Russian giant Nikolai Valuev won the WBA heavyweight championship last night, using his left jab to outpoint American John Ruiz in an unanimous decision.
The fight was first declared a split decision, but the score was officially later changed to give Valuev all three of the judges' votes.
The 7-foot Valuev (49-1) regained the title he lost to Ruslan Chagaev in April 2007 and beat Ruiz (43-8-1) for the second time.
The judges scored it for Valuev, 116-113, 116-111 and 114-113.
WBA delegate John Mack said one of the officials, Japanese ringside judge Takeshi Shimakawa, alerted him after the first split decision was read out that he too had given the fight to Valuev.
The Japanese official explained that one of the cards had the names of the fighters in a different order, therefore resulting in the confusion. Shimakawa was the judge who scored it 114-113.
Valuev, with a massive advantage in height, weight and reach, also won a disputed decision over Ruiz in December 2005.
OLYMPICS
The president accused of impoverishing Zimbabwe has handed out $148,000 to the nation's Olympians, most of it to a top-performing swimmer.
The government-controlled Herald newspaper reported that Robert Mugabe announced the awards during a brief ceremony Friday. He called Kirsty Coventry Zimbabwe's “golden girl” and gave her $100,000. Coventry won three silvers and a gold at the Beijing games. The Herald said Mugabe gave three others on the 13-member Olympic squad $10,000 each. Each of the remaining athletes got $2,000.
CYCLING
Liquigas won the team time trial of the Spanish Vuelta in Granada with Filippo Ponzzato surging ahead to take the first stage of the cycling season's third major tour. Ponzzato finished the 4.8-mile course in 8 minutes, 21 seconds to edge Liquigas teammates Valerio Agnoli and Manuel Quinziato, who had the same time.
HORSE RACING
Buffalo Man rallied from far back in the stretch to win the $150,000 Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park, edging the favored Icy Atlantic by three-quarters of a length. Trained by Cam Gambolati and ridden by Carlos H. Marquez Jr., the 4-year-old colt covered the mile over a firm turf course in 1:33 and paid $12, $6.80 and $4.60.
HIGH SCHOOLS
The administration of the Georgia Football League, the association for private-school teams in the state, said prospective place-kicker Kacy Stuart can't play because she's a girl, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
According to the girl's mother, the 14-year-old freshman was dismissed from the New Creation Center Crusaders, a private Christian academy in McDonough, Ga., as team photos were being shot Thursday, even after she had practiced with the team for two months.
“We'll file for an injunction if we have to,” Angie Stuart said Friday, according to the Atlanta newspaper. “We'll do whatever it takes to keep her on the team.”
SPORTS AND COURTS
Carolina Panthers cornerback Ricardo Colclough was arrested yesterday and charged with driving while impaired. Colclough was arrested hours before the Panthers had to make their final cuts. After spending five hours in the Mecklenburg County jail, Colclough was released on $1,000 bond.
The Jacksonville Jaguars' career rushing and receiving leaders were arrested in a span of about five hours. Running back Fred Taylor was arrested outside a Miami Beach nightclub early yesterday and charged with disorderly conduct. Former receiver Jimmy Smith was arrested Friday night on a drunken driving charge in Jacksonville.
A Centre County judge refused to accept a plea agreement for a former Penn State receiver accused of threatening a teammate with a knife. Chris Bell pleaded guilty to making terroristic threats in connection with the April 7 confrontation with defensive end Devon Still.
DEATH
Pro wrestling pioneer Walter “Killer” Kowalski has died from a heart attack. He was 81. Kowalski died yesterday after his family decided to have him taken off life support. Kowalski had been in critical condition at a hospital in Everett, Mass., since the heart attack on Aug. 8.
SPORTS AND DRUGS
Olympic heptathlete Lyudmila Blonska of Ukraine received a lifetime ban for a positive doping test after winning the silver medal at the Beijing Games. The Ukrainian national athletics federation made the decision Friday, after the 30-year-old Blonska tested positive for the steroid methyltestosterone – her second doping offense.
MLS
In selected games: Landon Donovan scored two goals for the Los Angeles Galaxy, but Shalrie Joseph's first goal of the season helped the New England Revolution salvage a 2-2 tie in Foxborough, Mass. . . . Atiba Harris scored deep in stoppage time to give Chivas USA a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC at the Home Depot Center in Carson.
WNBA
In selected games: Lisa Leslie scored four of her 18 points and added a blocked shot in the final 1:39 as the host Los Angeles Sparks rallied for a 58-53 victory over the San Antonio Silver Stars . . . Rookie Candice Wiggins (La Jolla Country Day) scored 22 points and fellow reserve Vanessa Hayden-Johnson added 11 to lead the host Minnesota Lynx past the Washington Mystics 92-78 . . . Insert Sparks game in this spot.
– FROM NEWS SERVICES
