■SOCCER
One handed player debuts
Zaragoza striker Alejandro Sanchez Lopez over the weekend became the first one handed player to take part in a Spanish top flight match. “I am missing my fingers, I am not missing part of my arm, and for this reason I don’t have balance problems,” the 20-year-old, who was born with his disability, said. Lopez, a law student who has up until now played for Zaragoza’s B team, came on as a substitute for Angel Lafita during the 75th minute of his club’s 1-3 loss to Valencia on Sunday.
■BOXING
Pavlik to defend title
Kelly Pavlik, who has twice called off title fights due to an injured left hand, will climb back into the ring to defend his middlewight crown on Dec. 19 in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, where he will face fellow American Miguel Espino. Espino, 20-2, has won 11 fights in a row. Pavlik, 35-1 with 31 knockouts, has twice postponed World Boxing Council middleweight title defenses against Paul Williams, a US southpaw who is 37-1. But Pavlik will find his way back into the ring just two weeks after he had been scheduled to face Williams away from his home supporters. Williams replaced Pavlik for a Dec. 5 bout in Atlantic City with Argentina’s Sergio Martinez to end a one-year layoff but hopes to finally meet Pavlik for the title next year should both win next month. Pavlik has not fought since stopping Mexico’s Marco Antonio Rubio in February due to infection from the hand injury. That victory came after Pavlik suffered his only loss in October of last year, dropping a 12-round unanimous decision to Bernard Hopkins after moving up to 170 pounds (77kg) for a non-title bout.
■SOCCER
Fergie junior gets sack
Darren Ferguson, the son of Manchester United boss Sir Alex, was dismissed on Tuesday as manager of English Championship side Peterborough. The 37-year-old Ferguson junior guided the club to successive promotions since taking over at London Road in January 2007. But Saturday’s 3-1 defeat away to Newcastle, leaders of the second-tier Championship, the division below the lucrative English Premier League, left Peterborough bottom of the table with just two wins from 16 games.
■HORSE RACING
Star horse Azeri sold
Former US Horse of the Year Azeri brought US$2.25 million from Japanese businessman Shunsuke Yoshia in the opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale on Tuesday. Yoshia purchased the 11-year-old mare in foal to Distorted Humor on behalf of his family’s Japan-based Northern Farm. John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm consigned Azeri on behalf of the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust, who campaigned her to a 17-win record from 24 lifetime starts and earnings of more than US$4 million. Azeri earned US Horse of the Year honors in 2002.
■SOCCER
Injury rules out Johnson
Liverpool full-back Glen Johnson has withdrawn from the England squad to play Brazil in Qatar on Saturday, the Football Association announced on Tuesday. Johnson did not train with the rest of the England squad on Tuesday after playing in Monday’s 2-2 Premier League draw against Birmingham City. During a standard recovery session on Tuesday it was discovered that Johnson, who played for the full 90 minutes at Anfield, had suffered a slight injury. Johnson’s exit leaves Wes Brown as the only right-back still in the squad.
■GOLF
Faldo receives knighthood
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