stream on pay-per-view through DAZN. It was to be contested at 185 pounds.

Danis has built a reputation for inactivity and withdrawals. Since his final Bellator MMA fight in June 2019, Danis has competed once in non-grappling contests. That appearance was an October 2023 exhibition boxing match against Logan Paul. Danis was disqualified in Round 6 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Similar to Jake Paul in America, KSI has become a massive draw for influencer boxing in the United Kingdom. He’s competed in six exhibition boxing matches against a handful of influencers, as well as undefeated boxer Joe Fournier and journeyman Luis Alcaraz Pineda.

KSI has also competed twice professionally. He beat Logan Paul by split decision in his pro debut in 2019, then lost to Tommy Fury in October 2023.

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Kenzie Morrison carries competitive legacy of father Tommy Morrison into BKFC

Kenzie Morrison, the son of former boxing world champion Tommy Morrison, has signed with BKFC.

[autotag]Kenzie Morrison[/autotag] looked down at the large finger poking him in the chest.

“You’re going to be world champion,” his father said.

Morrison, who was a child at the time, looked over toward his brother. The two boys exchanged amazed looks as they received prodigal affirmations from their father, a hulking heavyweight world boxing champion.

Morrison was born six years before his father, [autotag]Tommy Morrison[/autotag], retired. So it didn’t really hit him until years later just how larger-than-life the figure he called “Dad” was.

“The drive and determination that it takes someone to defy the odds that people are constantly telling them they can’t do and to be so accomplished in that sport, that inspired me alone,” Morrison recently told MMA Junkie. “He taught me little things growing up and tried to poke at me and my brother and tell us we’re going to be the next world champ. We were all just like, ‘Holy cow, no way.'”

Morrison learned a lot from his WBO heavyweight boxing champion father, who died in 2013 at age 44. Morrison held wins over the likes of George Foreman and Donovan Ruddock among others. He also starred as in Rocky V as Tommy Gunn.

Following in his father’s footsteps, he’s compiled a 22-1-2 boxing record of his own. Though his father never saw him compete as a professional, Morrison fights in his honor in an attempt to make his dad proud.

“I guess growing up in that atmosphere, it seemed more normal, I guess, to be that way,” Morrison said. “I try to raise my son that way and just try to aspire for more in life than just the regular or average. He taught me what not to do as well. There are a lot of things that he didn’t have that he should’ve had as far as characteristics and staying on track. But I don’t want to get into the bad part of everything.”

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Now 34 and a decade-plus into his boxing tenure, Morrison said he is sick of the state of the sport. The gloves have come off and Morrison has signed a four-fight contract with BKFC. While his debut is not yet set, Morrison is eager to make his bareknuckle run a memorable one.

“I think I’ve fought for a really long time and I was able to work this all out with David (Feldman),” Morrison said. “I think we’re going to get in there and get our feet wet. I’m taking this more seriously than I’ve taken anything in a long time, just because of the opportunity that was presented to me, to be able to be part of such a great thing and possibly even end my career with a bareknuckle heavyweight world title. I think that would make my dad proud. I think that would open up doors for me to ultimately take care of my family and maybe even stay a part of the sport.”

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Even before he put pen to paper with BKFC, Morrison was keeping a close eye on the promotion’s heavyweight division. He was glued to his screen when Ben Rothwell dethroned then-heavyweight champion Mick Terrill with a brutal knockout blow at KnuckleMania 5 in January.

“I’ve watched a lot of the heavyweight guys,” Morrison said. “They’re all really big. They’re tough and they’re all great fighters in their own rights. I just think I bring a little bit different look to the table being that I’m a little quicker than most of those big guys and I can crack with both hands. Outside of street fights, I’ve never really gotten in there and focused on fighting with my bare knuckles. It’s going to be a crazy deal. I’ve been working out for the last three or four weeks with just taped hands and stuff. It’s just a whole different ball game.

“… I’m not turning anybody down and I’m trying to put on good fights for everybody. I want to make everyone proud of this sport and let’s do it. I’m not f*cking around. I’m ready. … Size has never really worried me because I hit just as hard as those guys, I feel like. Hopefully, they can’t chase me very long.”

Fanmio lawsuit claims Ryan Garcia ‘feigned’ injury to get out of exhibition fight

Fanmio has filed a lawsuit against Ryan Garcia and Golden Boy Promotions over an exhibition bout against Rukiya Anpo.

An entertainment company says boxer Ryan Garcia feigned an injury last year to back out of an exhibition fight, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in California.

Fanmio, the company based in Florida, is suing Garcia for breach of contract. The lawsuit centers on a exhibition that was to pit Garcia against Rukiya Anpo – a bout that would have given Garcia a chance to fight while he is serving a one-year suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.

Garcia announced Dec. 15 he had suffered a wrist injury during training camp and would have to postpone the exhibition fight against on Dec. 30 in Tokyo. He had agreed to the exhibition and was contractually obligated to participate, according to the complaint.

But Fanmio, the promoter for the exhibition, said Garcia “feigned” the injury and backed out on Dec. 14, a day before the event.

On Jan. 20, it was announced that Garcia would fight in Rolly Romero in New York on May 2, about two weeks after his suspension is set to end. He tested positive for Ostarine the weekend of his April 2024 fight against Devin Haney in Brooklyn that Garcia won by majority decision.

“Instead, with no sign of any surgery or recovery from the ‘injury’ that prevented him from participating in the Exhibition, Garcia is set to fight against Rolly Romero in New York on May 2 — the Times Square Fight,” the complaint states.

Lupe Valencia, an attorney who represents Garcia, told USA TODAY Sports the boxer “didn’t do anything wrong and we’re going to respond to the lawsuit. There’s nothing more to add than that.”

A news release issued Dec. 15 said the boxer had been evaluated three days earlier by orthopedic surgeon Steven Shin of Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles for an aggravated bilateral wrist injury.

“I recommend that he hold off on sparring and boxing matches for several weeks,” Shin said, according to the news release. “Treatment options will be discussed with Mr. Garcia after further evaluation.”

Fanmio also is suing Golden Boy Promotions, with which Garcia is under contract. Fanmio says Golden Boy Promotions “improperly used its influence over and contract with Garcia to prevent the match from happening.”

Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy Promotions, did not immediately respond to USA TODAY Sports’ requests for comment left by voicemail and text message.