| Dismas Charities drops U of L leases Dismas Charities has backed out of leases for suites at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium and the KFC Yum! Center after details of the leases came to light. feeds.bizjournals.com |
Warren's new generation rises to the top The promoter is in confident mood as his stable of British boxers move in sight of world title fightsNathan Cleverly is going places. So is his Welsh mate Enzo Maccarinelli, and it is at the core of the vagaries that define this cruel sport that their destinations look to be at polar ends of the boxing landscape.Maccarinelli was shockingly knocked out in Birmingham yesterday night for the fifth time in a career of high drama, yet in the immediate aftermath he did not seem inclined to walk away from the sport he is addicted to, to cherish his accomplishments as a former European and world cruiserweight champion. Old belts pay no bills."I was winning it," he said. He was. "I just got caught." And that he did – much worse even than on the night David Haye signalled the start of his decline in two rounds two years ago.His promoter, Frank Warren, has offered the hugely likeable Maccarinelli a decent alternative, to co-promote with him in Wales. But Maccarinelli has just turned 30. He needs the money. It is his job. Those are the only arguments a fighter towards the end of his working life wants to hear, although he could hear little but buzzing in his head as Alexander Frenkel stood over him 30 seconds from the end of round seven, after the appallingly inattentive Finnish referee, Erkki Meronen, had allowed the unbeaten German power-hitter a second shot at the plainly defenceless Welshman.For Cleverly, the ever-smiling 23-year-old university maths graduate from Cefn Fforest, the road ahead is blessed in sunshine and riches. By Christmas, he should be the WBO light-heavyweight champion, to go with British, European and Commonwealth belts that already grace his mantelpiece after just 20 professional fights. He is as hungry for more as Maccarinelli is desperate to stay in the game.In nine-and-a-bit rounds against the tough Armenian-born Karo Murat, in what was billed as a final eliminator for Jürgen Brähmer's WBO title, Cleverly confirmed he is a maturing fighter of dazzling speed and natural ringcraft, prepared to flirt with danger to please the fans. He took more than he had to but he finished it well.If he cannot get Brähmer, who has a court case pending over an assault conviction, Cleverly is prepared to look even higher. "I'd happily fight Chad Dawson, Jean Pascal [who beat Dawson last month to retain his WBC title] or Bernard Hopkins [Pascal's next opponent] over the next 18 months," he said.Brähmer might yet be forced to vacate his title, and Warren hopes it will pass automatically to Cleverly, who is the No1 contender. If Brähmer survives his legal problems, Warren will start negotiations with him to defend his title on a bill in London on 11 December that will include several of his front-line fighters in major contests. Most prominent among them is the super-middleweight James DeGale, who took out the tough Scouser Carl Dilks in a round and is within a couple of contract arguments of a showdown with his fellow Londoner George Groves, the Commonwealth champion."That should be James's next fight," Warren said. "They will be receiving a written offer from me [today]. If they want the fight, they've got it."It would be a fight to savour between two of the most talented young prospects in the business – and a shock to anyone familiar with boxing politics if it comes off, as Groves is promoted by Haye, one of Warren's promotional rivals.Warren insists his own heavyweight star, Derek Chisora, who stopped Sam Sexton in seven rounds to retain his British title and take the Norwich man's Commonwealth belt, is ready for anyone in Europe. "An ideal match would be Audley Harrison [who challenges Haye for his WBA title on 13 November in Manchester]," Warren said. "We would take Tyson Fury in a heartbeat. He would do a job on Nikolai Valuev. In fact, I will be having talks with Wilfried Sauerland [the Russian's promoter] this week.""Delboy" Chisora, who has placed himself in the big picture with words and deeds, said: "It is not a matter of who I want to fight. I'll fight anyone. Right now it's about who wants to fight me."Of the other Warren fighters who paraded their wares on a promotion billed as "The Magnificent Seven", Kell Brook had the least satisfying victory, a cuts stoppage of his friend Michael Jennings in four rounds, but that also puts the unbeaten Sheffield welterweight in line for a world title fight in December. "We expect Manny Pacquiao to vacate the WBO title," Warren said, "so Kell as No1 contender is next in line."Matthew Macklin, in his second spell with Warren after a nomadic few years, is another in the mix for a world title shot. He reclaimed the European middleweight championship he relinquished in March with an impressive stoppage of the unbeaten Georgian Shalva Jomardashvili at the start of the sixth round.For Warren, life is suddenly a bit rosier. He took a gamble – and probably a bath at the gate – by putting so many of his well-paid fighters on one bill, but he reckons it was worth it."I've had a very difficult year," he said. "Setanta went bust, I had no contract with Sky. In fact, I've had fewer shows than ever. But now this is the most exciting I've ever had in boxing. The December show is my 30th anniversary. This is the cherry on the cake for me."BoxingJames DeGaleKevin Mitchellguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Childress says team proved case in NASCAR appeal By JENNA FRYER 2010-09-30T14:18:48ZCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Richard Childress reiterated his frustration in the NASCAR appeals process after an independent panel denied his bid to have Clint Bowyer's penalty overturned.... hosted.ap.org |
Gavin Quinnell 'loses sight in left eye' • Forward suffered injury during Llanelli's loss to Cross Keys• BBC report that emergency surgery failed to save his sightThe Scarlets forward Gavin Quinnell has reportedly lost the sight in his left eye after an incident during Llanelli's 27-19 Welsh Premiership defeat at Cross Keys on Saturday.Quinnell spent two nights in hospital after going emergency surgery, but according to the BBC doctors were unable to save his sight in the eye.Llanelli have cited an unnamed player from Cross Keys and are waiting to hear whether the Welsh Rugby Union will take the matter further. Cross Keys have so far declined to comment, but Gwent police are also investigating."We have received information regarding the allegation of an assault which occurred at Cross Keys Rugby Club on Saturday when a man was injured and received treatment," said a Gwent police spokesman. "We are currently working with Llanelli RFC, Cross Keys RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union."ScarletsRugby unionguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Button tries to psyche out Webber • You always get a reaction, even if they say 'no', Button admits• Englishman trails Webber by 31 points with three races to goJenson Button has said his battle with Red Bull's Mark Webber has extended beyond the racetrack as the McLaren driver fights a rearguard action to retain his world championship title.Last season Button was in Webber's current position, going into the final races trying to defend a lead. So he knows how to play the mind games that were used on him a year ago. Webber has not won a race since the first week in August, and is well aware of this fact."Mark is pretty strong in the head," Button said. "Everybody plays mind games, though. I travelled over with Mark and it was fun – because I have been in his position. It's the little things like me saying: 'Are you feeling the pressure, mate?' You always get a reaction, even if they say: 'No, I'm not.'"He's exactly as I was last year. It's fun to see how different people react – like the press conference where a Spanish guy asked Mark a question and you could tell from the tone that whatever they say, you can tell what that person is really feeling."With only three races to go Button trails Webber by 31 points, and as he is also 17 points behind the championship leader's team-mate, Sebastian Vettel, he admits he must beat both Red Bulls in Sunday's inaugural Korean grand prix if he is to stand any chance of retaining the title.Referring to his fellow McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton, Button said: "We both need to win and our team-mate to finish second. The team has thrown a lot of stuff at these cars in the past three races. We would have been closer in Suzuka [Japan a fortnight ago] if things had worked. The new stuff was designed for here but we rushed it forward, so it should work better here."The McLarens will use their revamped rear wing on Sunday and as there are three long straights – all in the first sector – they believe they will be at least as fast as the Red Bulls in some areas of the race. "I like the first sector but I am sure the Red Bulls will hate it," Button added. "It's definitely a McLaren-style first sector – heavy-braking long straights. The second sector is Red Bull territory but we will all be good around the last sector. We have three long straights with hairpins so it's perfect for overtaking. It's important to be near the front, but at turn three I think we will be four abreast."It's going to make for an exciting Sunday but we need to get a lot of info on Friday. We will spend the morning doing aero work and finding out that everything works and if it does work correctly – and I think it will – we will have a good step forward."Will [it] be level with the Red Bull? It's going to be difficult for everyone here working out what downforce levels to run because you have such long straights then a very tight section where you need a lot of downforce – in the straights you need less drag. An efficient car is going to be key."Robert Kubica, the Renault driver who is eighth in the championship, believes this year's title will be won by either Webber or Fernando Alonso of Ferrari, who has won consecutive races before coming third in Japan last time out and trails the Australian by only 14 points.Webber himself, who probably needs to win at least one of the remaining rounds to secure a first title, said he is not playing a calculating game. "All we can do is go out there and do our stuff, although if I win the next two races it's all over anyway, so it's up to me to keep doing what I'm doing," he said."The gap has been edging the right way in the last couple of races so I need to keep on with that. I just have to keep doing my best, and that's the most important thing. If I'm doing that then hopefully the results will take care of themselves."The double Formula One world champion Alonso put his past success with Renault in perspective by hailing the current season with Ferrari as his best ever. "For me personally it has been a great 2010 championship, driving for a new team," the Spaniard said. "I've felt very comfortable with Ferrari. So, now, in the last three races we will try and arrive in a position to fight for the championship in Abu Dhabi. Obviously, it would be nice to become champion this year. But even if we cannot do it, I will have great, great memories of 2010."Formula OneMark WebberRed BullJenson ButtonMcLarenMotor sportPaul Weaverguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |