Sports

25 Star Athletes Who Shamefully Threw Hands In Public

Darren Ryding - September 19, 2024

Sports

25 Star Athletes Who Shamefully Threw Hands In Public

Darren Ryding - September 19, 2024

Overall, sports fans venerate sports stars and hold them to a higher standard than regular people. But the reality is that they are still human beins just like us. Many of them lose control after a few drinks or make terrible decisions that land them in a lot of trouble. With that said, there’s a long list of athletes who have shamefully thrown hands in public.

Most of these were because they were heavily intoxicated. Sometimes, they just showed poor judgment. However, all of these situations were avoidable if these star athletes just turned around and walked away. Check out the list below of athletes who shamefully attacked other people via Sporting News.

25. Conor McGregor (2021)

The reason why this incident doesn’t feature higher on this list is that nobody was surprised. McGregor went to the Vatican with his family for his youngest child’s christening. This should have been a beautiful day but ‘The Notorious’ managed to bring the tone down. Allegedly, he hosted a party and invited Italian DJ Francesco Facchinetti and his wife.

Facchinetti claimed that the UFC fighter shamefully punched him without provocation and broke his nose. “The very famous McGregor, who punched me in the mouth, broke my nose in front of 10 witnesses, his friends, and his bodyguards,” Facchinetti told MMA Mania. He attacked me without motivation as we talked for more than two hours and we also had fun together.”

NEXT >>

24. Taylor Hearn (2019)

Unfortunately, some athletes just control their emotions. That was the situation for Hearn, who enjoyed a very short NFL career with the Panthers. They signed the undrafted player to their practice squad after his championship-winning season with Clemson. Then, he went on to feature on special teams. Unfortunately, his most notable incident came off the field because he had a late-night bar fight.

A TMZ video showed Hearn shamefully fighting three men outside a bar in Augusta, Georgia. The 315-pound footballer thought his size and weight gave him the advantage but this wasn’t the case. One man punched him right on the chin and dropped the 23-year-old. Eventually, Hearn rose to his feet and traded hands again. In the end, the police didn’t arrest anybody but his antics didn’t impress the Panthers.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

23. Alistair Overeem (2009)

Overeem is one of the greatest heavyweight fighters ever. He won titles in both MMA and kickboxing but he also threw hands on the street. He was in a nightclub with his brother, Valentine, when he went to the restroom. However, he didn’t have any coins on him to pay the attendant. Soon there were three bouncers around him and a fight broke out. The Overeem brothers didn’t hang around for much longer.

‘The Reem’ felt discomfort in his hand after the incident. But he didn’t realize how close he came to disaster because he suffered an infection. “It was only because of the management pushing him to go to the hospital that he saved his hand,” his manager, Bas Boon said (via ESPN). “When he finally got his injury checked, he was advised to stay a few days in the hospital. They told him if he would have come any later he would have lost his hand.”

<< Previous

NEXT >>

22. LeSean McCoy (2016)

Elite athletes and alcohol mix together like water and sodium. Former Eagles Star McCoy were drinking at Recess Lounge in Philadelphia when they had a run-in with some cops. The officers were off-duty and enjoying some downtime when McCoy’s group got into it with them. Allegedly, an argument kicked off over who was going to pay for a bottle of champagne (via Philadelphia Inquirer).

One of the officers suffered multiple broken bones and lacerations after McCoy’s posse kicked him on the ground. A video showed McGregor throwing a punch at the stricken officer. In the end, a judge ordered him to pay $55,000 in restitution to his victim. McCoy played for the Bills at the time after joining them on a $40 million contract. But he couldn’t keep away from the City of Brotherly Love.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

21. Cole Hamel

One thing that people don’t realize when they have a fistfight is that hands are quite delicate. Many people break their hands after punching something or somebody. That’s exactly what happened to Hamel after he had a bar fight in Philadelphia. Yes, another Philly bar fight. The MLB star was drinking with his friends when they had an argument with one of the locals, TJ Ferrol.

Later, they were walking through the car park when they saw Ferrol again. They attacked him but Hamel injured himself during the incident. Then, to add insult to injury, he missed the entire season. However, Ferrol held no grudge. He told the St. Petersburg Times (via NBC Sports): “It was a drunken barroom fight. It wasn’t like he did anything to my mother. I’d shake his hand and congratulate him for winning the World Series.”

<< Previous

NEXT >>

20. Larry Holmes (1991)

Holmes and Trevor Berbick had one of the most notorious rivalries in boxing history. It all came to a head outside of the ring. While Holmes officially defeated Berbick in 1981, their most infamous confrontation came 10 years later. After Berbick brought up ‘Jenny from Jacksonville’ at a press conference, an enraged Holmes attacked him in the parking lot. Meanwhile, cameras were rolling.

This was before TMZ and YouTube but it was still a famous incident. The timing was perfect because all eyes were on Berbick as he was leaving the hotel. Holmes charged out of his limousine before throwing punches at his hated foe. Not many people felt sympathy for Berbick because of his rape conviction. Also, he shamefully brought up Holmes’ personal life so he deserved the beating (via The Independent).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

19. Joe Schilling (2021)

Pro kickboxers shouldn’t beat up members of the general public, but Schilling didn’t receive the memo. The Bellator star was in a bar when he bumped into an intoxicated man, Justin Balboa. Balboa turned to exchange words with Balboa but met two punches straight down the pipe. Bizarrely, Schilling reposted the viral video on his social media because he claimed he was afraid for his life.

Also, he claimed that Balboa was spouting racist bile to the wait staff all night. However, the video was damning because it looked like Schilling rudely knocked the man before shamefully KO’ing him. Then, to add to the mixed messages, Schilling tweeted: “7 Billion in this world and you picked me” (via NY Post). It won’t come as a surprise that Balboa pressed charges against his famous attacker.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

18. Jordan Pickford (2019)

English soccer players have a bad reputation for public brawls. One of the most recent involved Everton goalkeeper Pickford. The England international went to a bar in Newcastle when he encountered an annoying individual. First, the man shamefully called Pickford’s fiancee a ‘fat c***’. But the killer came when he taunted Pickford’s ‘short arms’ and ‘butterfingers.’ Pickford didn’t like this at all.

Immediately a brawl broke out that allegedly left a bouncer with a black eye. Police investigated the incident but they didn’t arrest anybody (via TalkSport). It was one of those situations that made the front page of the newspaper but didn’t have any legal consequences for the athlete. Of course, Pickford is only human but he could have just walked away instead of risking his career for a moron.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

17. Spencer Jones (2021)

Oklahoma Sooners star Jones made waves after a bar brawl video went viral. Unfortunately, the wideout was on the wrong end of a one-sided beating. This is the story of a jock who thought that he was better than everybody else. He went into the bar bathroom but shamefully picked a fight with the wrong person. He targeted Walker Brown, but didn’t realize that his ‘victim’ had MMA training (via Sports Illustrated).

So did his brother. The two men proceeded to unleash a vicious beating on Jones and left him with a broken eye socket. After the video hit the internet it received over eight million views. But not many people felt sympathetic for Jones because he clearly started the fight. It was his own fault that he took on the wrong person because he could have just enjoyed his night.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

16. Matthew Barnaby (2020)

Former NHL brawl Barnaby enjoyed a wild night in Nashville. He went to a bar and reportedly became the center of a crazy brawl. Allegedly, he fought everybody he saw and even shamefully choked the bouncer. The police came to the scene and arrested him but released him without charge. They reported that the scene was mad but that Barnaby’s victim didn’t want to press charges.

Barnaby endured multiple arrests before this wacky incident. These included an accusation of breaking down his ex-wife’s door and harassing her new boyfriend. Meanwhile, a DWI conviction resulted in him losing his TV work. It’s clear that Barnaby is a troubled figure but he was very lucky in this case. CBS Sports reported that police initially released him on a bond of $6000.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

15. Steven Gerrard

Widely regarded as one of Liverpool’s greatest-ever players, Gerrard maintained a clean-cut image throughout his career. But he tarnished it when he went to a nightclub in Southport, Merseyside. The drunken soccer star attempted to pick a song on the jukebox but that’s when things went downhill. Bartender Marcus McGee told him in no uncertain language that he wasn’t choosing the music.

Then, the pair shamefully threw blows at each other. McGee lost one of his front teeth and attempted to sue the Liverpool icon. However, a court found Gerrard not guilty of affray the following year (via The Guardian). It was an unexpected story because Gerrard was a consummate professional up until that point. Unfortunately, everybody is capable of losing control when they’ve had a few too many to drink.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

14. Chase Claypool

Claypool enjoyed a stellar rookie season for the Steelers but it ended badly for the wideout. He went to Costa Mesa on vacation with some friends and it became very messy. TMZ reported that he was involved in a fight and posted a video of the event. Allegedly, somebody threw a bunch of dollar bills at a woman outside of a bar and ignited a brawl. Then Claypool involved himself.

TMZ wrote that he didn’t start the fight but he was definitely in the middle of it. It’s claimed that he tried to defend one of his friends but footage shows him shamefully booting a man in the head. The police didn’t arrest anybody but it wasn’t a good look for the NFL star. The league doesn’t take kindly to its athletes bringing the game into disrepute but Claypool escaped lightly.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

13. Patrick Kane (2009)

Luckily for Chicago taxi drivers, Kane is a lot more mature these days. But this wasn’t always the case. The Blackhawks star shamefully battered a 62-year-old cabbie in 2009 because he didn’t receive his change. We’re not talking about a massive amount either. The driver told them that he didn’t have the 20 cents he owed them and they responded angrily (via Sportscasting).

Most decent people would automatically tell him to keep the change, never mind multimillionaire NHL stars. But the hockey players were fixated on the principle of the situation. They left him bruised and with broken glasses. Obviously, the driver didn’t just go home and forget about this encounter. He rightfully pressed charges and the Stanley Cup winner issued a public apology.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

12. Courtney Williams (2021)

Women are more than capable of losing control too. Sure, it’s less common for female athletes to have public fights, but they do happen. Williams played for the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA when she went to a food truck with some of her teammates. Soon Williams and fellow Dream star Crystal Bradford were swinging punches at a group of women outside of a nightclub (via Insider).

Williams claimed that one of the women commented on her girlfriend before the brawl kicked off. Unfortunately for the WNBA athlete, the Dream didn’t think this was a reasonable excuse. They released her and Bradford because of their role in the fight. First, Williams posted a 40-minute video on social media breaking down the event. Then, she removed it and shamefully apologized but the damage was done.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

11. Saul Alvarez (2021)

Boxers earn a lot of money to fight each other but sometimes they can’t wait that long. Canelo Alvarez agreed to take on Caleb Plant in a super-middleweight unification fight. Tensions were rife throughout their first official press conference but reached their peak during their staredown. First, Plant pushed his Mexican foe but he didn’t expect Alvarez’s quick reaction.

The pound-for-pound king immediately swung back with a savage left hand. It actually cut Plant’s face but should heal before the pair fight. This was one of those moments that was ridiculous because they actually will fight. However, fans shamefully admit that they also enjoy the drama and spectacle of this kind of rivalry. They also claimed that Alvarez was already 1-0 against his American opponent (via FOX News).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

10. B.J. Penn (2019)

Hawaiians adore Penn but even they must admit that his behavior became increasingly erratic in recent years. The former UFC champion went on a severe losing streak before the promotion released him. But his deteriorating results weren’t the main reason why they gave up on him. In the end, he left them with no choice after he had a street fight on the Big Island (via SCMP).

The Prodigy went to local tavern The Lava Shack where he had an argument with a fellow patron. Soon, it escalated and Penn bizarrely gave the man a free shot at his face. His aggressor duly obliged and KO’ed the UFC fighter. Penn soon woke up and wanted revenge. He stalked down his prey and shamefully put a beating on him. Finally, the promotion decided that enough was enough.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

9. Matt Barnes (2016)

Barnes was in New York City when he shamefully choked a woman in a nightclub and ignited a brawl. The Golden State Warriors star went to a bar with DeMarcus Cousins and became rowdy. According to the lawsuit, he approached Jasmine Besiso before choking her and elbowing her in the face. This kicked off a brawl and law enforcement came to the scene (via Bleacher Report).

Nobody knows what was going through Barnes’s head at the time but the small forward faced charges. In the end, he escaped with a single charge of disorderly conduct and 10 days of community service. It could have been much worse because witnesses reported that he literally put his hands on Besiso. Meanwhile, Cousins didn’t receive any punishment despite allegedly throwing hands in the brawl.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

8. Harry McGuire (2020)

Manchester United captain McGuire went to Greece for a vacation with his friends. He didn’t expect to end up sweating out Tequila shots in a jail cell but that’s exactly what happened. They were in a bar when a fight broke out and then the island police got involved. The Greek cops allegedly that McGuire shamefully attacked them before attempting to bribe his way out of trouble.

A police spokesman gave his version of events. All of the three were arrested but during the effort to do so the other two, including the football player, got violent also,” he said (via The Guardian). “They threw down at least two policemen, hit them with their fists, and kicked them.” Later, McGuire claimed that the police lied about their story and that somebody spiked his sister’s drink.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

7. Tim Hudson (2003)

Hudson enjoyed a stellar MLB career. The former Oakland star won a World Series and was a four-time All-Star. But he’s not on this list because of his positive achievements. The pitcher only played one inning in a division series game against the Red Sox because of a hand injury. Of course, he suffered the malady in a bar fight like most of the other drunken messes on this list.

The MLB star’s manager, Ken Macha, denied that his client hurt himself fighting. However, a bouncer in the bar claimed that there were five minutes of chaos. He also said that Hudson threw wild haymakers like a madman (via ESPN). Furthermore, other witnesses said that a young man shamefully threw beer in Hudson’s face to ignite the brawl. Allegedly, Hudson threw the first punch.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

6. Mike Perry

One of the UFC’s most colorful and eccentric characters, Perry is an enigma. He deteriorated throughout 2020 and it culminated with a disgraceful fight in a Texas restaurant. The Florida native had a verbal dispute with an older man in the diner. However, it culminated in Perry shamefully knocking the man out cold. Instantly, fans condemned him for the shocking assault.

Bizarrely, Perry escaped without a criminal conviction but the UFC issued a public reprimand. Meanwhile, ‘Platinum’ wrote his own apology. He apologized to his pregnant girlfriend, Latory Gonzalez and to the UFC. It also created a discussion about the potential effects of head trauma because of his erratic behavior. Fortunately, he became more stable since fatherhood (via Sportbible).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

5. Milan Lucic (2013)

The Boston Bruins traveled up to Vancouver for a clash with the Canucks. It was a homecoming for Lucic because he hailed from the city. After the game, Lucic went out to a bar when he had a run-in with another drinker. Needless to say, they didn’t become best friends because a fight started. Lucic took two punches but threw some back in a messy brawl. It was an unfortunate and unflattering encounter.

After his eventful night, Lucic claimed that he would never speak positively about his city again. “I have no reason left to try and defend my city, and the people of my city,” Lucic told the media (via Sportsnet). “Other than being at Rogers Arena, no one will ever see me in downtown Vancouver ever again.” Shamefully, locals also harassed Lucic’s grandparents at Rogers Arena.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

4. Tyrone Crawford (2019)

Former Cowboys defensive linesman Crawford had a well-publicized bar fight in Florida. The NFL star went to the Coyote Ugly Saloon on Panama City Beach when the conflict broke out. He helped put a beating on some of his fellow patrons after they shamefully provoked his brother. Then, the police came to the scene and video footage showed him shoving some of the officers away.

They charged him with misdemeanor unlawful assembly but never formally arrested him. The Cowboys weren’t impressed because he was one of their steadiest performers throughout the season. Also, Crawford was lucky because he didn’t receive a potential 60-day jail sentence. But he did get community service and instructions to complete an anger management course (via Bleacher Report).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

3. Adam Jones (2018)

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport is the busiest on the planet. However, ”Pacman’ Jones found a unique way to entertain himself. Somehow, the volatile NFL star became embroiled in an argument with an airport employee. However, this escalated to the next level and things became physical. Then, Frank Ragin, an airport worker, shoved Jones and swung a punch.

This was a terrible move because Jones is a lunatic. He’s the type of personality who would throw down in a convent. The former Bengals star dropped his attacker before his entourage led him away. Usually, Jones is the one who faces charges but this time Ragin took the hit (via SBNation). ‘Pacman’ has spent so much time behind bars that it’s a wonder he doesn’t have his own cell at this point.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

2. Latrell Sprewell (2002)

Sprewell was one of the NBA’s most colorful characters because he was no stranger to controversy. His most infamous moment was when he tried to choke out coach P.J. Carlesimo in a practice. But that’s not why he’s on this list. No, we’re interested in the time he broke his hand. Allegedly, he hosted a party on his yacht but became enraged when a woman vomited on the deck (via CBC Sports).

His instant reaction was to punch her boyfriend but this didn’t end well. After he shamefully tried to assault the man, he missed and hit the wall instead. Then, the Knicks star fractured his pinkie which wasn’t helpful for an NBA player. He wore a cast for a month on doctor’s orders. Furthermore, he went to Milwaukee for the party against the orders of the Knicks’ organization.

<< Previous

NEXT >>

1. Conor McGregor (2019)

McGregor has been embroiled in numerous unsavory incidents but this was the only one to result in a public apology. He was drinking in a local bar when he decided to buy a round of his own whiskey for the bar. However, one older man rejected his offer and told McGregor he didn’t want his whiskey. McGregor clearly didn’t appreciate this because he shamefully punched the man in the face.

Footage of the incident went viral and McGregor faced global condemnation for his action. It was disgraceful because he is a professional fighter and threw hands at an older man in his fifties. Later, McGregor apologized on ESPN and made it clear that it was a terrible mistake. But then he bought the bar and banned the man from stepping onto the premises, so he wasn’t that sorry.

<< Previous

25 Star Athletes Who Shamefully Threw Hands In Public

25 Star Athletes Who Shamefully Threw Hands In Public

25. Conor McGregor (2021)

24. Taylor Hearn (2019)

23. Alistair Overeem (2009)

22. LeSean McCoy (2016)

21. Cole Hamel

20. Larry Holmes (1991)

19. Joe Schilling (2021)

18. Jordan Pickford (2019)

17. Spencer Jones (2021)

16. Matthew Barnaby (2020)

15. Steven Gerrard

14. Chase Claypool

13. Patrick Kane (2009)

12. Courtney Williams (2021)

11. Saul Alvarez (2021)

10. B.J. Penn (2019)

9. Matt Barnes (2016)

8. Harry McGuire (2020)

7. Tim Hudson (2003)

6. Mike Perry

5. Milan Lucic (2013)

4. Tyrone Crawford (2019)

3. Adam Jones (2018)

2. Latrell Sprewell (2002)

1. Conor McGregor (2019)

TOP POSTS