Mon, Jul 14, 2008 page19

• Sports Briefs

  • AGENCIES
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  ■BOXING

  Klitschko retains titles

  Ukraine’s Vladimir Klitschko knocked out American Tony Thompson in the 11th round to retain his WBO and IBF world heavyweight titles on Saturday. Klitschko, who has held the IBF belt since April 2006, was fighting for the first time since taking the WBO crown off Russia’s Ruslan Ibragimov in February in New York. The 32-year-old took control of Saturday’s fight from the fourth round, before going on to inflict Thompson’s second defeat in 33 fights. Klitschko now has a record of 51 wins and three defeats. Saturday’s fight was his first in his adopted home of Hamburg, Germany, in eight years. He and brother Vitali moved there in 1996 following his Olympic Games victory. “It was a tough fight and Thompson put on a great defensive effort,” Klitschko said. “It is not so easy to defend all the titles and it has been a while since I last had a black eye, so today I really look like a boxer. I did not expect the victory to come that hard. You could see that he really wanted to win.”

  ■RUGBY UNION

  Du Plessis receives ban

  Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis has been banned for three weeks for careless conduct during Saturday’s 30-28 Tri-Nations victory over New Zealand. Du Plessis was cited by match officials after he appeared to make contact with the eye area of All Blacks flanker Adam Thomson in the 11th minute of the first half. However, he was cleared of charges that he eye gouged Thomson, with judicial officer Kim Garling ruling the contact was careless and not deliberate. Garling viewed video footage of the incident, heard evidence from du Plessis and received reports from the match referee and assistant referees. Du Plessis admitted his fist had come into contact with Thomson’s lower cheek, but did not come into contact with the eye itself. Television footage confirmed that there was no visible mark to the face of Thomson as a result of the contact. Garling concluded that the contact was careless and not deliberate and therefore the punishment should be at the lower end of the scale. Du Plessis will miss only one Test during his suspension, against Australia in Perth on Saturday.

  ■TENNIS

  Chang enters Hall of Fame

  Michael Chang, who captured the French Open title at the age of 17 to end a 34-year Roland Garros drought by US men, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday. Chang won the 1989 French Open just three months after his 17th birthday, defeating Sweden’s Stefan Edberg in the final, to become the event’s youngest men’s winner after having earlier toppled top seed Ivan Lendl. “It is truly an honor,” Chang said. “I will always cherish and forever remember my experiences on tour with my family, friends and fans.” Also enshrined on Saturday were sports marketing pioneer Mark McCormack and Tennis Week publisher Gene Scott, both posthumous inductees as contributors. The Hall now has 207 members. Chang went 662-312 in a 16-year career, winning 34 titles and spending seven years ranked in the top 10, peaking when he became world No. 2 in September 1996. Chang, who also reached three other Grand Slam singles finals.

  ■BASEBALL

  Matsui resumes practice

  New York Yankees outfielder-designated hitter Hideki Matsui resumed on-field batting practice on Saturday, taking 55 swings as he continues to rehab a sore left knee. Matsui, who went on the 15-day disabled list on June 27, also hit off a tee and took part in a soft-toss session for the fourth consecutive day. Matsui is batting .323 with seven homers and 34 RBIs.
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