BOXING
Aoh edges Italy’s Boschiero
Japan’s Takahiro Aoh defeated the previously unbeaten Devis Boschiero of Italy by a split points decision to successfully defend his WBC super featherweight title on Sunday in Tokyo. Two judges scored it 115-113 in favor of the defending champion, while one judge counted it 116-113 for the Italian. Boschiero tried to make it a brawl and fight at close range, as Aoh attempted to pick him off and targeted the feisty Italian’s stomach. It was the 27-year-old Aoh’s second defense since winning the title in November last year, stretching his record to 22 wins including 10 KOs, against two defeats and a draw. For Boschiero, 30, ranked eighth in the WBC, it was his first defeat after 29 wins, including 14 KOs and a draw. Third ranked Shinsuke Yamanaka of Japan defeated second ranked Christian Esquivel of Mexico by technical knockout 1 minute, 28 seconds into the 11th round to become the new WBC bantamweight champion.
Photo: Reuters
ICE HOCKEY
Blues send Payne packing
The St Louis Blues fired head coach Davis Payne after a slow start to the NHL season and replaced him with Ken Hitchcock, the team said on Sunday. Payne, the first coaching casualty of the young season, was relieved of his duties after leading St Louis to a 6-7 record that left them 13th in the 15-team Western Conference. The Blues failed to make the playoffs since he took over as coach during the 2009-2010 season. Hitchcock, who was coach of the Dallas Stars when they won a Stanley Cup in 1999 and an assistant with Canada when they won gold medals at the 2002 and last year’s Olympics, agreed to a contract through the 2012-2013 season. The 59-year-old last coached in the NHL for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2009-2010 season and has coached more than 1,000 games with Dallas, Philadelphia and Columbus.
TENNIS
Del Potro pulls out of Paris
Juan Martin del Potro’s hopes of making the ATP Tour finals are over after the Argentine announced on Sunday he was pulling out of this week’s Paris Masters. “I felt pain in my right shoulder in Valencia and it hurt more and more as matches went on,” the injury-prone Del Potro said in a statement released by Paris organizers. “I must now think about rest.” The Tour finals in London between Nov. 20 and Nov. 27 bring together the eight best players in the world. Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and David Ferrer have qualified with the Paris Masters a last chance for others to join them.
SKIING
Vonn attends school dance
Superstar US skier Lindsey Vonn never got a chance to go to her high-school homecoming dance, so she could not resist saying yes to a second chance. During a visit to a Vail skiing academy on Friday, one of the students worked up the courage to ask Vonn to go with him to the homecoming dance that night and she gladly accepted. Vonn’s 15-year-old fan, Parker McDonald, got the thrill of his young life when she agreed to the impromptu date. “Growing up I never got the chance to go to a school dance so I am excited,” said Vonn, who posted pictures of the two together at the dance on her social networking Facebook site.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
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