Holyfield Beats Nielsen with TKO

Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield beat Denmark's Brian Nielsen on a technical knockout in the 10th round on Saturday in his long-shot quest for one last title fight.
The bout was stopped after the 48-year-old Holyfield pushed Nielsen into the corner in the 10th round and hit him several times with right-left combinations, causing the Dane to spit out some blood. Holyfield said after the fight that his hope is still to regain the world heavyweight title.
"This fight showed other champions what I am able to do, but it also taught me I got to be better," said Holyfield, who has held the world title four times in his career.
"The most important is that I didn't quit," he added. "I am not a quitter."
Holyfield (44-10-2-1) started the fight aggressively, pressing the 46-year-old Nielsen into the ropes and landing several hard jabs and hooks. Nielsen then got a swollen eye in the fourth round and complained he couldn't see properly. But the Dane made a comeback in the eighth round, pushing a tired-looking Holyfield into the ropes with a series of combinations, before Holyfield turned it around in the 10th.

AC Milan Crowned Italian Champions

AC Milan claimed an 18th Serie A title following a 0-0 draw at Roma on Saturday that gave them an unassailable lead at the top of the table with two games to go.
Milan came into the game knowing they needed only a draw to be sure of winning the scudetto crown and they never looked in danger of failing to do so.
The draw pushed their lead over second-placed Inter Milan, who still have three to play, to nine points but with a better head-to-head record, the rosssoneri cannot now be overtaken.

Rudi Hartono: Get Tough on The Young Players

Eight-time All England champion Rudy Hartono has called for the Indonesia Badminton Association (PBSI) to get tougher on young players to push them to greater heights with the 2012 London Olympics looming.
“What makes today’s game different is that matches are more competitive now compared to years ago, so you have to work harder and not give up easily,” the 61-year-old veteran told a local newspaper at the PBSI’s 60th anniversary celebration.
“We won with minimal support from the PBSI. Now shuttlers have all the things that we didn’t have during our time,” he said, referring to improved facilities, coaching and monetary rewards.
Hartono, who won the world championship in 1980 and the prestigious All England championships seven consecutive times from 1968 to 1974, said in the past players were not allowed to return to the same tournament the next year if they lost.

Facebook Picture Showing Hatred in Football

This mock-up on Facebook of Neil Lennon in a blood-soaked football strip has emerged in the wake of bombs being sent to the Celtic manager and two supporters of the club. Last night the image on the social networking site had been ‘Liked’ by more than 100 people.
Pictures on the page, which was entitled ‘I Hope Neil Lennon gets shot’, showed the manager with bullet holes in his head, chest and groin. The site’s creator posted: ‘Neil Lennon deserves a bullet to the head!’
A similar site has previously been taken down by Facebook. Meanwhile, a footballer has been sacked by his club after he posted hate-filled messages about the Celtic manager on the internet.
Kieran Bowell, 17, told followers of his Twitter page that he wished Lennon had been ‘killed’ by a parcel bomb. Berwick Rangers kicked Bowell out of the club after being made aware of the teenager’s rant.
Strathclyde Police said the two packages sent to Lennon, and others to lawyer Paul McBride QC and former MSP Trish Godman, were ‘designed to cause real harm to the person who opened them’. Officers described the sending of the bombs as ‘despicable and cowardly’.

India Orders Female Badminton Players to Wear Skirts

Skirt selection could be as crucial as shot selection for the female shuttlers when they hit the court for this month’s India Super Series in New Delhi.
Taking a cue from tennis, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has introduced a new dress code, which comes into effect from May 1 and requires all female players to wear skirts or dresses in Grand Prix tournaments and above “to ensure attractive presentation of badminton”.
Players may continue to wear shorts if they wish to but it has be underneath a skirt, as some shuttlers already do. Those affected by the new regulation would include Saina Nehwal, top seed in the April 26-May 1 Indian Super Series, even though the world number three is not losing sleep over the issue.
“I think its okay. Playing in skirts is not an issue,” Nehwal told Reuters in a text message. While the BWF hopes the move will bring more fans to the sport and rope in more sponsors, everybody is not convinced it’s the right way forward.
Jwala Gutta, India’s badminton glamour girl, has no qualms about playing in a skirt but does not support the governing body’s idea of making it compulsory.

Chris John, "The Dragon", Maintains Title

Chris John appeared to be too strong for his younger contender Daud Yordan and managed to defend his WBA light weight title on points in Jakarta on Sunday night. John, the "Dragon", had to defend his title all the way in 12 rounds scoring 116 - 112, 116 - 112, and 117 - 111.
The fight between the two Indonesian boxers proceeded rather sluggishly as the two had been very careful in waiting for the right moment to strike. From the second to the eight rounds the fight went quite hard with both boxers exchanging their blows.
Chris John relying on his jabs and right hook appeared to be successful. The older fighter (31) appeared to be more successful in applying his techniques against the younger contender (24).
With his win, Chris John in his 45 fights won with 22 KOs and two on points, without any loss.
Kompas

Inter Wave Goodbye to Title Hopes as Milan Roll on

AC Milan kept their Serie A title challenge going full throttle on Saturday, strolling past relegation-haunted Sampdoria 3-0 at San Siro. But deposed European champions Inter Milan can all but wave their title hopes goodbye after slumping at lowly Parma.

Goals from veteran Clarence Seedorf, Antonio Cassano — from the penalty spot — and Robinho saw Milan coast home against Samp as the hosts motored six points clear of second-placed Napoli, who host Udinese on Sunday. Inter, already smarting from their Champions League exit at the hands of Schalke, are eight points off the pace and surely out for the championship count.

Sebastian Giovinco and Amauri scored the goals for Parma, late on in either half, to give their side a three-point cushion over Sampdoria. If Milan can hold on to top spot they will lift their first crown since 2004, although Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri insists that he will “keep on dreaming” until the championship is mathematically beyond his men.

The Rossoneri were in the driving seat once Seedorf fired them into a 20th-minute lead from a free-kick, banishing any doubts about the effect of the absence of Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is suspended for three matches for swearing at a linesman. Milan also had to overcome further challenges as goalkeeper Christian Abbiati went off injured on 19 minutes, Marco Amelia coming on in his place.

Wayne Rooney Axed as Face of Coca-Cola

Wayne Rooney was axed as the face of Coca-Cola in the wake of a public furore over his foul-mouthed outburst on live television.
The Manchester United star, 25, was initially dropped from the soft drink company's ad campaign following allegations over his private life last year.
But today Coca-Cola confirmed that they would no longer be working with the footballer.
'We mutually agreed that we would not renew our relationship,' the company said in a statement. 'We wish Wayne well in his career.'
The news comes as Rooney waits to find out the result of his appeal against a two-match suspension for the use of offensive language during a match against West Ham at the weekend.
As it stands, he will miss Saturday's Premier League encounter with Fulham and an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on April 16. He will find out his fate tomorrow.
Rooney, who has endorsed Coke Zero since 2007, was initially dropped by Coca-Cola in September after he reportedly cheated on his then-pregnant wife Coleen with a prostitute.
At the time, the world's largest soft drink maker responded by saying it was not 'appropriate' to use the England international in promotions, but insisted that its 'relationship with Wayne Rooney is ongoing'.
The partnership, however, has now been permanently severed. Coca-Cola was today keen to stress that it was an amicable arrangement and part of a change of  strategy.