LITTLE ROCK — BOXING
Froch retains title
Britain’s Carl Froch stopped American Yusaf Mack in the third round Saturday night to retain the IBF super middleweight title in Nottingham, England. Mack keeled over after a right-left combination into his ribs by Froch, with the one-sided fight ending with 28 seconds left in the round. Froch, fighting in his hometown, sent his opponent to the canvas in the first round, too, after connecting with a left hook and then a straight right, leaving Mack breathing heavily in his corner. “When I am in there on fire like I was tonight, I think I am unbeatable, I really do,” the 35-year-old Froch said. “I was a bit cautious early on but then I found my range.” It was Froch’s 30th victory in 32 fights and he is set for a rematch next with Canada’s Lucien Bute. Froch beat Bute in May to claim the title for the third time. Mack has lost five times in 38 fights.
Adrien Broner stopped Antonio DeMarco in the eighth round to take the WBC lightweight championship at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. Broner (25-0, 21 KOs) dominated from the outset, punishing DeMarco (28-3-1, 21 KOs) until DeMarco’s corner threw in the towel. Referee Benji Esteves stopped the fight at 1:49 of the round. Broner, a 23-year-old Cincinnati native, uncorked a left uppercut that thudded against DeMarco’s jaw and sent the 27-year-old Mexican to one knee. While Broner danced his way into a neutral corner, Esteves moved in to start counting. DeMarco’s corner signaled him to stop the bout over DeMarco’s mild protest.
TENNIS
Czechs take 2-1 lead
The Czech Republic won the doubles Saturday to take a 2-1 lead over defending champion Spain in the Davis Cup final in Prague, moving one victory away from its first title as an independent nation. Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek rallied to beat Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 to give the Czechs the edge going into today’s reverse singles. The Czechs converted their third match point in front of more than 13,000 loud fans at the O2 Arena to improve their Davis Cup doubles record to 12-1. The sixth-ranked Berdych can clinch the best-of-five series in the first reverse singles today with a victory over David Ferrer. Spain is looking for its fourth title in five years, while the Czechs’ only victory came in 1980 as Czechoslovakia, which split in 1993.
GOLF
Stenson holds 3-shot lead
Henrik Stenson of Sweden closed in on a first European Tour victory in three years Saturday, taking a three-shot lead into the final round of the South African Openin Johannesburg despite George Coetzee shooting a course-record 63. Stenson had six birdies and three bogeys in a 69 for a 16-under-par 200. Coetzee and Magnus Carlsson were three shots back.
Robert Streb shot a 3-underpar 69 in rainy conditions Saturday at Del Monte, Calif., to take a onestroke lead over Billy Horschel after the third round in the Pebble Beach Invitational. The 25-year-old Streb had a 10-under 206 total. He won the Web.com Tour’s Mylan Classic in September and finished seventh on the tour’s money list to earn a PGA Tour card. Horschel had a 68, also at Del Monte, as the field of 81 played in light morning rain and soft conditions in the tournament that features PGA, LPGA, Champion and Web.com tour players.
HOCKEY
Talks set to resume Monday
So much for a two-week break. Just over a week since the last set of failed negotiations, the NHL and the locked-out players’ association will return to the bargaining table Monday. Conversations that restarted Friday between NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr produced enough positive movement Saturday to set up another face-to-face meeting that the sides hope will lead to an agreement to save the hockey season. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman suggested to union Executive Director Donald Fehr this week that the sides take two weeks off from negotiations. The union maintained its desire to keep talking, and now bargaining is back on.
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jared Cowen is out of action for six to eight months following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip. The club said the 21-year-old Cowen is expected to make a full recovery from Saturday’s operation in New York. Cowen, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, played in all 82 games last season as a rookie, scoring five goals and adding 12 assists with a minus-4 rating.
HORSE RACING
‘Called’ wins at Aqueduct
Called to Serve beat the heavy favorite, Willy Beamin, by 4 3/4 lengths to win the $150,000 Discovery Handicap for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct on Saturday. Called to Serve, the 7-2 second choice, surged to the lead in the deep stretch after Willy Beamin tired after setting a reasonable pace. Willy Beamin, the winner of the King’s Bishop at Saratoga in August, was the 3-5 favorite in the Discovery Handicap. Joel Rosario was aboard for trainer Nick Canani as Called to Serve earned his thirdwin in 10 starts. The time was 1:49.77 for the 1 1/8 miles on the fast track. Called to Serve paid $9.60, $3.60 and $2.40. Willy Beamin returned $2.40 and $2.10, and Stephanoatsee paid $3.10 to show.
GOLF Choi takes the lead at Titleholders
NAPLES, Fla. - U.S. Women’s Open champion Na Yeon Choi was steady after a careless three putt bogey early in her third round Saturday at the Titleholders and finished with a 3-under-par 69 to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the LPGA Tour season.
Choi limited her mistakes, even as those around her were dropping shots in a tough wind at The Twin Eagles Club.
Ai Miyazato quickly gave up her one-shot lead at the start of the round when a chip rolled back to her feet beyond the par-5 second hole and led to a double bogey. Brittany Lincicome missed a 3-foot par putt on the second hole and hit a chip that never came close to reaching the green on the third hole.
They all did well to stay in the hunt.
Choi hit a hybrid 5-wood to 15 feet for birdie on the par-3 17th and closed with a two-putt for par to reach 12-under 204. That gave her a one-shot advantage over Miyazato, who made four birdies on the back nine and salvaged a 71.
So Yeon Ryu, the LPGA Rookie of the Year and one of Choi’s best friends, ran off four consecutive birdies on the front nine before cooling off for a 66.She was two behind.
Karrie Webb made her blunder late, but it was a big one.
She pulled her approach on the 18th to the left, and the ball bounced down a walkway and under a table. She had to stick four tees in the ground to get relief twice, from a picket fence and the corner of a grandstand. Her chip went through the green and next to the grandstand, leading to another free drop. Her next chip came out heavy and rolled back against the grandstand, for a third drop. Webb had to hole a 15-foot putt for double bogey, dropped her back to a 71, five shots behind.
Lincicome overcame her consecutive bogeys for a 70 and was at 9-under 207 with Karine Icher, who also had a 70.
Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) won’t be winning the money title. The 27-year-old American has to win the Titleholders and its $500,000 prize to have any chance of catching Inbee Park, but Lewis had a second consecutive 72 and was 10 shots out of the lead at 214.
Park was at 4-under 212 and likely sewed up the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.
Sports, Pages 26 on 11/18/2012