■SWITZERLAND
Klitschko retains WBC title
Vitali Klitschko retained his WBC heavyweight title with a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Kevin Johnson of the US on Saturday. The 38-year-old Klitschko kept Johnson against the ropes for much of the fight but landed few heavy shots to hurt the 30-year-old challenger. “I would have preferred a knockout but I’m happy because I won all 12 rounds,” Klitschko told 17,000 fans ringside at PostFinance Arena. “He’s not easy to hit.” Johnson proved a durable opponent and did his best work with counterattacking straight left jabs, though without managing to rock Klitschko who has never taken a standing count in his career. “When I first met Vitali I told him: ‘You won’t knock me out.’ It wasn’t a hard fight,” Johnson said. “There are things we need to work on and we’re going to go home to the gym and polish them up.” Klitschko (39-2, 37 KOs) was making a third successful defense of the belt he reclaimed in October last year after a four-year break to recover from injuries.
■UNITED STATES
Bradley defends WBO title
Timothy Bradley defended his WBO light welterweight title and remained unbeaten with a dominant unanimous decision over Lamont Peterson on Saturday. With the hometown crowd chanting his name even before the opening bell, Bradley (25-0, 11 KOs) delighted his fans with his superior skill and speed, blemishing the perfect record of his friend and former roommate from their amateur days. Peterson (27-1), who overcame childhood homelessness to become a title contender, was knocked down for the first time in his career by an overhand right in the third round. Peterson rallied courageously, but Bradley picked him apart through the late rounds to stay among boxing’s top rising champions.
■UNITED STATES
Malignaggi beats Diaz
Paul Malignaggi beat fellow American Juan Diaz by unanimous decision on Saturday, a clear outcome after a controversial fight in August between the two junior welterweights. The 29-year old Malignaggi came out more aggressive than normal and consistently landed his jab while Diaz waited to counter. The Brooklyn-based fighter always seemed to have the fight under control, even when Diaz managed to steal a few rounds with quick flurries. All three judges scored it 116-111 for Malignaggi.
■UNITED STATES
Darchinyan KOs Rojas
Australia’s Vic Darchinyan knocked out Mexico’s Tomas Rojas in the second round on Saturday to retain his World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association super flyweight titles. The Armenian-born Aussie fighter flattened Rojas after two minutes and 54 seconds of the second round, improving to 33-2 with one drawn by taking his 27th victory inside the distance in the matchup of southpaw stars. Rojas fell to 32-11 after his first loss in more than two years. The Mexican landed more punches and kept Darchinyan on the move over the first five minutes, but the champion was simply waiting for the right moment to strike. “He was punching me. He was making more punches than me. But I knew my time would come,” Darchinyan said. Darchinyan’s moment came late in the second round when a left to the head set up a powerful left to the chest that Rojas tried to duck. Instead, the Mexican moved his head directly into the path of Darchinyan’s punch and was caught on the chin and then hard in the chest before falling onto his back.
Brazil has four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup that kicked off yesterday in the US, but for SE Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption. Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles. The only major trophy missing is a world champions’ title. Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense FC and Botafogo FR, also in the tournament, have never won it either, but the problem for Palmeiras
Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in has pleaded with South Korea fans to get behind the team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after more boos were aimed at coach Hong Myung-bo despite leading them to qualification. South Korea reached next year’s finals in North America without losing a game, but that does not tell the whole story. The country’s soccer association has been in the firing line, having scrambled about to find a successor after sacking the unpopular Jurgen Klinsmann in February last year. They eventually settled on Hong, the decorated former skipper who had an unsuccessful stint as coach in 2013-2014, during which
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, are to
Ferrari’s F1 fortunes might be flagging, but the Italian team start this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans as favorites, targeting a third consecutive triumph in motorsport’s fabled endurance classic. Roger Federer is acting as celebrity starter with the tennis icon getting the 93rd edition of the jewel in four-wheeled endurance racing’s crown under way tomorrow. Twenty-four hours later, through daylight, darkness and dawn, the 21 elite hypercars are to battle it out over 300 laps (more than 4,000km) in front of a sold-out 320,000 crowd burning the midnight oil with copious quantities of coffee and beer. Ferrari made a triumphant return after
RSS