Danny Kelly Jr., a professional boxer from Maryland, was shot dead in front of his girlfriend and children on Christmas Eve in what police are investigating as a road rage incident.

Police responded just prior to 5 p.m. and found Kelly, of Clinton, Maryland, unresponsive in the driver’s seat of his SUV. He was pronounced dead at a hospital, police officials said.

The 30-year-old Kelly was driving with his girlfriend and three young children to a holiday dinner at the time. No one else in the car was injured.

The shooting occurred in Temple Hills, Maryland, on St. Barnabas Road.

“Preliminarily, it appears the suspect’s vehicle pulled up next to Kelly’s SUV and someone inside opened fire,” the Prince George’s County Police Department said.

“This is an absolutely heartbreaking loss for Mr. Kelly’s family and friends,” said Acting Major David Blazer of the police department’s major crimes division. “He is not home with his loved ones today on Christmas who are now mourning his loss instead of celebrating the holiday.”

Police are offering up to $25,000 “for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.”

On Thursday, President Donald Trump posthumously pardoned world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson.

Trump posthumously pardons boxer jack johnson

Trump pardoned Johnson, who was African-American, for violating the 1913 Mann Act by carrying a white woman across state lines, during a time when interracial relationships of any kind, even consensual ones, were virtually illegal. Last month, Trump said he was weighing a pardon for Johnson after receiving a phone call from actor Sylvester Stallone, the writer and star of the Rocky film franchise. On Thursday, Trump was surrounded at the White House by several celebrities including Stallone and both former and current boxers like Lennox Lewis. 

In 1908, at age 30, Johnson became the first black man to win the world heavyweight title after defeating Canadian boxer Tommy Burns via TKO in the 14th round.

Johnson died at the age of 68 in a car accident in 1946, the year Trump was born. He was repeatedly denied the opportunity to fight several white boxers for major championships due to his race. He was born in 1878 in Galveston, Texas to former slaves.

Jim Jeffries — a late famous white boxer — came out of retirement to fight Johnson in 1910. Johnson won the match via a 15th-round TKO, and major riots across the country began soon afterwards.

In his announcement of the pardon, Trump called Johnson “a truly great fighter” and noted how the boxer had served 10 months in prison “for what many view as a racially-motivated injustice.”

Johnson’s conviction for violating the Mann Act was re-examined decades later, and experts used it as an example of a case that ended terribly unjustly due to a deeply flawed and racially discriminatory American justice system.

Since taking office, Trump has issued three other pardons: former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, Navy submariner Kristian Mark Saucier, and former George W. Bush Administration official Scooter Libby. 

Arpaio — who is running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican this year — is known for being an immigration hardliner who detained several immigrants in his Arizona country and even abused many of these immigrants by illegally keeping them in camps with harsh living conditions.

Saucier was convicted for taking unauthorized photos in the classified section of a submarine. Libby — former Vice President Dick Cheney’s Chief of Staff — was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice in 2007 for his involvement in revealing the identity of CIA officer Valerie Plame. 

Light heavyweight world titleholder Andre Ward revealed on his website that he is retiring from boxing.

Andre Ward Retirement News

The 33-year-old American ends his career undefeated (32-0) and with 16 knockouts.

“I want to be clear — I am leaving because my body can no longer put up with the rigors of the sport and therefore my desire to fight is no longer there,” his statement said. “If I cannot give my family, my team, and the fans everything that I have, then I should no longer be fighting.”

“People see what I do fight night,” said Ward on ESPN’s “First Take.” “They see under the lights, but they don’t see the toil, they don’t see the grind, they don’t see just the pain, the physical pain that you go through, not just in the fights, but to prepare and to get ready for those battles.”

He added: “I felt the physicality of the sport — not just in-the-ring stuff, but the training and the preparation — start to take its toll on me for the last two or three years, and I bit down and continued to push through. And at this point, it’s time, and I know it’s time.”

Ward — a 2004 Olympic champion — told reporters last month that his contract with HBO was up, although he remains under contract with promoter Roc Nation Sports, despite rumors to the contrary.

The boxer has been with HBO since he knocked out Chad Dawson in 2012. However, Ward has had two long layoffs since due to promotional issues.

“Andre Ward ends his boxing career as he only knew how to live it — as a champion at the top,” Peter Nelson, executive vice president of HBO Sports, said in a statement. “To watch Ward was to marvel at constant mastery of craft in the ring, to say nothing of his being the consummate role model outside it. The Hall of Fame will be lucky to have him.

“We wish Andre and his family much success and happiness as he explores new opportunities, including with our own HBO family as one of the expert analysts on our broadcast team.

“It was a privilege for HBO to serve as the television platform for many of his landmark achievements in the sport he loves.”

Ward is the last American man to win Olympic gold in boxing. He also served as a ringside ESPN analyst for the Aug. 19 junior welterweight unification fight between Terence Crawford and Julius Indongo. Ward will also continue to announce fights for HBO.

LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 17: Andre Ward (L) hits Sergey Kovalev with a left in the eighth round of their light heavyweight championship bout at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on June 17, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ward retained his WBA/IBF/WBO titles with a TKO in the eighth round. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Jake LaMotta, a former middleweight champion boxer who was portrayed by Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s award-winning 1980 movie Raging Bull, died Wednesday at the age of 95.

Jake LaMotta death news

LaMotta died in a nursing home in Miami due to complications from pneumonia, his wife Denise Baker stated.

“He was a great man, sensitive, and had eyes that danced right up to the end. I love him; God rest his soul,” Baker told ABC. “And he never went down!”

The boxer was best known for his fights against Sugar Ray Robinson. LaMotta held the middleweight title from 1949 to 1951 after beating titleholder Marcel Cerdan in Detroit and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.

LaMotta went 83-19-4 along with 30 knockouts throughout his career, which began in 1941 and ended in 1954. A New York City native, he quickly earned the nickname “Bronx Bull.”

De Niro, who won the Academy Award for his performance as LaMotta in “Raging Bull” — which was based on the boxer’s 1970 memoir of the same name written with Joseph Carter and Peter Savage.  — kept his tribute to the former champion simple: “Rest in Peace, Champ.”

Scorsese also lauded LaMotta.

“He was, as they say, larger than life,” Scorsese said of the legendary fighter. “He lived a tough life, with a lot to overcome, but that’s exactly what he did. I’m glad to have had the chance to know him.”

De Niro spoke in 2013 about his sparring sessions with LaMotta in preparation for the role, and said he was impressed with the boxer’s age despite his growing age.

“I sparred with people with gear on, but we were careful,” De Niro told Time magazine. “We weren’t looking to kill anyone. Then I trained with Jake. He would say, ‘Hit me, don’t worry, don’t worry.’ He was 55, but he was really tough. I didn’t realise until I got to his age that you could still take a punch.”

LaMotta later returned the compliment, saying De Niro fought so well that he believed the actor could have become a professional boxer as well.

LaMotta faced Robinson for the first out of six times on Oct. 2, 1942 at Madison Square Garden, with Robinson fighting as a welterweight. Robinson destroyed LaMotta, leaving him bloodied and winning via unanimous decision in ten rounds.

“I would think that Jake thinks it’s a movie about himself,” Mr. Scorsese told The New York Times shortly after “Raging Bull” was released. “But those who think it’s a boxing picture would be out of their minds. It’s brutal, sure, but it’s a brutality that could take place not only in the boxing ring but in the bedroom or in an office. Jake is an elemental man.”

Indeed, Scorsese’s film depicted how quick-tempered LaMotta was in his personal life. The boxer was married six times, according to the New York Times. His second wife Vickie —  portrayed by Cathy Moriarty in the film — was a teenager at the time of their marriage in 1946. LaMotta had a very tempestuous relationship with each of his wives, and even had an affair with one woman, although he accused his bother and manager Joey of sleeping with Vickie.

Moriarty was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Vickie, and Joe Pesci was also nominated for his portrayal of Joey LaMotta.

In 2015, a second movie based on LaMotta’s life, “The Bronx Bull,” was released starring William Forsythe in the title role.

After retiring from boxing, LaMotta spent most of his time acting, appearing on television, and dabbling in stand-up comedy. He had an off-Broadway biographical show called “Lady and the Champ.”

He appeared as a bartender in the Paul Newman film “The Hustler” (1961) and played the mobster Big Julie in a 1965 production of the musical “Guys and Dolls” at the City Center in Manhattan.

Besides Ms. Baker, LaMotta is survived by his daughters, Jacklyn O’Neill, Christie LaMotta, Elisa LaMotta and Mia Day; Ms. Baker’s daughters, Meggen Connolley and Natalia Baker; his brothers, Joe and Al; his sisters, Maria Hawfield and Anne Ramaglia; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 24: Former World Middleweight Champion boxer Jake LaMotta attends the 27th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner to benefit the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis at The Waldorf=Astoria on September 24, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for The Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis)

Robert Guerrero, a former world champion boxer, had quite a number of interesting bouts during his 16-year career.

Robert Guerrero Talks Career, Nickname, and His… by uSports
The 34-year-old Mexican-American fighter — who is a two-time IBF featherweight champion and a one-time junior lightweight champion — retired from boxing on July 17 after losing to Omar Figueroa in the main card of a Premier Boxing Champions event at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on July 15.

Oscar De La Hoya was arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of drunk driving after he was stopped for speeding in Pasadena, officials stated.

Ex-Boxing Champion Oscar De La Hoya Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI In California

The 43-year-old former world boxing champion and Golden Boy Promotions chairman, who has struggled with post-retirement addiction issues, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08.

According to the California Highway Patrol, De La Hoya failed several field sobriety tests.

“As for his [blood alcohol content], he was over the legal limit of 0.08%,” said Officer Xavier Bejar, a CHP spokesman in Altadena.

The Land Rover De La Hoya was driving at the time of his stop for speeding, according to local authorities, also had mechanical violations, although the CHP report did not describe those.

While the officer spoke to De La Hoya, he “detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from inside the vehicle,” according to the CHP.

The Hall of Famer, who holds dual Mexican and American citizenship, was scheduled to attend a press conference Wednesday in Indio, California for his World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion Francisco Vargas, who will fight Saturday at Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino, although a spokesman said Wednesday that De La Hoya was no longer expected.

De La Hoya has entered rehab at least twice since retiring after his loss to Manny Pacquiao in 2008. Although he declared himself clean in an interview with the LA Times in 2015, he has appeared intoxicated in a few recent video interviews on TMZ.

In one interview, De La Hoya slurred his words while describing a mythical fight between his star fighter, Canelo Alvarez, and UFC star Conor McGregor. 

NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 01: Oscar De La Hoya promotes a fight between Canelo Alvarez and Amir Khan during a press event at the Hard Rock Cafe on March 1, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

Management for boxer Adrien Broner stated the former four-division champion is OK, after Broden posted a series of messages on his multiple social media accounts suggesting he was contemplating suicide.

Boxer Adrien Broner Safe, Despite Social Media Posts Hinting Suicide

“I spoke to [boxing manager] Al Haymon; he said there’s nothing to be concerned with here,” “Premier Boxing Champions” spokesman Tim Smith told USA Today. “Premier Boxing Champions” is a TV series organized by Haymon’s management company.

On Wednesday, Broden, 27, posted a photo of a handgun on Instagram with the caption, “I’m going home I love y’all.” Later that same day, he posted to Instagram a photo that read: “3PM I’m doing it I’m sorry to my family and friends but I don’t want to be here no more this s— too much.”

One of the posts was later deleted.

Cincinnati Police tweeted that Broner is safe to respond to concerns about the Ohio native’s well-being.

Last month, felony assault and aggravated robbery charges against Broner were dropped when the accuser and star witness failed to show up at the Hamilton County courthouse in Ohio.

Earlier in the year, the accuser dropped a civil lawsuit against Broner.

The charges were filed following an incident that occurred in the early-morning hours of Jan. 21, when Broner allegedly assaulted a man and robbed him of $12,000 at gunpoint outside of a Cincinnati bowling alley. Broner allegedly lost the money to the plaintiff during a night of high-stakes betting on bowling games, knocked him unconscious outside the alley following a confrontation and ran off with the money.

Following this incident, Broner had two outstanding felony warrants issued for his arrest, although he still competed in Washington, D.C. in a nationally televised fight and knocked out Ashley Theophane in the ninth round– one day after losing his junior welterweight world title for failing to attain the 140-pound weight limit.

Although the charges were dropped, Broner still served 30 days in jail for being found in contempt of court after arriving three hours late to a scheduled courthouse appearance.

Broner (32-2, 24 KOs), who has won world titles at junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight, returned to Cincinnati and turned himself in on April 4, as had been arranged between his attorney and Hamilton County officials a few days before the fight with Theophane. Broner was released later that day on $100,000 bond. He plead not guilty at his arraignment on April 5.

Broner is expected to challenge Ricky Burns for a junior welterweight title next year.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 01: Adrien Broner celebrates after defeating Ashley Theophane (not pictured) by TKO in ninth round in their super lightweight championship bout at the DC Armory on April 1, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

About two weeks prior to Floyd Mayweather’s monumental fight with Manny Pacquiao, he sat down with Katie Couric for a one-on-one interview about the boxer’s past and present. And during this session, he opened up about several things, including his 2010 arrest for domestic violence, which led to him being incarcerated for two months.

“Did I kick, stomp and beat someone? No, that didn’t happen,” Floyd told Couric. “Did I restrain a woman that was on drugs? Yes, I did. So if they say that’s domestic violence, then you know what? I’m guilty. I’m guilty of restraining someone.”

Well apparently, Josie Harris, the victim and mother of Mayweather’s three kids, did not take kindly to these accusations and is going to try to hit Floyd directly where it hurts: his wallet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6Mqanedt4I

Harris stated that the champion boxer flew into a rage after the two had broken up, breaking into her house and attacking her. She was embarrassed globally by being labeled a drug addict, according to TMZ Sports.

“[Floyd’s lies] were knowingly fabricated in order to hype Mayweather’s upcoming fight with Pacquiao, to avoid bad press by deflecting responsibility for beating the mother of his children,” Harris’ lawyer, Dan Friedlander, told the gossip news website.

As for the exact amount, Harris is suing her ex for $20 million. Initial predictions for the Pacquiao and Mayweather fight had the champion boxer possibly making up to $180 million in the 60-40 split. Even if he makes three-quarters of that, this $20 million suit, between possible payout and lawyer fees, would not really put that big of a dent into his winnings.

During Floyd Mayweather’s interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, he had some choice words for the man that many consider the greatest of all-time, Muhammad Ali.

“No one can ever brainwash me to make me believe that Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali was better than me,” Mayweather told Smith. “But one thing I will do: I’m going to take my hat off to those guys and respect those guys because those are the guys that paved the way for me. Leon Spinks beat him when he had seven fights. They’d never put a fighter in there with Floyd Mayweather with seven fights.”

Of course, Muhammad Ali responded to the comments. But now staunch defender of Ali, Mike Tyson, has weighed in on the issue. And his response is a lot more vicious than what he did to Evander Holyfield.

“He’s very delusional. Listen, if he was anywhere near that realm of greatness with Ali, he’d be able to take his kids to school by himself,” Tyson told UCN. “He can’t take his kids to school by himself, and he’s talking about he’s great? Greatness is not guarding yourself from the people, greatness is being accepted by the people. He can’t take his kids alone to school by himself. He’s a little, scared man. He’s a very small, scared man.”

Well that has to leave a mark. The only thing that would have made that comment even more effective is if he immediately dropped the microphone.

It is safe to say who Tyson is rooting for on Saturday.