■ Boxing
Junior Witter wins title
Junior Witter claimed the WBC light welterweight belt with a unanimous decision win over DeMarcus Corley of the US on Friday. The Englishman claimed the vacant title on all three judges scorecards at Alexandra Palace in north London, 118-112, 117-111 and 116-114. "I was up against a hell of a fighter, with a great chin," Corley said. "But it was just a case of making sure I won, and I never felt in any trouble whatsoever. Now I am world champion, and I am on top of the world. A lot of people did not have faith in me, from before I turned pro -- but I have proved them all wrong," he said. The 32-year-old Witter lost to Zab Judah in an IBF title bid in 2000 in a unanimous decision. The victory was Witter's 34th, with 19 knockouts, with one loss and two draws. Corley fell to 31-5 with one draw.
■ Soccer
Eriksson talking to US
Former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has spoken with the US Soccer Federation about taking the vacant post, the New York Times reported on Friday. Citing an unnamed source who feared jeopardizing a relationship with federation officials, the newspaper reported Eriksson was among several possible replacements for Bruce Arena, who was dumped after this year's World Cup. Eriksson resigned after the World Cup in Germany after being paid US$5 million by England's Football Association -- a figure the Times said was probably beyond US Soccer's ability to match. Arena's salary was about US$600,000 before bonuses. Others reportedly interviewed regarding the US job include Jurgen Klinsmann, who led Germany to the semi-finals on home soil and wants US$2 million a year, and Argentina's Jose Pekerman.
■ Soccer
Mafia shirt vexes Sicilians
Italian politicians condemned the sale of T-shirts reading "The Hammers vs. the Mafia" before West Ham's UEFA Cup match against Sicilian side Palermo. "The T-shirt gesture ... is deplorable," Carlo Vizzini, a former member of the Italian parliament's anti-Mafia commission, was quoted as saying on Friday by Italian news agency ANSA. "Perhaps it would be suitable for West Ham ... to apologize to Palermo's citizens," he said. The T-shirts were on sale outside West Ham's Upton Park stadium before Thursday's game in the first round of European soccer's second-tier competition. The London club lost the match 1-0. Sicily's governor, Salvatore Cuffaro, said that the T-shirts were "an offense to all Sicilians," who were "tired" of outdated stereotypes.
■ Soccer
`Ogre' exiled after four reds
An Argentinine striker known as the "Ogre" has been loaned to Israeli club Beitar Jerusalem after he was red carded four times in 22 games for his first division Argentine club Lanus. "It's better for me and for the club," said Cristian Fabbiani, 23. The "Ogre," as he is known, received his latest sending-off in Lanus' game against Independiente on Sunday for assaulting an opponent, to the evident dismay of his team bosses. Fabbiani will be based at the Jerusalem-based club until next year under the watchful eye of Osvaldo Ardiles, a World Cup winner with
Argentina in 1978.
■ golf
Curtis, Moore lead Lumber
Former British Open champion Ben Curtis and Ryan Moore shrugged off the hoopla surrounding Michelle Wie and seized the halfway lead in the PGA 84 Lumber Classic on Friday. As teenage sensation Wie failed to make the cut, Curtis quietly went about securing a spot atop the leader board. Showing stunning accuracy off the tee, Curtis recovered from an early bogey to collect four birdies in a three-under 69 in benign morning conditions at the Mystic Rock course in Farmington, Pennsylvania. Curtis joined Moore (67) at 9-under 135, one stroke ahead of Sean O'Hair (69), Charles Howell (69) and first-round leader Nicholas Thompson (72). "I made it pretty easy on myself," Curtis said. "The only bad shot I hit was on No. 11, my second shot [a 3-wood] into the water. "Other than that I played extremely well, made some long putts, which is nice. It makes the game a bit easier." Wie ballooned to an 81 following her opening-round 77 and finished at 14-over 158, last in the field among those who completed 36 holes.
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