The Holy Grail of Elvis Presley jewelry is going up for grabs -- it's his iconic lion claw necklace, and some Elvis-crazed collector might have to drop half a million dollars, or more, to nab it at auction.

Elvis famously wore the lion claw around his neck for years, both on and off stage ... including during some of his most memorable moments.

When Elvis met Muhammad Ali at the peak of the boxer's prime, the lion necklace was dangling from the singer's neck.

Ditto for a famous photo of Elvis celebrating his daughter Lisa Marie's 5th birthday with his wife Priscilla.

Elvis took the stage at least 30 times with the lion claw necklace too, on tour and during his Las Vegas residency ... and he wore it during his post-Priscilla relationship with Linda Thompson.

The piece is bedazzled with diamonds and rubies ... and it's been on display for years at the Elvis Presley Museum, but now it's going up for auction with Gotta Have Rock and Roll.

Jake Paul's leaving a ton of money on the table in his upcoming boxing match ... telling TMZ Sports he's more focused on being a world champion than selling Pay-per-views.

The 26-year-old Problem Child is facing off against 35-year-old pro boxer Andre August in Orlando next month ... which is a stark contrast from his usual big-name opponents like Tommy Fury, Nate Diaz and Anderson Silva.

Paul says that's by design ... as he needs to take on real-deal boxers to both silence his haters and move toward his goal of being the best fighter on the planet -- even if it doesn't line his pockets like his other high-profile bouts.

"This is probably just a break-even fight for me," Jake told Michael Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show on FS1. "I probably won't even make money on it. Who knows what the outcome is. It's $200,000 for a private jet to fly around just to get me there and back."

But, that's not fazing Jake -- he makes it clear his only concern is polishing his skills and taking on a bigger challenge against a guy with more wins and knockouts under his belt.

"He's a beast, he's a dog and he's coming to win," Jake said of his opponent. "This is his make-or-break moment as a boxer himself. It's gonna be a really good fight."

Jake made a great point -- the entire world has watched all of his fights from the very beginning ... which is unprecedented for someone in the sport. Usually, dudes take on smaller bouts to gain more experience before getting big.

Jake explained he's not going to leave the massive PPV opportunities for good -- which might be good news for former boxing champion Andre Ward, who previously told us he was interested in taking on one of the Paul brothers in the future.

Michael B. Jordan is set to direct another 'Rocky' franchise installment with the next 'Creed' movie -- this despite the fact that Sylvester Stallone has major beef with a key producer.

The announcement was made by Irwin Winkler at an event in L.A. Saturday -- where he confirmed that not only is 'Creed IV' happening ... but saying Mike would be back in the director's chair, and obviously starring of course.

According to Deadline, Winkler said they'd start circling the project sometime in 2024 -- with him explaining, "We have a really good story [and] a really good plot. We got a little delayed because of the strikes, but about a year from now we’re going into pre-production."

Considering how much of a moneymaker "Creed III" was, this is great news for MBJ ... but probably hits a nerve with Sly -- who's slammed IW and his handling of the 'Rocky' rights.

As we reported ... Stallone has called on Winkler to give him an ownership stake in the IP -- of which he has no control over, apparently, after having sold the rights to the OG script years ago. Sly's POV is ... he's the creator of the character/story, so he should have a cut.

It goes without saying ... Rocky himself was not featured in the latest film -- and Sly said he just didn't like direction Mike and Irwin were taking things ... although he did wish 'em well.

Sly's love of his baby ('Rocky') actually just got a renewed focus thanks to a great Netflix doc on the man himself, "Sly" ... which touches heavily on how the Oscar-winning film came together. If you watch it, you'll see all things 'Rocky' are still very near and dear to SS.

Interestingly enough, Sylvester doesn't address Winkler in the doc (directly or indirectly) but he's made his feelings about the issue very clear. For now, it doesn't appear he's going to be involved with 'Creed IV' ... although MBJ left the door open in interviews earlier this year.

Floyd Mayweather's returning to the boxing ring to take care of some unfinished business ... the legendary fighter is taking on John Gotti III in Las Vegas over Super Bowl weekend in February, a rematch of their '23 fight that ended in chaos!

TMZ Sports is told the event will happen around Super Sunday (February 11 in Sin City) and will be headlined by 46-year-old Mayweather vs. 31-year-old Gotti III.

Floyd, 50-0, is one of the greatest fighters to ever put on a pair of gloves. Gotti III, grandson of the legendary Gambino family crime boss, John Gotti, was originally an MMA fighter (5-1), who eventually got into boxing (2-0).

The rest of the card will be anchored by Floyd's Mayweather Promotions fighters.

Of course, Floyd and John have history. Back in June, they boxed at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida ... but the bout was called in the sixth round after a bunch of holding and other shenanigans in the ring.

Although the fight was technically stopped by ref Kenny Bayless, it was just the beginning of the fighting ... as mayhem erupted inside the squared circle, and outside of it, too.

In fact, Joseline Hernandez and Big Lex were seen scrapping.

Order was eventually restored ... and reps for the fighters spoke and peaced things up.

Now, the men are set to battle again ... during what was already one of the biggest weeks in all of sports.

And, to make sure there isn't a repeat of the first fight, we're told there are clauses in the contracts that could trigger a financial fine if anyone gets out of line.

The fight, a pay-per-view event airing on Zeus network, will be promoted by Mayweather Promotions, along with partner Hidden Empire Films!

Jake Paul's a big deal in boxing, and some people don't like it ... but don't count legendary boxer Andre Ward among that group 'cause the multiple-time former world champion tells us he's a fan of The Problem Child driving new fans to the sport!

"I don't hate on it," Ward told Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs nightly on FS1) this week ... of Paul's transition from YouTuber to boxing star.

"The crossover stuff like what Jake Paul, Logan [Paul] is doing, [Francis] Ngannou just did, I respect it. That takes a lot of courage, takes a lot of heart."

Ward -- who retired in 2017 with a perfect 32-0 record -- said he applauds Paul for ignoring the naysayers who have labeled him a gimmick or sideshow and want him out of the sport.

"I don't think so. It actually brings a new audience, more eyeballs," Ward said, "and if the fanbase follows them over to boxing, then more power to 'em."

"I'm a fan of it, I appreciate it and I watch it."

In fact, Ward, who is still only 39 years old, told us he'd actually be down to step back in the ring for an exhibition fight ... against Jake or Logan.

"I don't hate against it. I would probably do it for the right situation. I keep myself just good enough to where if I needed 7, 8 weeks, I can take care of my business," Ward said.

Although he hasn't been fighting, Ward's been busy ... in fact, he just released a brand new memoir titled "Killing The Image: A Champion's Journey Of Faith, Fighting, And Forgiveness."

Ward's book isn't just about boxing ... Son of God talks about everything from his difficult childhood to the role that faith and religion have played in his life, and how it's guided to him incredible heights -- including 5 world titles and an Olympic gold medal.

"This book takes you deep into my mind, into my life, into my upbringing [and] how I go to the point that I'm at today."

Jake Paul es muy importante en el boxeo y a algunas personas no les gusta, pero no cuentes con que el legendario boxeador Andre Ward entre ese grupo. El varias veces ex campeón del mundo nos dice que es un fan de "The Problem Child" por que atrae a nuevos aficionados al deporte.

"No lo odio", dijo Ward a Babcock en el programa de televisión "TMZ Sports" (se emite todas las noches en FS1) esta semana, de la transición de Paul de YouTuber a estrella del boxeo.

"Las cosas cruzadas como lo que Jake Paul, Logan [Paul] está haciendo, o lo que [Francis] Ngannou acaba de hacer, lo respeto. Eso requiere mucho coraje, requiere mucho corazón".

Ward —quien se retiró en 2017 con un récord perfecto de 32-0— dijo que aplaude a Paul por ignorar a los detractores que lo han etiquetado como un simple showman o espectáculo secundario y lo quieren fuera del deporte.

"No creo que sea así. En realidad aporta un nuevo público, más ojos", dijo Ward, "y si la afición les sigue hasta el boxeo, pues más poder para ellos".

"Soy un fan, lo aprecio y lo veo".

De hecho, Ward —que solo tiene 39 años— nos dijo que estaría dispuesto a volver al ring para una pelea de exhibición contra Jake o Logan.

"No tengo nada en contra. Probablemente lo haría en la situación adecuada. Me mantengo lo suficientemente bien como para ocuparme de mis asuntos", dijo Ward.

Aunque no ha estado luchando, Ward ha estado ocupado, de hecho, acaba de publicar un nuevo libro de memorias titulado "Killing The Image: A Champion's Journey Of Faith, Fighting, And Forgiveness".

El libro de Ward no trata solo de boxe, Hijo de Dios habla de todo, desde su difícil infancia hasta el papel que la fe y la religión han desempeñado en su vida, y cómo le han guiado a cotas increíbles (5 títulos mundiales y una medalla de oro olímpica).

"Este libro te lleva a lo más profundo de mi mente, de mi vida, de mi educación y de cómo llegué al punto en el que estoy hoy".

Gillie Da Kid's one-on-one basketball challenge to Jamal Crawford has been accepted -- and the ex-NBA Sixth Man of the Year is strongly hinting declaring he won't go easy on Gillie!!

JC got wind of Gillie flapping his gums about him during a recent episode of "Million Dollarz Worth of Game," and promised to light up Gillie just like the infamous "Martin" episode where his face got turned into hamburger meat after challenging Tommy "Hitman" Hearns to a boxing match!!!

Gillie was attempting to convince Wallo, Cam'ron and Mase that he was a better baller than JC off the strength of his past wins against actively hooping artists such as Chris Brown, Rowdy Rebel and Rob49.

Everyone stated the obvious -- an ex-pro is more skilled than a great amateur, but Gillie argued he would get his buckets on JC in spite of their size difference.

JC is widely known for being the oldest player to score 50 points in an NBA game and now travels the globe looking for competition like the B-ball version of Ryu from "Street Fighter" ... and is promising a Gillie KO!!!

Jake Paul says his experiences with psychedelics have made him a new person ... detailing his first time using ayahuasca and how it completely changed his life for the better.

The Problem Child dropped his trash-talking fighter persona and spoke from the heart in a sit-down with Aubrey Marcus this week ... where they discussed a wide range of topics -- his highs and lows as an internet celebrity, his transition to boxing and spiritual awakenings.

Of course, ayahuasca is the same brew that NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers has sworn by -- he previously credited it for the best season in his career.

Jake labels his first time with the psychedelic as a mirror-like experience ... where he was walked through specific moments of his life when he acted in a negative manner -- incidents he didn't even remember happening.

"It made me take a hard look at some of those situations and the big thing was me being, like, snarky sometimes to people," Jake said. "Like sometimes I'll just snap. It's like, 'Why? Why do you do this?'"

Jake pointed out he viewed these interactions from the other perspective ... which made him question his actions and body language toward his peers.

He continued to explain how a lot of his issues came from his struggles with self-love and the amount of pressure he put on himself -- which created a state of fear and anxiety.

On the other hand, Jake said that same flaw also made him want to work nonstop and pursue perfection ... which got him to where he is today.

But the biggest part of the journey -- Jake claims ayahuasca taught him how to love himself.

"It felt like this love that I needed," Paul said. "It was so cerebral ... that was really powerful and I think that was my biggest takeaway from the whole week is working on that self-love and giving myself credit sometimes."

8:38 AM PT -- Jake Paul is going off on anyone who is still hating on his boxing career after the big reveal ... telling any naysayers to simply "shut the f*** up."

"Boxer true and true, better record than me, more wins by KO than me, same weight."

Of course, haters gonna hate ... so it sounds like that'll continue no matter what.

Jake Paul is sending a direct response to his haters with his next opponent -- he just announced he's slated to fight pro boxer Andre August next month.

The Problem Child is going up against a 10-1 cruiserweight fighter with five knockouts under his belt ... and he's referring to the matchup as a serious challenge as he continues his quest to become a legitimate world champion.

"Ask and I shall deliver," Jake said Wednesday. "August has more KO’s then me, more wins then me, more experience then me, but I like to gamble."

"The path to world champ starts here. Just straight up boxing."

26-year-old Paul is 7-1 with four KOs in his career ... but many have criticized him for taking on older MMA fighters with little to no boxing experience.

The one boxer he actually has on his record is Tommy Fury -- and that's his only loss.

35-year-old August is by far the smallest name Jake has ever agreed to fight ... but he's exactly the type of opponent the purists would want to see him face off against.

The 5'10", 200-lb. Houston native last fought in August, when he won via unanimous decision. His only loss came in 2018. According to his Instagram page, AA claims to be a Texas state champion.

August addressed the upcoming event in a statement ... saying, "I don't talk very much. I’m all about that action! Jake Paul has the money, the fame, the team and the resources but he doesn’t have my hunger."

"When that bell rings, I am going to go straight to Jake Paul and ring his bell and send him back to YouTube for good."

The bout is slated to go down December 15 at the Caribe Royale in Orlando.

Francis Ngannou isn't sending mixed signals ... he wants a rematch with Tyson Fury next, and if that means waiting a few months until The Gypsy King fights Oleksandr Usyk, he tells TMZ Sports that's exactly what he'll do!

The 37-year-old combat sports superstar joined Michael Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" show (airs weeknights on FS1) ... where the guys talked about Francis' future in the ring now that he's the hottest commodity in the sport.

"I would be willing to wait [for Fury to fight Usyk]. I know that they are going to fight, they had a contract already, so they are going to fight sometime in February instead of December 23, which is my fault," Ngannou said smiling ... "I shouldn't have cut him. He would've fought December 23, and maybe we would've run it back early next year."

Of course, Francis is referring to the cut he opened up on Tyson's head ... a big reason he won't be able to turn around and fight in less than 2 months. The cut has to heal.

So, a fight with Fury, barring the Usyk bout completely falling apart, will not happen until, at earliest, mid-2024.

In the meantime, Anthony Joshua, through his promoter Eddie Hearn, has said he's down to fight The Predator in Saudi Arabia on December 28. We asked Ngannou if he was interested.

"First of all, it's too soon. Secondly, my focus, as boxing is concerned, is a rematch with Tyson. That's the most important thing for me right now, everything else for boxing comes after."

In addition to AJ, Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker are names that have been thrown out as possible future opponents for Ngannou.

All this doesn't necessarily mean Francis won't fight before Fury ... he just won't box. Remember, Ngannou is signed to PFL (as a fighter and Chairman of PFL Africa).

Last week we spoke to PFL CEO Peter Murray ... who previewed some of the promotion's plans for their superstar fighter.

There's also much more with Francis ... from whether he believes Fury trained for him to how his life has changed since the epic performance.

Heavyweight boxing star Jared "Big Baby" Anderson -- who Tyson Fury calls a future champ -- was arrested Monday in Ohio after cops say he was driving under the influence with a gun in his car.

Oregon (OH) Police Department tells TMZ Sports the arrest occurred a little after 1 AM after an officer allegedly saw Anderson driving his '23 Dodge Charger 55 in a 40 MPH zone, and initially pulled him over for speeding.

During the stop, the cop says he smelled "the faint odor of burnt marijuana," as well as alcohol on Anderson's breath. The officer also allegedly spotted an opened bottle of Don Julio tequila.

OPD says they observed Anderson's eyes, which were allegedly "bloodshot and glassy," so they administered a blood alcohol content test which came up .038, under the legal limit (.08).

As part of the stop, officers also conducted a search of his vehicle ... and located a firearm in the glovebox.

According to Lucas County jail records, the 23-year-old was booked on two charges ... improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle knowingly transporting under the influence, and operating a vehicle under the influence (OVI).

OVI can be used to charge a person operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

The news comes just days after Fury praised the 16-0 (15 KOs) fighter, calling Anderson the next star of the heavyweight division.

"Jared's the man. This is the future champ," Fury said ahead of his bout with Francis Ngannou.

"I said it three years ago. This is the heir to the throne.”

Anderson started boxing as a teenager and has won several championships ... from the Elite National Championships to the National Golden Gloves.

Despite losing to Gervonta 'Tank' Davis in front of the world, Ryan Garcia will still become a boxing superstar, according to his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, who knows a thing or two about dominating the sport.

TMZ Sports spoke with the Golden Boy ahead of Garcia's return to the ring against Oscar Duarte on December 2 (streaming on DAZN) ... Ryan's first scrap since the April L to Tank.

"I have to commend Ryan for taking this tough challenge after his defeat," ODLH said.

"[Duarte] is coming off 11-straight knockout wins. I mean, that tells you a lot about him, but it also tells you a lot about Ryan's character."

Oscar says a win over OD in December will indicate the 25-year-old boxer is back on track ... and he'll be ready to go toe-to-toe with BK's own, Teofimo Lopez, for a world title.

What happens after that is up to Garcia, according to Oscar ... but the Hall of Famer is optimistic Ryan's headed places.

"I can see Ryan Garcia opening up the Sphere in Las Vegas," ODLH said. "I can see Ryan Garcia being a superstar."

For now, Garcia is focused on showing the world he's still elite  ... and he tells us he's prepared for what 26-1 Duarte will bring to the ring.

"I just gotta watch out for his aggression, his power. He's hungry," Garcia said. "Facing a guy like me, they're always gonna bring their A-game."

A pesar de perder ante Gervonta 'Tank' Davis frente al mundo, Ryan García todavía se convertirá en una superestrella del boxeo. Esto según su promotor, Oscar De La Hoya, quien sabe una cosa o dos acerca de dominar el deporte.

TMZ Sports habló con el Golden Boy antes del regreso de García al ring contra Oscar Duarte el 2 de diciembre (streaming en DAZN). El primer combate de Ryan desde la L de abril a Tank.

"Tengo que elogiar a Ryan por tomar este duro desafío después de su derrota", dijo De La Hoya.

"Duarte viene de 11 victorias consecutivas por nocaut. Eso te dice mucho de él, pero también del carácter de Ryan".

Oscar dice que una victoria sobre OD en diciembre indicará que el boxeador de 25 años está de vuelta y estará listo para ir mano a mano con Teófimo López por un título mundial.

Lo que ocurra después de eso depende de García, según Oscar, pero el miembro del Salón de la Fama es optimista respecto al destino de Ryan.

"Puedo ver a Ryan García abriendo la Esfera en Las Vegas", dijo Oscar. "Puedo ver a Ryan García siendo una superestrella".

Por ahora, García está concentrado en demostrarle al mundo que sigue en la élite y nos dice que está preparado para lo que Duarte (26-1) traerá al ring.

"Solo tengo que tener cuidado con su agresividad, su poder. Tiene hambre", dijo García. "Para enfrentarse a un tipo como yo, va a tener que ponerlo todo en juego".

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., former boxing champ and son of one of Mexico's greatest-ever athletes, was recently treated at a psych hospital after his wife told police he consumed dozens of pills, and she was scared for his safety.

Sources tell TMZ Sports 37-year-old Chavez Jr.'s wife, Frida Chavez, contacted police in the Hollywood area on October 24 ... after she became worried about her hubby's health.

Frida -- who was previously married to Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's late son, Edgar Guzman Lopez -- told cops she believed Julio ingested a large amount of potent and potentially dangerous medication ... and wanted medics to check him out.

Rescuers were dispatched and were able to contact Chavez Jr.

It's unclear exactly what happened, but Julio wasn't permitted to leave after officials determined Chavez Jr. needed to go to a psychiatric facility for treatment, known as a 5150 in California.

The law allows certain officials (police officers, doctors, etc.), should they believe someone to be "a danger to others, or to themselves, or gravely disabled" to be held for up to 72 hours "for assessment, evaluation, and crisis intervention."

Chavez Jr.'s family is clearly concerned for his health. In fact, his dad, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., recently expressed fear for his son's well-being during a podcast appearance.

"I feel sorry for him, because his children are little and he's not enjoying them. It hurts me that he's going to go crazy, that he's going to have an accident driving at 12-1 in the morning at full speed, that he's going to have a heart attack from all the pills he takes," Chavez Sr. said on the Bromeando con los Rivera show.

Speaking of Sr., while Chavez Jr. never reached the athletic heights of his legendary father, he was still an accomplished boxer, holding the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and 2012.

Francis Ngannou signed with PFL earlier this year, and now the promotion has arguably the hottest combat sports star in the world ... so, what's the plan? We asked PFL's CEO, Peter Murray.

"In 2024 [Ngannou] will absolutely make his debut with PFL, and he'll return to the cage and MMA and we're putting that fight together as we speak," Murray told TMZ Sports just days after the Fury fight.

Remember, 37-year-old Ngannou signed with Professional Fighters League in May 2023 ... to a deal that allows him to fight MMA, while also taking boxing matches outside the promotion (hence the Fury fight). Francis will also serve as the chairman of PFL Africa.

Clearly, there are some big potential fights out there ... we asked Peter which were on his radar.

"Francis wants Jon Jones, and Jon Jones wants Francis. Francis wants Stipe [Miocic], and Stipe wants Francis. And there's a conversation going on with Deontay Wilder, whether it's boxing, whether it's modified rules. That could be exciting, so that's a real consideration."

Obviously, there are some massive hurdles when you're talking about Francis vs. Jon or Stipe ... as both men are signed to the UFC. Dana White, in the past, hasn't been open to cross-promotion fights, and the UFC honcho and Francis aren't exactly on the best terms right now.

So, we'll see.

On the other hand, Wilder would seemingly be a lot easier of a fight to make ... and it'd be a highly anticipated matchup pitting arguably the hardest-punching boxer vs. the hardest-punching MMA fighter!

38-year-old Wilder last fought in October 2022 ... knicking out Robert Helenius in the very first round of their bout in Brooklyn. 42 of Deontay's 43 wins have come by knockout.

We also spoke to Francis earlier in the week ... and we asked him about The Bronze Bomber.