■ BOXING
Holyfield mulls Tyson fight
US boxer Evander Holyfield said in an interview published on Thursday that he was in talks with Mike Tyson for a rematch of their infamous 1997 fight. Speaking to the Guardian, Holyfield, who failed in his quest to regain a version of the world heavyweight title in October, said: "Mike had Jeff Fenech, who's been training him, call me a few months ago. Jeff says Mike wants to fight me again -- but he needs to know if I would agree to it. I said, `It all depends on what they gonna give us -- because I'm gonna catch a lot of flak if I say I'm fighting Mike Tyson again. I've already said I don't want to fight Mike no more.' Jeff says, `What if Mike gets in proper shape?' I told him that's okay, but I can't be part of it if Mike's going to pull out. Jeff said, `The main thing Mike wants to know is if you would be willing to fight him again?' I said, `Yeah, if the price is right, I probably would.'" In their 1997 fight, the second between the two boxers, Tyson, now 41, bit Holyfield, now 45, twice and ripped off a chunk of his ear, which he spat onto the canvas.
■ TENNIS
Clijsters has daughter
Former US Open champion Kim Clijsters gave birth to a daughter on Wednesday, nine months after retiring from tennis. Clijsters and her husband, US basketball player Brian Lynch, named the baby Jada. The 24-year-old Clijsters retired in May, saying a string of injuries had led to fatigue, a lack of motivation and a decline in play. She said she wanted to focus a new life with Lynch, who plays in the Belgian league. Clijsters' Web site said the baby, born at a hospital in Tongeren, Belgium, weighed 3.035kg and measured 51cm. Clijsters was Belgium's first tennis player to reach the No. 1 ranking, holding it for 19 weeks in 2003.
■ ATHLETICS
Jones' agent sentenced
Marion Jones' longtime agent has been sentenced to six months of home detention for a minor role in a bank fraud that resulted in a six-month prison sentence for the former track star. Charles Wells was also fined US$7,500 on Wednesday by US District Judge Kenneth Karas in Manhattan, after pleading guilty last March. Karas said the charge was related to a scheme designed to cash up to US$8 million worth of stolen or forged checks through a network of track figures and New York counterfeiters. Wells told the court: "I have suffered every day. I have humiliated my family. I just apologize."
■ FORMULA ONE
Investigators visit McLaren
Italian investigators visited the offices of Formula One team McLaren and the homes of several of its executives in England on Wednesday as part of a criminal probe into the sport's spy scandal. McLaren said Italian investigators, led by the Modena magistrate, were accompanied by local Surrey Police as they went to the McLaren Technology Center and the homes of "a number" of team executives. "The police are completely satisfied with the cooperation they have received," McLaren said in a statement. "These actions are part of a normal judicial process in connection with the ongoing investigation, and are supported by McLaren Racing." The names of the investigators or the executives were not disclosed, but reports in Italy last week said McLaren chief Ron Dennis, CEO Martin Whitmarsh, chief designer Mike Coughlan and engineering director Paddy Lowe would be expected to be called in for questioning.
■ SOCCER
Barcelona, Valencia draw
A goal well into injury time by Xavi gave Barcelona a 1-1 draw at home to Valencia in their Spanish Cup semi-final first leg clash on Wednesday. Valencia -- whose season rests solely on winning the Cup after a disastrous Champions League and championship campaign -- had taken the lead through Spanish international striker David Villa 20 minutes from time. Barcelona too be fair had the majority of the chances -- their opponents underfire coach Ronald Koeman electing to play only Villa up front -- but found Valencia's German goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand in commanding form. He was forced into his first save in the sixth minute from Xavi in the same move that had seen efforts by Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi blocked by Valencia defenders. Barca's French duo of Thierry Henry and Eric Abidal also failed to break the deadlock with their long-range efforts in the first half.
■ SOCCER
Lens to face PSG in final
Lens will face fellow relegation candidates Paris Saint Germain in the French League Cup final after they won an astonishing semi-final 5-4 over Le Mans on Wednesday. It will be a rematch of the 1998 final which PSG won. Lens, coached by former French striking great Jean-Pierre Papin, had to come from behind twice to take what looked like an unassailable 4-2 lead in the second half only for Le Mans to strike twice in a minute to level it. However, Lens, who like PSG are former French champions but in distinct danger of being relegated, grabbed the winner a minute from the end of extra-time through Malien midfielder Sidi Keita -- a remarkable return after he had been taken ill during a match and sent to hospital only 10 days ago.
■ SOCCER
Inter Milan scrape draw
Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini couldn't contain his joy after his side scraped a 1-1 home draw against AS Roma to maintain their nine-point lead at the top of Serie A. Francesco Totti gave Roma a deserved first-half lead with a near post flick from a sumptuous left-wing cross from Max Tonetto. Inter were reduced to 10 men just past the hour mark after Brazilian left-back Maxwell was stretchered off just moments after Mancini made his third substitution. But following the late and harsh dismisal of Roma's French centerback Philippe Mexes, Inter captain Javier Zanetti rifled home a right-foot volley two minutes from time to earn a share of the spoils the league leaders didn't deserve. It means they still lead Roma by nine points at the top with Juventus, who drew 0-0 at home to Torino in the Turin derby on Tuesday, third a further four points back.
■ OLYMPIC GAMES
London to Beijing by bus
London bus drivers are being asked to go the extra mile for the Olympics by signing up for a three-month journey from Trafalgar Square to Beijing. In a scheme to celebrate cultural links between this year's Olympic Games host city and London, hosts in 2012, an iconic red double-decker bus will set off on a three-month journey. Leaving in June, the bus is expected to arrive in Beijing before the Olympic flag is handed over to London Mayor Ken Livingstone at the closing ceremony. Livingstone, whose office is helping to organize the trip with the London 2012 committee and Transport for London, said it offered a few London bus drivers the chance of a lifetime.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB