BOXING
Tommy Morrison dies at 44
Former world heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison, who was widely known for his power-punching style and role in Rocky V, has died at the age of 44. The boxer’s former promoter, Tony Holden, told the Tulsa World that Morrison died on Sunday night in a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, but no official cause of death was given. Morrison, 48-3-1 with 42 knockouts, reached the pinnacle of his career when he beat George Foreman in 1993 to win the World Boxing Organization title. Renowned for his lethal left hook and movie-star looks, Morrison had other notable wins over Razor Ruddock, Carl “The Truth” Williams and James “Quick” Tillis. Prior to a bout in 1996, Morrison tested positive for HIV and had his boxing license suspended before returning to the ring 11 years later and winning his last two professional bouts.
SOCCER
Man U Herrera bid a hoax
Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ander Herrera’s proposed US$47.5 million move to Manchester United turned out to be a hoax after three men attempting to broker the deal were labeled imposters, British media reported on Monday. “Reports in Spain claim three men dressed in black suits and claiming to be United ‘representatives’ spent an hour at the La Liga offices attempting to negotiate a deal. The move collapsed at the 11th hour,” the BBC reported. The Basque club last week rejected an offer which Spanish media reported at US$40 million for the 24-year-old Herrera, with club president Josu Urrutia adamant that United had to meet a US$47.5 million buyout clause.
SOCCER
Austrian Scharner retires
Former Austria international Paul Scharner announced his retirement on Monday, 10 days after the defender and Hamburg SV decided to part company by mutual consent. Scharner told Austrian broadcaster ORF he wanted “to end my career to show respect to myself and my family... The last couple of months have been pretty turbulent.” Scharner played just four matches for Hamburg after signing a two-year contract last year. He joined Wigan Athletic on loan for the second half of last season and became the first Austrian player to win the FA Cup. The 33-year-old Scharner, who also had stints at Austria Vienna, Salzburg and West Bromwich Albion, played 40 times for Austria.
SOCCER
Ex-Bayern boss Csernai dies
Pal Csernai, who coached Bayern Munich to a couple of Bundesliga titles in the early 1980s, has died. He was 80. Csernai died on Sunday from an undisclosed illness. His death was announced on Monday by Bayern and the Hungarian Football Federation. Csernai was a midfielder and played briefly for Hungary before defecting in 1955. After retiring as a player in 1964, Csernai earned a coaching diploma in Germany and coached there and in Belgium before working with Bayern between 1978 and 1983. While coaching North Korea in 1991, the team earned a politically charged 2-1 victory over the US in a friendly.
ICE HOCKEY
Blackhawks keep Crawford
Goaltender Corey Crawford agreed to terms on a six-year contract extension to stay with Stanley Cup champions the Chicago Blackhawks, the NHL club said on Monday. The deal, reportedly worth US$36 million, will keep the 28-year-old Canadian with the club until the end of the 2019-2020 season. Over 152 career games, the Montreal native is 83-43-19 with eight shutouts, a 2.40 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was