BOXING
Andrade stops Quigley
Demetrius Andrade on Friday night stopped Jason Quigley of Ireland in the second round to retain his World Boxing Organization middleweight title at the Southern New Hampshire University Arena. The 33-year-old Andrade, from Providence, Rhode Island, improved to 31-0 with his 15th knockout, dropping Quigley (19-2, 14 knockouts) three times. In the second round, Andrade sent Quigley to the canvas with a left to the temple. After Quigley got up Andrade swarmed over him and dropped him in a corner with a right hand to the top of the head. Referee Arthur Mercante Jr stepped in and stopped the fight 2 minutes, 24 seconds into the round. The co-main event between World Boxing Council flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez of Mexico and McWilliams Arroyo was a no-decision after two rounds due to a cut along Arroyo’s left eye that he sustained due to an accidental head butt. Martinez (16-1, 1 no contest 14 knockouts) retained his title.
BASEBALL
Guardians sign falls
An opening day for the newly named Cleveland Guardians on Friday began with a bang, but not the one they had hoped for. As fans were buying the first available Guardians merchandise as the MLB team officially transitioned from being the Indians after 106 years, a sign installed outside the team store at Progressive Field broke free from its mount and crashed to the sidewalk. “Well, that’s an ominous sign,” one onlooker yelled. A worker was on a ladder checking bolts when the sign snapped a small section of the ballpark’s stone exterior, fell about 3m and smashed into pieces. No one was injured.
SOCCER
Augsburg down Bayern
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Friday crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat against Augsburg without Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich, who is back in quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Goals by Mads Pedersen and Andre Hahn put Augsburg 2-0 up, and although Robert Lewandowski claimed his 14th goal in 12 league games, it was not enough to rescue Bayern. “We deserve to fall behind in the first half,” Thomas Mueller told DAZN after his 600th appearance for Bayern ended in disappointment. “We gave away possession, dealt with crosses badly. This is a bitter setback for us and our confidence.”
MOTORCYCLING
Marquez to get eye tests
Spanish motorcycling ace Marc Marquez is to undergo eye tests next month, after which his Honda team are to make a decision over his participation next season. Six-time world champion Marquez missed the final MotoGP of the season in Valencia, Spain, last weekend. He is also sitting out testing under way at Jerez. Honda director Alberto Puig said Marquez’s health must come first after the 28-year-old began to experience double vision. “How he feels is the most important thing,” Puig said. “He’s about the same as when he was diagnosed and he needs time and rest. Round Christmas time we’ll see what condition he’s in and make a decision then.”
Juventus on Sunday stopped Inter from replacing SSC Napoli at the top of Serie A by beating their fierce rivals 1-0 and moving into the UEFA Champions League positions. Francisco Conceicao made sure that Napoli would stay two points ahead of reigning champions Inter by classily tucking home the winning goal 16 minutes before the end of an entertaining contest in Turin. Portugal attacker Conceicao netted his fourth goal of the season in all competitions after brilliant work from Randal Kolo Muani to give Juve a third straight league win. Juve are in fourth place on 46 points, ahead on goal-difference from SS
The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) is considering reducing its pitch clock by two seconds to help players better adjust to the rules applied at the World Baseball Classic (WBC). The proposal aims to shorten the pitch timer from 25 seconds to 23 seconds with the bases empty, and from 20 seconds to 18 seconds with runners on base. Currently, the WBC mandates that pitchers deliver a pitch every 18 seconds with the bases empty and 15 seconds with runners on base. The issue was raised during a pre-season CPBL managers’ meeting on Tuesday by Rakuten Monkeys bench and batting
BELGIANS ADVANCE: Club Brugge gave Atalanta a lesson in efficiency, as Gian Piero Gasperini’s team had 29 efforts at goal, compared with seven from the visitors Seldom has a player’s sending off had such an influence on a game. AC Milan was to left rue Theo Hernandez’s second yellow card — for diving — as Feyenoord advanced to the UEFA Champions League last 16 at the former European champion’s expense with a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their playoff on Tuesday, giving the Dutch team a 2-1 win on aggregate. Bayern Munich, Club Brugge and Benfica also won their playoffs, eliminating Celtic, UEFA Europa League winner Atalanta BC and French team AS Monaco respectively. “In soccer everything changes in a second,” said Milan forward
Starting with three fights in the first nine seconds and ending with a celebration and a spot in the 4 Nations Face-Off final, the US on Saturday delivered exactly what Matthew Tkachuk hoped for by beating Canada. “We needed to send a message,” Tkachuk said. “The message we wanted to send is ‘It’s our time.’” Tkachuk fought Brandon Hagel off the opening faceoff, brother Brady tussled with Sam Bennett the next time the puck dropped, J.T. Miller dropped the gloves with Colton Parayko next and the Americans followed those fisticuffs with a 3-1 victory over their biggest rival. “That was one of the
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