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■ BOXING

Caballero downs Molitor

Panama’s Celestino Caballero registered a fourth-round technical knockout of Steve Molitor, taking the Canadian’s IBF super bantamweight title belt at the Casino Rama on Friday. Caballero (31-2, 22 knockouts) also successfully defended his World Boxing Association belt and handed the Canadian his first career loss. It was Caballero’s 12th consecutive victory. The 32-year-old was booed on his way to the ring by the crowd, which was stunned at the result in the first unification bout ever on Canadian soil. Fighting in his native province of Ontario, Molitor (28-1) had no answer to Caballero’s strength and relentless pressure from the opening bell.



■ CRICKET

Bradman dropped from test

Australia is to modify a test for prospective new citizens to exclude questions on history and culture, specifically cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman, a government minister said yesterday. Immigration Minister Chris Evans said that following a review by seven eminent Australians, the Labor government had decided to modify the test, saying it should not be a “general knowledge quiz.” The test was introduced under former prime minister John Howard and originally included a controversial section on Australian history and culture. Bradman, who still has the highest career Test batting average of 99.94 more than half a century after he retired from Test cricket, is a national icon and legend in Australia. He died in 2001. Shortly before Bradman’s death at the age of 92, former prime minister Howard named him as the “greatest living Australian.”



■ BASEBALL

White Sox to sign Viciedo

The White Sox have reached a tentative agreement with young Cuban star Dayan Viciedo. The 19-year-old must pass a physical for the contract to be finalized, said the player’s agent, Jaime Torres. “He has agreed to a deal and is flying to Chicago,” Torres said on Friday. The contract was reported earlier by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune. The White Sox have been successful in signing Cuban players. Last off-season they landed infielder Alexei Ramirez, who eventually became their starting second baseman and batted .290 with 21 homers and 77 RBIs. He finished runner-up in the American League Rookie of the Year.



■ BASKETBALL

Knicks re-tool their squad

The New York Knicks began to re-tool their National Basketball Association squad, trading guard Jamal Crawford and forward Zach Randolph in separate deals on Friday. New York sent Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for disgruntled forward Al Harrington. Later on Friday, the Knicks dealt Randolph and seldom-used Mardy Collins to the West Coast, acquiring guard Cuttino Mobley and forward Tim Thomas from the Los Angeles Clippers for the duo. The trades strip New York of its top two scorers in Randolph (20.6 points per game) and Crawford (19.6 points per game) and allows the Knicks to clear enough salary cap space by 2010 to make a run at LeBron James.



■ FOOTBALL

Rookie Ainge suspended

New York Jets rookie quarterback Erik Ainge was suspended for four games by the NFL on Friday for an undisclosed violation of the league’s policy on steroids and related substances. Ainge, already on injured reserve and out for the season with a foot injury, is not allowed to be with the team or at its facility during the suspension. He’ll be eligible to rejoin the team on Dec. 15, following the Jets’ game against Buffalo.


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