TMZ Sports - Page 50

Mayweather-Pacquiao would never have happened if a Hollywood waiter didn't get involved ... so claims the waiter who's suing to get a chunk of the financial windfall from the fight of the century.

Gabriel Salvador says he was a waiter at West Hollywood hot spot Craig's when regular customer and CBS honcho Les Moonves came in for a meal. Salvador, an avid boxing fan, says he told Moonves he could set up a meeting with Manny Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach -- which, he thought, would be the first domino in making the fight happen.

According to docs obtained by TMZ Sports ... Salvador eventually got all 3 men together at Scarpetta in Bev Hills in May 2014. For setting up the sit down, Salvador says he told all parties he wanted a "customary finder's fee" of 2% of gross proceeds earned by Pacquiao, Roach and CBS/Showtime from the fight.

In the suit, he says Moonves and Roach agreed to the terms and Roach even said, "You will never have to work another day as a waiter in your life."

Salvador admits he got a ticket to the fight, one night at a Vegas hotel and a $10,000 check to cover expenses.

After the fight, he says Moonves told him CBS didn't make any money on the fight, and he'd have to collect his fee from Pacquiao and Roach. But Salvador says Keith Davidson, an attorney for Manny and Freddie, tried to strong arm him into accepting $50,000 -- and if he didn't he would lose his job and never land any acting gigs.

Yes, like most waiters in this town ... he's also an aspiring actor.

Salvador, who's still waiting tables, is suing Manny, Freddie, Keith Davidson and CBS for his finder's fee ... which he estimates at $8.6 million.

Sources connected with CBS tell TMZ ... Salvador had nothing to do with setting up the fight and this is him trying to score a payday after the fact.

It's 59 degrees in Big D, but the forecast calls for ICE -- 215 CARATS worth -- around Dez Bryant's neck ... 'cause the Cowboys superstar ordered $200k worth of RIDICULOUS jewelry.

Bryant hit up Johnny's Custom Jewelry in Houston ... and commissioned a Cuban Link chain and bracelet ... as well as 5 "X" pendants for signature celebration move.

King Johnny -- the shop's owner -- tells TMZ Sports Dez wanted something unique ... so he designed and fabricated each piece, diamond by diamond ... which took 2 months.

The breakdown: 175 carats for bracelet & chain, and 40 carats for the pendants.

#ItsGoodToBeRich

UFC Prez Dana White has lashed out at fighter Nate Diaz, telling TMZ Sports Diaz is not only wrong when he says "all UFC fighters are on steroids," he's also hypocritical.

White tells us, "The UFC unquestionably has the best drug testing program in all of sports. All done by the United States Anti-Doping Association."

Dana is quick to add Nate's own teammates, Gilbert Melendez and Jake Shields, were both busted for PEDs ... point out, "If you are cheating, you get caught."

UFC champ Conor McGregor called Nate Diaz a "cholo gangsta from the hood" in one of the most hate-fueled pre-fight press conferences ever.

Nate said everyone in the UFC -- including Conor -- was on steroids. Conor went nuts and said he was absolutely not.

Nate, who's stepping in at the last minute to replace the injured Rafael dos Anjos in UFC 196 on March 5th, was goaded by Conor, who said Nate "makes gun signs with the right hand and animal balloons with the left hand."

Conor was referring to Nate's side jobs to make money. Conor was quick to add he's now a millionaire who shops on Rodeo Drive.

You have never seen this kind of hatred.

DeMarcus Ware and Demaryius Thomas are celebrating their Super Bowl victory over the Panthers ... by staring down LIONS on a South African safari.

The Broncos superstars are visiting the Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa -- home to lions, leopards and elephants. In addition to observing wildlife ... the guys toured a winery, went deep sea fishing and visited Nelson Mandela's prison cell on Robben Island.

A rep for Ware tells TMZ Sports the trip was planned before SB -- but as it turns out, their $100k bonus checks for winning the game will easily cover the trip. 10 day trips like theirs tend to cost around $13,000.

Erin Andrews broke down in court when her father took the stand in the trial of the man who secretly recorded her nude in her hotel room.

Andrews is suing Michael David Barrett and Marriott hotels over the infamous videos he shot through a peep hole in an adjoining hotel room to Erin's. Her father, Steve Andrews, testified in a Nashville courtroom about how the recordings devastated his daughter.

He said, "She's afraid. She's afraid of crowds, afraid of people. She doesn't trust anymore."

He added that Erin puked just thinking about watching the videos. The FBI had asked her to view the clips to help agents find clues about who shot them.

Barrett got a 2 year prison sentence after pleading guilty to interstate stalking.

Jets WR Brandon Marshall says it's obvious former NBA star Delonte West needs help ... and he believes it's the duty of the NBA to reach out and give him the treatment he needs.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... West was recently seen at a Houston fast food joint in the middle of the night, without shoes, looking pretty disheveled.

Marshall -- who's been very vocal about overcoming his own mental health issues -- was at LAX when we asked about West's seemingly dire situation ... and who could help.

Check out the clip -- Brandon says he definitely thinks Delonte needs a helping hand ... and that the NBA could -- and should -- do their part to reach out to guys having tough times.

NHL star Mike Richards just caught a big break in his drug possession case in Canada, but should be on his best behavior for the next year.

A judge in Manitoba just stayed the charge ... which means the charge is off the table, but can be brought back to life within a year. If Richards manages to stay out of trouble during that time, the case will be completely dismissed.

As we previously reported, the ex-L.A. Kings player faced up to six months in jail after he was popped for smuggling Oxycodone across the border in June and charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Akon is calling major BS on Louis Farrakhan ... saying comments he made comparing NBA basketball to modern day slavery -- and LeBron James to a slave -- are totally and completely off base.

Farrakhan made the statements at a recent Nation Of Islam event in Detroit ... trashing the NBA -- as an exploitative operation where black men are "bought and sold" ... exactly like slavery.

Akon doesn't agree ... and when we got him out at LAX he admitted he had respect for Minister Farrakhan, but didn't hesitate to give him the business ... calling his statement "bulls**t."

Check it out.

Floyd Mayweather's entourage, The Money Team, got into a major accident on an L.A. freeway ... critically injuring one member of Floyd's crew ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Future is gonna be piiiiissed.

Russell Wilson and baby Future had the run of Dodger Stadium on Sunday -- running the base paths, and posing for what looks like awesome family photos with Ciara.

As we've reported, Ciara and Future are in a nasty custody battle over their son. Future's already said he's not thrilled about public photos of Russell with his kid ... so, this feels like throwing fuel on a fire.

In the couple's defense, they didn't release the pics -- the Dodgers tweeted them Tuesday.

If nothing else ... it looks like baby Future had a great day, and Ciara got next year's Christmas card?

Father time is taking a chunk out of Reggie Bush's ass -- by Reggie's own admission he's feeling ancient and doesn't sound thrilled about his upcoming birthday.

Reggie was out and about in L.A. looking absolutely decrepit (if decrepit people look super jacked) when we asked about celebrating his 31st birthday.

You can tell in this clip ... Mr. Bush is well aware over 30 means the "back end" of an NFL career.

Still, the free agent says he's totally healthy, listening to all offers and he's even open to a sort of homecoming.

Y'know he'll be playing somewhere ... if his wife has anything to say about it.

Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes obviously wanted a truck as huge as the homers he hits ... 'cause he dropped more than $30k to turn his 2016 Ford F50 truck into a swagged out MONSTROSITY.

We spoke to Alex Vega -- honcho of the Autofirm down in Miami -- and he says Cespedes had only one request for the custom job ... make it HUGE.

Vega laced the truck with a new Avorza grill, halo headlamps, new rear taillights and a 6 inch lift kit to make the ride a little more Shaq like.

Throw in a custom Avorza exhaust (adding 120 hp) and you get a final price tag of $30k worth of four-wheeled badassery.

Easy to see where Yoenis is spending that new $75 mil contract ... dude has a different whip each day at spring training.

Attention all Uber drivers ... if you plan on picking up Daytona 500 champ Denny Hamlin be at your best ... 'cause the speed demon says he has ZERO problem hitting a driver with the dreaded 1 star review.

Hamlin was out in NYC -- still basking in the glow of his win -- when our photog asked about the proper etiquette when it comes to a subpar Uber ride ... do you hit 'em with the 1 star or let a poor dude slide?

Listen up Uber drivers ... if you're looking for any four-wheeled comradery from Denny you ain't gonna get it ... he says he's more than willing to ruin your reputation ... if you ruin his trip.

Here is the full Dante Fowler fight video -- which shows the moment the NFL player decides he's seen enough ... and physically intervenes to end the brawl between his GF and his baby mama.

The Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end has already apologized for his role in the violent incident -- saying all three people involved are dealing with the matter "as a family."

Major League Baseball just sent an interesting message to Jose Reyes -- stay away from the team while your domestic violence case is pending ... but don't worry, we'll still pay you.

Reyes has been accused of grabbing his wife by the throat and slamming her into a glass door during a Hawaiian vacation back in October.

Reyes was arrested -- and the trial begins in April.

So, what is MLB to do?

On Tuesday, Commish Rob Manfred gave the orders to put Reyes on paid leave until the case is resolved.

If Reyes is convicted, we're guessing the gravy train comes to an end -- and if he's exonerated, Reyes should be back in uniform without any damage to his bank account.

"The Commissioner's Office will have no further comment on this matter until a final disposition is announced."