TMZ Sports - Page 50

SIDEKICK [noun]: a person who helps and spends a lot of time with someone who is usually more important, powerful, etc.

But a delusional Justin Bieber REFUSES to acknowledge that he's Floyd Mayweather's sidekick ... despite the fact he fits Merriam-Webster's definition of the word to a T.

Just hours before we saw Bieber out at Greenblatt's Deli on the Sunset Strip Wednesday night, the pop star accompanied Floyd to Floyd's news conference to promote Floyd's big fight ... featuring Floyd, the biggest superstar who is driving the biggest boxing event in the history of the world.

Still, Bieber says he's no second fiddle.

Sure pal.

Call 'em the Filipino "Partridge Family" ... because it seems ALL of the Pacquiao's are obsessed with singing -- and Wednesday, Manny's Aunt Lilia flexed her pipes with a street rendition of "Let It Go!"

This video is amazing ... Manny's extremely spirited auntie is PUMPED for the fight -- and told us why she's convinced her nephew's gonna beat Floyd's ass!

Then, after more Pacquiao family members gathered around Auntie Lilia ... they broke out in song!

Finally some good news for NFL star Chris Johnson -- officials in Florida have dropped the misdemeanor gun charge against him stemming from a January arrest.

Johnson was arrested on January 9th after he allegedly rolled through a stop sign and cops found 2 guns in his car. According to reports, the guns weren't properly stowed, so he was arrested for "open carrying" of firearms. Johnson maintained his innocence and later pled not guilty to the charge.

Now, court officials in Orange County, FL tell TMZ Sports ... the State Attorney has officially dropped the case against the running back.

Johnson posted a comment on the situation via social media Wednesday night ... writing, "Gun charges was dropped yesterday due to no evidence of me doing anything wrong."

He continued, "Also me have concealed weapons license the arrest should have never happen #GOD100."

Seems Manny Pacquiao may have a plan on how to spend that $100 mil paycheck after all ... 'cause he's been looking at real estate in Bev Hills -- including the BALLER mansion Diddy used to call home.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Manny and his crew went to scope out the 10,000 square foot estate this past weekend and sources say he "really liked" what he saw.

The mansion is insane -- 7 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, home theater system, massive backyard and a SICK mancave with a pretty awesome wet bar.

Diddy used to live in the home back in the day -- and sold it in 2001 for $2.313 million.

The new owners renovated the hell out of the place -- and now it's on the market for a cool $12.5 million ... pocket change to a fat cat like Manny.

Our real estate sources tell us Manny is definitely interested in the house -- but didn't make an immediate offer ... in part because he's got that whole fight thing he's trying to focus on.

But we're told Manny is expected to make a decision whether to pull the trigger or pass in the near future.

Prison's not just for license plate making and shower rape ... it's also for GAMBLING ... so says ex-NBA star (and ex-con) Jayson Williams ... who says inmates LOVE to bet on the TMZ show.

Williams knows a little something about doing time -- he spent eighteen months in a New Jersey prison before spending eight months at Rikers Island stemming from a DWI arrest.

So, how did the former New Jersey Nets superstar pass the time in the big house?

JW says he and his fellow prisoners would bet on the time stamp that shows up on screen at the beginning of "TMZ on TV" which shows the exact time Harvey Levin starts the morning meeting (see below).

But get this ... Williams says he found a way to beat the odds -- connecting with his snitches on the outside who had already seen the show.

Hey, when gambling with crooks ... anything goes.

Laila Ali said NO woman could beat her in a fight … not even Ronda Rousey! And now Ronda is smack talking right back, telling Laila to bring it on!

You may or may not see the chick fight of the century -- but you will definitely see Ronda whip a male reporter's ass! Awesome.

It's the question everyone hopes they'll have the chance to answer -- how do you plan on spending your $100 MILLION paycheck?!

That's the question we fired at Manny Pacquiao earlier today -- and while he's clearly pumped about the money, Pacman says he's keeping his eye on the real prize ... a victory.

Still, one of his promoters had a suggestion that made him chuckle.

We also asked Manny about his un-retirement from singing ... and he explained why he was so proud to get back in the studio to record his entrance music for the Mayweather fight.

As we previously reported, the song is called "I Fight for Filipinos" ... and it's ... well, his intentions are good.

Every boxer's gotta have a lucky charm ... and for Floyd Mayweather, it's clearly Justin Bieber ... who popped up at the news conference Wednesday just in time for the photo op.

Bieber and Mayweather have been boys for years -- in fact, Justin has famously walked Floyd to the ring in previous fights.

Justin didn't sit on the stage during the speeches -- but as soon as Floyd and Manny posed with the honchos, JB was glued to his hip ... reppin' for The Money Team.

As for Manny, there were no pop stars in his crew -- then again, he does his own singing ... sorta.

Boxing superstars Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao just came face-to-face for the official unveiling of their May 2nd fight ... and the traditional stare down lasted 54 VERY tense seconds.

Watch it closely. So, who blinked?

Manny Pacquiao says he honestly believes UFC champ Ronda Rousey could BEAT UP Floyd Mayweather in an MMA fight ... saying, "She's strong enough."

Manny made the comments on "His & Hers" on ESPN -- saying, "She's strong. She's strong enough to beat Floyd Mayweather in MMA."

And Pacman's not the only one who believes it -- Ronda does too!

Kurt Busch will be back on the track this weekend -- 6 days after criminal domestic violence charges were dropped ... NASCAR has reinstated the suspended driver.

Busch toed the line following his suspension -- complying with all of NASCAR's requests, including participating in an anger management program ... according to NASCAR.

As we previously reported, NASCAR took Busch out of his #41 car indefinitely when his ex-GF Patricia Driscoll got a restraining order against him ... based on Busch allegedly attacking her last fall after a race in Dover. Busch is appealing the restraining order.

But since then ... prosecutors decided there wasn't enough evidence to file criminal charges against Busch.

NASCAR says Busch will remain under "indefinite probation."

After the decision, Driscoll released a statement saying, "Even though Kurt remains on indefinite probation under this decision, I’m deeply concerned about the message NASCAR is sending by letting him compete for the championship after he was found by a judge to have committed an act of domestic violence.

She continued, "But I am gratified, at least, that NASCAR’s decision comes with the mandatory condition that he follow through on the treatment he so clearly needs."

Ronda Rousey has a message for Laila Ali -- BRING IT ON!!!!

The undefeated UFC champ has just responded to Muhammad Ali's daughter (an undefeated ex-pro boxer) who told TMZ Sports no woman alive could beat her in a fight ... including Rousey.

In fact, when we shot Ali earlier this week ... she took a shot at Ronda's size -- saying, "She’s like the size of my daughter, my 3-year-old."

So, how does Rousey feel about that?

"If she wants to take me up on that, I’m around," Rousey told the Daily Beast.

"She’s retired and has several kids. I understand why she’d think that because she has a size advantage, but if you saw my last fight it had nothing to do with size or strength at all. That’s not how I beat people."

"So you can’t count having a size and strength advantage as having a real advantage against me."

Ali hasn't fought since 2007 ... but c'mon, who wouldn't pay to see this?!

Justin Bieber took on Kevin Hart in a charity tennis match yesterday ... with Will Ferrell acting as line judge. Here's what we learned:

-- Kevin Hart sucks at tennis
-- Justin Bieber sucks less
-- Will Ferrell didn't play because he has an inflamed buttock

It was actually a pretty cool event ... the 11th annual Desert Smash in La Quinta, CA to raise money for Cancer for College, which provides college scholarships to cancer survivors.

Check out the clip ... you can see Bieber vs. Hart ... with Ferrell roasting the athletes during the match. Funny stuff.

But one of the most interesting parts of the day ... Bieber was partnered up with Canadian tennis pro Genie Bouchard (pictured below).

Of course, you probably remember Bouchard as the 21-year-old tennis hottie who made headlines last year during a post-game interview when she said Bieber was her dream date.

So, what happened when they were partnered up? They high-fived a lot, they posed for pics together and they seemed to be getting along ... but so far, no word on what happened after the game.

Johnny Manziel is getting some major support from the greatest Brown of them all ... Jim Brown ... who tells TMZ Sports he's proud of the QB for extending his stay in a treatment program.

The Cleveland Browns legend was leaving Craig's in West Hollywood last night when he told us, "I think [Manziel] made a great move to go into therapy ... I'm very happy for him."

FYI -- the Browns recently announced that Manziel has decided to stay in his treatment program beyond the usual 28-day minimum.

Scary moment for ex-WWE superstar Victoria ... when her husband confronted a gun-toting intruder at her Chicago restaurant ... AND BODY SLAMMED THE GUY.

We spoke with Victoria -- real name Lisa Marie Varon -- who tells us a suspicious man entered "The Squared Circle" restaurant this weekend and started making trouble inside the women's bathroom.

That's when Victoria's husband, Lee (who manages the joint) approached the man to find out what the hell he was up to.

According to Victoria, the man tried to push his way into the kitchen ... so Lee sprung into action and attempted to physically restrain him.

Lee says he saw the man reaching for his waistband and believed he had a gun -- so he slammed the guy down to the ground.

Turns out, Lee's instincts were right ... the guy did have a gun -- which was quickly recovered by one of the cooks.

Cops were called to the scene and arrested 18-year-old Arnez Harper on a count of felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

"He (my husband) used to be a bouncer when he was a young lad," Victoria says of her hubby ... "I think that guy crossed the wrong person."

Cool moment with Denzel Washington at the big NBC Fight Night special ... the actor fought off crowds and cameras to say "what up" to an ex-boxing champ who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident ... and the moment was caught on video.

Washington is a big boxing fan ... and was in Las Vegas to watch Keith "One Time" Thurman beat the hell out of Robert Guerrero on March 7.

But while he was there, Denzel got word that Paul "The Punisher" Williams was in the arena ... the 2-time WBO Welterweight Champ whose incredible boxing career was cut short in 2012 when he crashed his motorcycle and was paralyzed from the waist down.

According to Williams (who was 43-2 as a pro) ... "Everyone was snapping pics of him and he was trying to get to me lol."

And to make the moment even sweeter, Williams says Denzel is his all-time favorite actor.