Boom Boom' Bautista to fight in San Diego on August 14

Former world super bantamweight title challenger Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista whose planned fight alongside world-rated bantamweight AJ “Bazooka” Banal at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia on June 26 was called off, will instead see action in San Diego on August 14.

According to respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer there is no word yet on Bautista’s opponent but the promoter of the card which combines MMA and boxing is a new group called Powerhouse Promotions.

The 23 year old Bautista who has moved up to featherweight is coming off back-to-back victories after a disappointing eight round unanimous decision loss to Heriberto Ruiz in a bout he was widely expected to win. It was later discovered that Bautista had a badly damaged wrist that needed surgery and the grafting of a piece of bone taken from his hip.

Bautista who was mobbed by Filipinos in Dubai didn’t disappoint his fans by scoring a 6th round knockout in a tough battle with Thailand’s Saichon Sotompitak (10-1, 5 KO’s) on April 23, 2010. Bautista earlier scored a 7th round TKO over strong and durable Marangin Marbun of Indonesia to win the WBC International featherweight interim title on October 16, 2009.

The large Filipino community in San Diego is bound to turn up in force to support Bautista who is a popular young fighter.

In the meantime there are plans to feature Banal in a fight card in mid-July in Bohol to coincide with the Sandugo festival in that picturesque province where popular sportsman and boxing aficionado Mayor Dan Neri Lim won re-election as Mayor of Tagbilaran City.

Franklin knocks out Liddell at UFC 115

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The career of former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder Chuck Liddell likely came to an end with only seconds left in the first round of his fight with Rich Franklin in the main event of UFC 115 on Saturday at General Motors Place.

Liddell missed a shot and Franklin came in quickly with a counter right hook that landed on the chin. Liddell, who was doing well, fell flat on his back after the hook landed. Franklin landed a powerful shot while Liddell was down, but it wasn’t necessary.

Franklin’s left arm was grotesquely swollen and appeared it may be broken after he blocked a kick from Liddell.

But Franklin, the former middleweight champ, didn’t seem to mind, beaming after knocking out one of the UFC’s legendary stars.

Liddell hadn’t fought since being knocked out by Mauricio “Shogun” Rua 14 months ago in Montreal at UFC 97. It was the third time he had been knocked out, and Liddell took the time off to allow himself to recuperate.

He was scoring well on Saturday and dictating the pace of the fight. He likely would have won the first round on the judges’ cards if the round finished, and he looked to apply some late damage when he was caught.
On the undercard, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic won his heavyweight battle with Pat Barry, who made no secret of his admiration for the PRIDE veteran. Filipovic forced a submission with a rear naked choke with 30 seconds left in the fight.

Barry made many fans before the fight by admitting his admiration for Filipovic, but in the first round he went after his idol and knocked him down twice and was in control of the fight.
But Barry’s conditioning seemed to fail him and Filipovic picked up the pace in the second, stopping Barry’s onslaught and forcing him into a defensive mode.

In the third, Filipovic took over and was catching Barry with fast combinations, forcing Barry to retreat. With about a minute left, a combination from Filipovic knocked Barry down. Filipovic landed a series of hard punches on the ground and referee Yves Lavigne seemed on the verge of stopping it.

But Barry turned away from Filipovic, who took advantage and slapped the fight-ending choke on Barry.
Canadian Rory MacDonald, at 20 years old the UFC’s youngest fighter, got a hero’s welcome from the raucous GM Place crowd and then performed brilliantly through the first two rounds against former World Extreme Cagefighting welterweight champion Carlos Condit.

But Condit took over in the third round and began to rock MacDonald with hard punches. In the final seconds of the fight, MacDonald was on his back and Condit was pounding him with blows. With just 10 seconds left in the fight, referee Kevin Dornan jumped in to stop it.

Two of the judges had MacDonald up 20-18 at the time of the stop. The third had it a draw, 19-19. If the judges would have scored the fight 10-8 for Condit, as it appeared they might, the fight would have wound up a majority draw.

MacDonald didn’t complain about the stoppage.
“I was confused,” he said. “I was taking some good shots. I was lost. I just couldn’t find my rhythm.”
Ben Rothwell managed to control Gilbert Yvel in most of all three rounds and won a unanimous decision over the Dutchman in an entertaining heavyweight bout.

Martin Kampmann moved closer to a bout for the No. 1 contender position in the UFC’s welterweight division with a solid victory over Paulo Thiago. Kampmann was brilliant in neutralizing Thiago’s punching power and controlling him on the ground.

Hurting Bynum set to play as LA tries to break series deadlock

BOSTON —Andrew Bynum is altogether clear on this: He’ll play in Game 5 of the NBA finals.

Beyond that, the key to the Los Angeles Lakers’ interior defense—and perhaps the team’s championship chances—can’t make any promises.

“I’m 100 percent sure that I’m playing come Sunday," the Lakers’ 7-foot center said Saturday.

Bynum had fluid drained from his right knee after Boston evened the series 2-2 with a 96-89 win Thursday night. He was encouraged that the swelling had not returned since then. He had fluid drained from the same knee just before the series and the swelling reappeared.

He knows that will happen again.

“It’s going to come back after Game 5, for sure," Bynum said. “It’s guaranteed. But as long as I’m able to be out there and be effective, that’s what counts. And I know this game is the biggest game because it can change the whole series."

Bynum played 28 minutes in the opener, 39 in the second game and 29 in the third. He had 40 points and 22 rebounds as the Lakers opened a 2-1 series lead. But he played just 12 minutes in Game 4 and sat out the last 14 minutes. His totals: 2 points, 3 rebounds, no blocks,

Without him, the Lakers let a 62-60 lead after three quarters slip away as Boston power forward Glen Davis took advantage of Bynum’s absence to score 9 points in the fourth quarter. Two of Davis’ baskets helped turn a 64-all tie into a 70-64 lead.

“It’s rare that you see an NBA game won by one six-point run and that’s kind of what happened," Bynum said. “The whole game was real slow, real nasty. We had the lead and we kind of, so to speak, choked."

Had he played, it would have been much tougher for Davis to grab rebounds and make layups.

Bynum’s health could be the difference between the Lakers successfully defending their title or the Celtics reclaiming it after beating Los Angeles in 2008.

“I embrace" the responsibility, he said, “because I know what I’m able to do out there on the court and just want to go out there and just be effective. If I do that, if I give us some good minutes out there, then we’ll have a great shot at winning the game."

Bynum doesn’t know how long he’ll play Sunday. That depends on how he feels. He does know he wouldn’t be able to play if the fluid had not been drained.

“I’m going to be able to play with the pain. That’s not the problem," he said. “It’s when the swelling’s in there … it shuts the muscle down and then that’s when you’re really vulnerable to more injury."

Bynum has a torn meniscus and bone bruise in his knee. Surgery is scheduled for July with an expected rehabilitation period of two to five weeks, he said.

Meanwhile, he plays on.

“He’s made the ultimate sacrifice and tried to pay the ultimate price," Lakers guard Derek Fishersaid. “As a professional basketball player, your commodity is your body. So for him to take the steps that he’s taking to try and help us win, I think that says a lot about who he is and what his purpose is with our team."

Bynum, 22, was 17 when the Lakers made him the youngest player ever drafted in the first round. His scoring average has increased in each of his five seasons, to 15.0 this season along with 8.3 rebounds.

Without him, the Lakers only consistently effective inside player is 7-foot Pau Gasol.

“He’s been a factor when he’s been out there," Gasol said. “It also helps me to have him there just because of his presence and his length, his size, just rebounding, defending. Those two things are keys at this point because they’ve been the difference in the series."

Bynum planned to have more treatment on Saturday and be ready for the Celtics to test him on Sunday.

“That’s what they’re supposed to do," Bynum said. “They’re supposed to attack, but I think we’ll be ready."

World Cup: U.S. booters are no pushovers, after all

RUSTENBURG, South Africa —For England, drawing 1-1 with the United States in their opening game of the World Cup wasn’t a total disaster. It just felt like it.

The pundits had suggested that the Americans would be a pushover, fresh meat for the team of the Three Lions to feast on. “Easy," jingoistic tabloid The Sun had predicted.

Well, trash that front page. These Yanks proved as indigestible as the chewy sun-dried beef—biltong, the South Africans call it—that is a favored snack around these parts.

It wasn’t that the Americans were particularly tough—this wasn’t a stellar U.S. performance by any stretch of the imagination.

Rather, the England lions’ teeth are not as sharp as they thought they were. There are far more dangerous beasts out in the African bush than in this team where the outrageous talent of Wayne Rooney is tempered by obvious weaknesses that the World Cup will quickly expose, as they were Saturday night in the Royal Bafokeng stadium, which overlooks platinum mines.

The cringe-worthy handling error that will give England goalkeeper Robert Green night-sweats for years to come—he earned the tabloid headline “Hand of Clod" back home for gifting the US team the tying goal—was, in truth, just one of several England frailties that prevented it from getting better than a draw.

Given how they were outrun and even out-muscled at times by the Americans, England defenders John Terry, Ledley King and, from halftime, the sluggish Jamie Carragher will be overwhelmed by the better class opponents England will encounter later in the knockout stages of competition.

In midfield, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard seem determined to prove that two great talents don’t always combine well together. England attacks lacked conviction, with both Emile Heskey and Shaun Wright-Phillips failing to make the most of goal chances. Judging from this disjointed performance, England can forget about ending its 44-year wait for a second World Cup trophy.

More broadly, the result confirmed that the once large gap between the worlds of football and soccer is narrowing. Team USA and England are still two sides divided by a common language but no longer by vast gulfs of talent on the field. In 10 trans-Atlantic encounters, this was their first draw.

That made it a victory of sorts for the U.S. and for the thousands of fans who chanted “USA! USA!" long after English renditions of “God Save the Queen" had fallen into an uncomfortable silence.

Bob Bradley’s players can now feel more confident not only that they will reach the next stage of the competition but even, perhaps, that they could finish atop Group C.

The group winner is less likely to face mighty Germany in the next round. Because of this draw, England and the U.S. are now dead-heated in the race for that prize. The winner will be the team that does best against the other two nations in the group, Algeria and Slovenia.

England manager Fabio Capello made bold suggestions before this game that England could go all the way to the final on July 11. With potato-faced, goal-scoring star Rooney on Capello’s side, who was going to argue with him?

Well, lots more people now.

Most worrying for England is that it doesn’t have a decent goalkeeper.

Green was meant to do the job against the Americans. Instead, it looked like he was playing for them.

Those who weren’t celebrating in the stadium squirmed with embarrassment when he let Clint Dempsey’s shot wriggle out of his hands. Everyone, including Green, knew he should have stopped it. Green buried his head in the turf. He must have wished that it would swallow him up.

Bradley could hardly believe it. His open-mouthed look of “Is it Christmas, already?" said it all.

“A genuine mistake, a horrible mistake," Green said after he had showered. “It’s something that happens in life."

In life, perhaps, but not in the World Cup. Not if you want to win it.

Muntinlupa outplays Pasig anew, captures Hoopla crown

There's no hometown jinx for Muntinlupa. Kevin Racal, the local bets' top gun, made sure about that.

Racal knocked in 41 points to power the Muntinlupa cagers to an 82-76 triumph and clinch the championship in the inaugural staging of the Coca-Cola Hoopla before thousands of roaring fans at the Muntinlupa Sports Center.

Prior to their rubber match with Pasig, Muntinlupa has beaten its rival twice, including an 86-76 triumph last Wednesday to force a winner-take-all finals match.

The Muntinlupa cagers reasserted their mastery over the Pasigueños in their third and last encounter to also pocket the top prize of P250,000. The Pasigueños settled for runner-up honors and the P125,000 that goes with it.

“I really prepared for this game," said Racal, an incoming senior criminology student at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa. “We really wanted to win the championship and we did it for our Muntinlupa folks."

Muntinlupa coach Siegfried Levita was all praises for his players.

“They worked extra hard and never let up until the end," said Levita.

Pasig was looking to exact vengeance and was on the way to dealing its three-time tormentor a heartbreaking loss in front of its followers by coming back from a 26-14 deficit behind a fiery fast breaking offense to storm ahead at the half, 41-38.

But a 60-minute power interruption cooled down not only the venue lights, but apparently Pasig as well, as Racal towed Muntinlupa away to victory.

Coke executive JB Baylon, who initiated this project, promised bigger things next tournament.

“The level of play and the support of the people made the Hoopla so special," said Baylon, board governor of the Coca-Cola Tigers in the PBA. “We're down the wire up to the last minute."

"There's no way we cannot continue this next year. No way we cannot go nationwide because we have to be able to reach more talents like the kids you saw today."

Multi-titled coach Joe Lipa, the tournament organizer, was elated at the success of his maiden project and was thrilled at the prospect of them going national.

“I’m very happy the tournament ended with a big bang," Lipa said. “I think this will be a very good avenue and showcase for the talent and skills of our athletes and officials, and I hope it goes national because Coca-Cola can contribute a lot to the basketball development in the country."

Big 3 have been inconsistent for Celtics

BOSTON —When the Boston Celtics assembled their new Big Three in the summer of 2007, they suddenly had three different options on offense—too many for opponents to handle, it turned out, and the league’s most-decorated franchise drove to its unprecedented 17th NBA championship.

So far in this year’s NBA finals, though, the trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen has been more like the Big One-at-a-Time: Three All-Stars, taking turns making contributions but never all clicking at once.

“It would be great if all three and Rondo and everyone got it going in one game," coach Doc Rivers said Saturday before the Celtics practiced for Game 5 of the NBA finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. “I’d feel very good about that game if that happens. We’re certainly going to try."

The idea of having three scoring threats hasn’t quite worked out in the first four games against the Lakers, as one after the other of the Big Three— and emerging star Rajon Rondo, too—has struggled. But the Celtics have managed to tie the series 2-2 heading into Sunday night’s Game 5 because they’ve found other ways to contribute.

“You know what, they’re a real sound defensive team and they’re going to take some things away, and that’s what it is," Garnett said. “The series is a series of adjustments, and I feel like with each game comes a new set of adjustments. One game, it can be Paul, one game can be myself, one game can be Ray, it can be Rajon. But at the end of the day you have to be aggressive, take what they give you, and I think for the most part we’ve done just that."

When Garnett struggled in the second game, Rivers made it his goal to get the biggest member of the Big Three going early in Game 3. It took Garnett only 75 seconds to match his Game 2 total of six points, and he finished with 25.

Pierce shot just 2 for 11 in Game 2, but scored 15 points—making 3 of 4 from 3-point range—the next game and then had a more characteristic 19 points with six rebounds and five assists when Boston won 96-89 to even the best-of-seven series at two games.

Allen hit eight 3-pointers to set an NBA record and score 32 points in Game 2, but in Game 3, he was 0 for 13 from the floor—one miss away from the worst shooting performance in NBA finals history—and he didn’t snap out of it until late in the third quarter of Thursday’s Game 4.

But it isn’t just a shooting slump that’s caused the numbers to fluctuate.

Allen seemed to struggle most when Derek Fisher was covering him, and it didn’t help that Allen was running ragged at the other end of the floor chasing Kobe Bryant around. Players wind up in foul trouble, costing them minutes and also making it difficult for them to be aggressive driving the lane.

“As far as having a great game from all of us, it’s real unpredictable," Pierce said. “Teams have their scouting reports, and some things they want to take away from us each and every night, some guys more than others. So it’s hard to predict the other team’s game plan and what they want to give and what they want to take away."

The players all insist that they aren’t worried about their point total as long as they are contributing elsewhere—whether it’s a denied entry pass on defense or a well-timed pick that sets someone else up for the score. But there’s also a possibility that the poor shooting will affect their confidence at the other end, too.

“It was important to me to feel like I was actually in the game," Garnett said. “I couldn’t care less about getting the ball, I couldn’t care less about scoring. But if I need to be effective in the post presence, then I need to do that. I thought Doc did a good job of just obviously consolidating the ball, giving me a chance to be aggressive."

That’s when having three stars can be an advantage—even if they’re not all hitting their shots.

“We have multiple options on offense, but on defense we try to be as one," Garnett said. “Absolutely it helps to have two, three other guys who can take the scoring burden and carry it, and you just focus on two or three other different things. It’s definitely a joy, I can say that."

Ivan Calderon soundly outpoints Jesus Iribe in NYC

As far as this particular weekend goes, there’s only one Miguel Cotto. But since Puerto Rico’s most celebrated active fighter had just performed a week ago, Nuyoricans gladly settled for one of the best pure boxers ever from La Isla Del Encanto to perform on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade.

In the end, undefeated lineal junior flyweight champion Ivan “Iron Boy” Calderon was as effective in entertaining the crowd as he was in keeping his “0” intact, putting on a clinic in soundly outpointing determined Mexican challenger Jesus Iribe over twelve rounds at MSG’s The Theatre in New York City.

Scores were 118-109 (twice) and 116-111 for the championship fight, which served as the main event of a “Top Rank Live” broadcast that aired on Fox Sports and its affiliates.

Normally accustomed to far more action on this particular weekend, it was evident early on that the Boricuas on hand in attendance weren’t terribly interested in a pure boxing display, no matter whom was on the delivering end. The boo birds came raining down early, but not enough to cause Calderon to change up, fighting for the win rather than for the spirit of the weekend.

His superior skill set wasn’t enough to prevent his ass from touching the canvas, however. Iribe scored a surprise knockdown midway through the second round, dropping Calderon with a right hand straight down the pipe. Calderon shook it off as he took the mandatory eight count, but found himself in the rare position of being behind on the scorecards two rounds into a prize fight.

The knockdown seemed to have revived the Puerto Rican, who returned to boxing in the third, maintaining the necessary distance to cause Iribe to often fall short with his punches. The fight strategy didn’t sit particularly well with the crowd on hand, but nevertheless proved to be effective.

More boos filled the arena in the fourth, though the jeers quickly turned to cheers once Calderon began landing punches with authority (relatively speaking, anyway). A counter right hook landed flush for the Puerto Rican seconds after sliding back ever so slightly to cause Iribe to catch air with an attempted combination upstairs.

The middle rounds featured both Calderon at his best but also large points of frustration from those expecting more in the way of action. The defending champion put on a boxing clinic, doing a superb job of playing “hit and don’t get hit.” What was lacking was sustained action, as it was a punch or two at a time before darting away in efforts to avoid the incoming.

Calderon decided to change up in the eighth round, sticking around a second or two longer to plant his feet and land in combination. Give a little, get a little – once the crowd caught a whiff of the commitment, they greater appreciated his superb boxing skills, cheering his ability to avoid most of what Iribe threw at him while peppering the Mexican with straight lefts and right hooks in return.

Crowd participation increased as the rounds wore on, even chanting in unison whenever Calderon slipped a punch, which was quite often. Chants of “Cal-De-Ron!” filled the Theatre in the championship rounds, but not before the crowd got on Iribe for a low blow that was severe enough to draw a stern warning from referee Benji Esteves.

The final round was a reminder to boxing fans both in attendance and watching at home on Fox Sports as to why Calderon is often referred to as the best pure boxer of his generation.

Right jab, straight left, slip out of the way. Plant feet, rinse and repeat. Oohs and ahhs were all that could be offered, as those in attendance were simply in awe of Calderon’s ability, that late in the fight and this deep into his career. Even in signs of slowing down career wise, he still finds ways to dazzle.

Calderon improves to 34-0-1 (6KO) with the win, his first of the year and in fact his first right in nine months. Iribe slips to 16-7-5 (10KO), losing in his first fight in the Lower 48, with his lone other stateside appearance coming last year in Hawaii in a failed title bid against Brian Viloria.

As Calderon begins to wind down his potentially Hall of Fame career, it is hoped that the current lineal junior flyweight champion looks toward the rest of the best fighters in division, including promotional stable mate and fellow beltholder Giovanni Segura.

For now, he continues to add to his resume.

This win marked the sixth successful defense of the lineal title he won nearly three years ago, and 19th title fight win overall in a career that appears destined for the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Should they retire at roughly the same time, it can be argued that writers would be more inclined to look in the direction of Cotto than Calderon should it come down to that. It’s always easier to remember the more exciting fighter, and it can also be easily argued that Cotto also boasts the superior competition level, even if not always coming out on top.

While Cotto also remains the first choice to headline on a weekend such as this, Ivan Calderon made it very easy for fans to gladly accept the alternative.

PBA Fiesta Cup: Kings, Tigers parade new players in Sunday encounter

While there is still a small window of opportunity for Barangay Ginebra to bid for an outright berth in the semifinals of the PBA Fiesta Cup, the Kings would rather go the sure way and try to solidify their place in the quarterfinals instead.

On Sunday night, they take on the Coca-Cola Tigers at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, looking for the win that will reinforce their claim of at least finishing at the top 3 spot.

“It’s a crucial part of the elims for the quarterfinals and positioning," said Kings coach Jong Uichico.

The league’s crowd darling is currently tied with Alaska at fourth with a 9-6 card. The Gin Kings go into the 6:30 p.m. match bearing a new weapon in Mike Cortez, whom the team acquired in a late Friday night trade with Air21 for Billy Mamaril.

While the acquisition of Cortez, playing for his fourth team after Alaska, San Miguel and Air21, gives Ginebra a surplus of players in the backcourt, Uichico said the former top Draft pick is definitely a good addition for the Kings.

But Coca-Cola is also parading a new import – its third – in John Williamson as the Tigers’ fortunes continue to spiral following a strong start.

After a 3-0 start, Coca-Cola has lost nine of its last 11 games, including a 104-102 setback against Air21 in what turned out to be the last game for import Rashad Bell.

Playing out of University of Cincinnati, the 6-foot-6 Williamson saw action in the Big East tournament in the U.S. and in Poland, averaging a respectable number of 18 points and eight rebounds a game.

He is expected to be tested by Ginebra counterpart Denham Brown, who finally showed his true potential in the Kings’ 107-86 rout of Barako Bull where he exploded for 26 points and 17 rebounds.

Although Ginebra will be without big man Eric Menk (knee injury), what concerns Coca-Cola mentor Bo Perasol the most is how to contain the Kings’ backcourt, especially now with Cortez on board.

“We need to do a good job of matching up with their backcourt men," said Perasol, conscious about the abundance of Ginebra’s backcourt talent that also includes two-time MVP Willie Miller, reigning MVP JayJay Helterbrand, high-scoring Mark Caguioa, Ronald Tubid and veteran Celino Cruz.

In the first game, Sta. Lucia attempts to snap out of a five-game losing streak as it takes on the Barako Energy Coffee.

The Realtors (4-10) have been stuck at the lower half of the standings, unable to notch a win since trading away key players Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes to Talk ‘N Text.

The Coffee Masters likewise are on the same boat, sporting a tournament worst 2-13 card, but is looking for a big win and make a final push for a berth in the wild card phase.

“Barako is playing well in their last few games. We need to be cautious if we want to stop our skid," said SLR coach Boyet Fernandez.

Green blunder costs England; Argentina wins 1-0

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Robert Green's embarrassing fumble cost England a victory over the United States, a blot on the goalkeepers on day two of the World Cup after Vincent Enyeama's gallant performance in a Nigerian side which lost 1-0 to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina.

Clint Dempsey directed a 25-meter left-foot shot straight at Green in the 40th minute and wasn't expecting much reward for it, but the ball deflected off the England keeper's right glove and rolled over the line for the equalizer in a 1-1 draw in the Group C opener.

Argentina had plenty of chances but only managed to convert one of them against Enyeama in a 1-0 win in Group B, putting Diego Maradona's squad marginally behind South Korea, which opened the day with a 2-0 win over Greece at Port Elizabeth.

After Argentina's win at Ellis Park, the talk was all about Messi's sublime skills and Enyeama's athletic saves, which earned the Nigerian keeper the player of the match award despite being on the losing side.

But the spotlight shifted to Green before half time in the night match, when England let a 1-0 lead and command of the game slip against the underdog Americans.

"That is what you prepare for mentally. You don't prepare mentally for making great saves and playing the perfect game. You prepare for trauma," Green was quoted as saying. "It is regrettable and not what you want to happen, but that's life and you move on. It won't affect me psychologically."

England captain Steven Gerrard gave England the lead in the fourth minute, charging into the area and flicking past Tim Howard for his 17th international goal.

"It was a difficult game," Gerrard said. "I think the important thing in the first game is not to lose."

Green's blunder stunned the English sections of fans among the 38,000 crowd at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

"Unfortunately we've let a poor goal in and we couldn't go on and get the winner," Gerrard said. "The goal shocked us a bit. ... It took us a while to get over it."

Maradona's first test as a coach at the World Cup was closer than he'd have liked, saying his Argentine players were "too forgiving" and it was almost like they "couldn't see the goal" against Nigeria.

Gabriel Heinze scored in the sixth minute after taking advantage of slack marking to power in a diving header from 12 meters from Juan Sebastian Veron's corner.

Gonzalo Higuain missed three chances, including what seemed a certain goal in the fourth minute, and Messi, despite confounding the Nigerians with his speed and superior ball control, went agonizingly close on several occasions.

"Thank God we won the game," Maradona said. "To begin a World Cup in winning fashion gives you a certain sense of calmness."

Maradona led Argentina to the World Cup title in 1986 and was almost peerless as a player, but his coaching career so far has been inconsistent. He's hoping Messi can help him turn that around.

The 22-year-old Barcelona forward "performed magic today on the pitch," Maradona said. "I want Messi to be very close to the ball ... If he is having fun, then we are all going to have fun."

The World Cup opened on Friday with two draws, with hosts South Africa allowing a late equalizer in a 1-1 result against Mexico and a scoreless outcome between former champions France and Uruguay in Group A.

South Korea registered the first win of the tournament in Saturday's first match. It was only their second win on foreign soil in eight World Cups.

Lee Jung-soo tapped in unmarked to open the scoring in the seventh minute at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and captain Park Ji-sung doubled the lead in the 52nd with a slick solo goal.

The Manchester United midfielder collected a misplaced pass from Vassilis Torosidis and skipped past two defenders before slipping a shot across goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas.

"If we had been a little bit calmer, we could have had an even better result," South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo said. "In terms of scoring goals, it could have been a little bit better for us." South Korea reached the semifinals when it co-hosted the 2002 tournament with Japan and registered a win at Germany 2006.

Greece, in the World Cup for only the second time, made it four consecutive defeats at football's marquee tournament.

"We really have to get our act together," coach Otto Rehhagel said. "We've got to improve a couple of things and be brave and courageous enough."

On Sunday, Slovenia and Algeria meet in Group C at Polokwane, followed by Serbia vs. Ghana at Pretoria and Germany vs. Australia at Durban in Group D.

TNT clinches first semis seat with win over San Miguel

Talk ‘N Text (TNT) clinched the first automatic semifinal slot with an 85-82 squeaker over San Miguel Beer (SMB) Saturday night in the KFC-PBA Fiesta Cup at the Victorias City Sports & Amusement Center in Victorias City, Negros Occidental.

Ranidel de Ocampo had 7 of his 17 points in the last 5 minutes of the game that helped the Tropang Texters extend their winning streak to 13 games.

De Ocampo also finished with 7 rebounds and 6 assists as TNT avenged its 106-112 overtime loss to San Miguel last March 31, the last time the Texters tasted defeat in the season-ending conference.
Harvey Carey contributed 15 points for TNT, which solidified its hold on top spot with a 14-2 win-loss mark.

Danny Seigle led the Beermen with 21 points and was responsible for giving his team a 74-69 lead with a 3-point play off Shawn Daniels, 5:23 left in the game.

De Ocampo’s back-to-back jumpers and Jimmy Alapag’s 3-pointer at the top of the key reclaimed the lead for TNT at 76-74.

After SMB guard Alex Cabagnot split his free throws and TNT forward Kelly Williams made his 2 bonus shots, 79-75, De Ocampo drilled another huge shot, a 3-pointer, to give the Texters an 81-75 cushion with 1:16 remaining.

But Seigle put his team back quickly as he completed another 3-point play off Williams and followed up Cabagnot’s missed drive to pull SMB within 1, 80-81, 42.8 seconds left.

The Beermen, however, wasted the opportunity to steal the game when Cabagnot was called for an offensive foul after pushing Jared Dillinger in an inbound play.

That paved the way for 2 more free throws for Alapag on Joseph Yeo’s foul, 85-82, and Santos’ game-tying 3-point attempt was way off the mark.

TNT’s 13-game winning streak now tied Barangay Ginebra’s run in the 2008 Fiesta Cup. The Kings went on to win the title.

For San Miguel, it was its 2nd straight defeat but they stayed in the No. 2 spot with a 11-4 mark. It is now a full game ahead of the B-MEG Derby Ace (10-5).

The Beermen played without import Gabe Freeman due to flu.

The scores:

Talk ‘N Text 85 – De Ocampo 17, Alapag 15, Carey 15, Dillinger 12, Williams 10, Cardona 5, Daniels 4, Yee 3, Reyes 2, Castro 2.

San Miguel Beer 82 – Seigle 21, Washington 16, Santos 11, Cabagnot 7, Yeo 7, Hontiveros 7, Villanueva 6, Ildefonso 5, Pena 2, Pennisi 0.

Quarterscores: 20-20, 42-36, 59-63, 85-82

South Korea get first win of World Cup finals

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa – South Korea registered the first win at the 2010 World Cup, a richly deserved 2-0 victory against Greece here Saturday to give them a live chance of achieving their ambition of a last 16 berth.

South Korea, semi-finalists when they co-hosted the competition in 2002, were too quick and too smart for Otto Rehhagel's Euro 2004 champions, who were sent packing by goals from Lee Jung Soo and captain Park Ji Sung.

The Asian side grabbed this Group B fixture by the scruff of the neck as early as the seventh minute when Celtic's Ki Sung Yueng's freekick from beside the left corner flag skimmed over the heads of the Greek defence for Lee to volley in at the far post.

Considering it was Greece with their far superior statures that were supposed to present the setpiece threat the manner of Korea's goal will have come as a nasty surprise.

Understandably Rehhagel did not look the happiest person among the crowd at the three-quarter full 42,000-capacity Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in this Eastern Cape port.

The Koreans proceeded to run rings round the Greeks and were close to a second goal in the 27th minute after Park Ji Sung's superb through ball found Park Chu Young only for the Monaco striker's shot to be deflected over the crossbar by keeper Alexandros Tzorvas.

Rehhagel made one switch at the break, replacing captain Giorgis Karagounis with defender Christos Patsatzoglou.

Seven minutes later Greece, who have never had the pleasure of celebrating a World Cup goal, fell further behind after a masterful charge by the sparky Park Ji-Sung.

The talismanic Manchester United midfielder beat off defenders Avraam Papadopoulos and Loukas Vyntra to slot the ball deftly past Tzorvas, triggering a flurry of flag waving among the Korean fans.

This Group B opener represented a personal milestone for Michael Hester, the first New Zealander to referee a match at the World Cup, and he marked the occasion by dishing out a yellow card to Greek defender Vasilis Torosidis.

Ten minutes from time something unusual took place, Greece had a shot at goal - but Korea's veteran keeper Jung Sung Ryong lived up to his nickname of 'Spiderhands' to tip Theofanis Gekas's close range attempt over the bar.

Group B favourites Argentina take on Nigeria later on Saturday at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

Kings try to boost semis bid vs Tigers

Barangay Ginebra hopes that the latest addition in its backcourt will boost its chance for an outright slot in the semifinals when it battles the unpredictable Coca-Cola Tigers in the PBA Fiesta Cup this Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

The acquisition of veteran point guard Mike Cortez from Air21 has given the Kings (9-6) additional firepower in their drive for an automatic semifinal berth.

The Kings take the floor against the Tigers at 6:30 p.m.

Facing off in the curtain raiser at 4 p.m. are Sta. Lucia Realty (4-10) and Barako Bull Coffee (2-13).

Ginebra is fresh from a 107-86 win over the Coffee Masters last Wednesday. Denham Brown, playing his second game as the Kings’ third reinforcement, scored 26 points with 16 rebounds.

However, focus is on the 6-foot Cortez.

“It’s not necessarily new dimension, but a good addition to the team,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico, referring to Cortez, whose arrival will allow Willie Miller, who was also acquired this conference from Alaska, to spend more time at the two-guard spot with Mark Caguioa.

Cortez, a recipient of the PBA Press Corps Comeback Player of the Year in 2009, is expected to bring leadership and stability in the Kings’ offense alongside mainstays Jayjay Helterbrand and Celino Cruz.

The Kings downed the Tigers in their initial meeting this conference (98-91) last April 4, and with the way things are going, Ginebra is favored to beat Coke in their rematch.

“It’s the crucial part of the classification. A win will be crucial in our bid,” Uichico added.

Coca-Cola is nursing a 102-104 setback to Air21, but even with the team struggling, head coach Bo Perasol said they still have to go all-out.

“We need to do a better job of matching up with the backcourt and wingmen of Ginebra,” Perasol said. “Whatever situation we will be in at the end of classification, we have to make sure that everything is already in place.”

As for the match featuring Sta. Lucia and Barako Bull Coffee, both teams will not only try to bounce back from a recent defeat – with the Realtors losing to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (81-91) – but more importantly, they hope to solidify their respective bids for a wildcard spot.

In their first meeting last March 21, Barako Bull Coffee stunned Sta. Lucia, 97-93, as import Sam Monroe scored 39 points and 11 rebounds.

Ginebra ships Mamaril to Air21 for Cortez
Barangay Ginebra and Air21 swapped players on Saturday when the Express dealt playmaker Mike Cortez to the Kings in exchange for forward Billy Mamaril.

This was confirmed by Air21 team governor and PBA board chairman Lito Alvarez after meeting Ginebra counterpart Robert Non in finalizing the one-on-one trade involving the two veteran players.

“Our weakness is the bigman spot. We know that Billy can really help us, he can deliver, he can play quality minutes,” Alvarez said. “The reason we let go of Mike is because we’re deep at the point guard position with Wynne Arboleda, Egay Billones and William Ramsey.”

“Plus, our new import Leroy Hickerson can play the point guard spot,” added Alvarez.

A former top overall pick during the 2003 PBA Rookie Draft, the 29-year-old Cortez will be playing in his fourth team after stints with Alaska, San Miguel Beer and Air21. He won a title with the Aces three years ago afte coming back from an ACL injury.

The 6-foot Cortez is expected to play an important role in the Ginebra backcourt, with last season’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jayjay Helterbrand bothered by a leg injury. He will share playing minutes orchestrating the Kings’ offense with Celino Cruz.

The 6-foot-6 Mamaril, son of former Ginebra player Romulo Mamaril, will also be with his fourth team in the pro league after he was taken sixth overall by Purefoods in the ‘06 Draft, and suited for Coca-Cola.

Mamaril is expected to boost the frontline of Air21, joining Beau Belga, Carlo Sharma, Rich Alvarez, Ronnie Matias and Doug Kramer.

Games Sunday (Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
4 p.m. — Barako Bull Coffee vs Sta. Lucia
6:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs Coca-Cola

Dela Hoya: Megafight is almost a done deal

In a shocking revelation, Oscar De La Hoya, whose promotional outfit represents Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the negotiations to stage a November 13 fight with Manny Pacquiao, told the Spanish TV station Univision that the superfight is close to being done.

"Up until now, it’s been a very difficult negotiation process for various reasons but right now we’re very close,” De La Hoya said in Spanish and translated by fight scribe John Chavez of boxingtruth.com.

The interview took place before the Game Four of the NBA Finals at Staples Center in Los Angeles and De La Hoya, who heads Golden Boy Promotions (GBP), added that “we’re very close in finalizing the contracts that were once very complicated.”

Since there is no other fight to make but pit Pacquiao and Mayweather together, De La Hoya said “the two fighters now realize that this fight must be made.”

“It has to be made because the boxing fans want to see it happen and right now it’s the biggest fight that can be made in the world,” said De La Hoya, who lost to Mayweather by decision in 2007 and to Pacquiao when he quit on his stool in 2008.

“I think right now we are very, very close in finalizing the contracts. I can’t talk right now in detail about the negotiations but I will say that we are very close,” added De La Hoya.

The past several weeks, the camps of Pacquiao and Mayweather have been mum about the status of talks regarding the fight.

The issue of random drug-testing and purse split are the talking points in the negotiations.

Stallions nip Cultivators to bag 3rd place in Liga-PBL joint tourney

Treston Laguna reaffirmed its mastery over Ani-FCA, scoring a 94-87 overtime victory and snatching third place honors in the inaugural staging of the Tournament of the Philippines Saturday at the Emilio Aguinaldo College gym in Manila.

Alex Angeles bailed the Stallions out of trouble in the extra period by hitting an open trey from the right corner with 56 seconds remaining to grab an 89-87 lead.

In the next play, the Stallions watched the Cultivators self-destruct to escape with the win– their second over Ani in two days.

For finishing third in the first leg of this joint tournament of the Philippine Basketball League and Liga Pilipinas, coach Nomar Isla and his squad gained three points.

"At least we were able to get more points. We didn't play well in this tournament but at least we added some points to our standings and gain some momentum in our succeeding games," said Isla, also the coach of the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals in the NCAA.

Guard Leomer Losentes erupted for 26 points while Ricky Ricafuente and Angeles added 18 and 16 points, respectively, for the Stallions.

Regulation play ended at 80-all after former pro Rob Sanz hit a game-tying triple.

Sanz, who played briefly for Purefoods two years ago, hit a buzzer-beating runner to beat Ani-FCA, 95-93.

Roel Hugnatan paced the Cultivators with 25 points while adding five rebounds and five assists. Boyet Bautista and Jofer Custodio hit 14 points each.

Behind Custodio and Hugnatan, who conspired in their team's 12-2 blast, Ani-FCA fought its way back from a seven-point and took an 80-77 lead before Sanz preserved his best for last.

In overtime, Custodio hit a putback as the Cultivators grabbed their last lead at 87-84 with exactly two minutes to go.

Ivan Calderon picks Mayweather over Pacquiao: 'He got everything to beat Pacquiao'

Ivan Calderon his set to defend his WBO light flyweight title anew when he faces Jesus Iribe Saturday night, June 12 at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

The 35-year old Calderon is still undefeated in 34 pro campaigns and has one lone draw with Filipino WBC light flyweight champ Rodel Mayol.

Calderon has vowed to knock out Iribe on Saturday when he told the Mexican challenger to his face at the Top Rank's media day, 'you are going down and getting knocked out on Saturday night."

Calderon only has 6 previous KOs in his resume making his statements sound more like gamesmanship than a real threat.

In his appearance at ESPN's Friday Night Fights' studio recently, Calderon did share another comment that he sincerely believes in. Calderon predicted a Floyd Mayweather Jr. victory over Manny Pacquiao when the two do indeed lace them up inside the boxing ring.

Calderon said, "I believe Mayweather will win," and added "Me being a 'boxer' and seeing Mayweather boxing, he thinks in the ring, he gets hit when he wants to get hit, and he don't get hit when he don't want to get hit and I believe he's the stronger fighter, the movement, he got everything to beat Pacquiao."

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