Russian Retains His WBA Title

Russia’s Nikolai Valuev retained his World Boxing Assn. heavyweight title Saturday at Hanover, Germany, stopping Jamaican challenger Owen Beck with a right uppercut in the third round.

The biggest heavyweight in history at 7 feet and 321 pounds, Valuev sent Beck backward, stiff-legged, to the canvas with 1:16 left after a second-round knockdown in the one-sided fight.

A woozy Beck climbed back onto his feet, but the referee stopped the bout seconds later as Beck looked helpless against another flurry of punches by Valuev (44-0, 32 knockouts). Many spectators called out for the bout to be stopped.

“My family wanted me to knock him out today, that’s why I did it,� Valuev said. “It was the right hand today.�

Valuev took the title from John Ruiz on a controversial decision in December. Afterward, he said he hadn’t thrown the right enough as he stood outside and jabbed the American with his left.

This time, Valuev buckled the knees of Beck (25-3, 18 KOs) in the first round with the right, doing repeated damage with the hand. He threw punches nonstop once he had Beck in trouble.

Valuev is expected to fight in New York in September or October.

GOLF

Pettersson Leads in Wet Conditions

Carl Pettersson is 11 under par and has a one-shot lead at the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio, where rain continued to hamper play.

Woody Austin and Zach Johnson are at 10 under, but much of the field will return early this morning to complete the third round.

Pettersson has completed 15 holes, Austin 17 and Johnson 16. Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott are eight under.

Ryan Moore and Justin Rose, who were disqualified Friday evening for leaving the course early, were allowed back into the tournament Saturday when officials agreed they had been given bad information. A walking scorer told them the second round had been suspended when it had not.

Ai Miyazato moved into position for her first LPGA Tour title, shooting a five-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Annika Sorenstam in the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Galloway Township, N.J.

Miyazato is at 10-under 132. Sorenstam followed her opening 64 with a 69. Sherri Steinhauer (66), Laura Diaz (69) and Seon-Hwa Lee (69) were at eight under, and 18-year-old Morgan Pressel (69), Catriona Matthew (69), Amy Hung (70) and Patricia Meunier-Lebouc (68) were another stroke back.

Gil Morgan broke out of a tight pack to top the leaderboard in the Allianz Championship at West Des Moines, Iowa, shooting a seven-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round.

Morgan had a 12-under 130 total. Loren Roberts, a three-time winner this year and the leading money-winner in the field, was second after a 65.

Robert Karlsson shot a four-under 65 in the third round of the Wales Open at Newport, to extend his lead to six strokes.

Karlsson’s 54-hole total of 189 broke the European Tour record of 192 set by Tiger Woods in the NEC International at Firestone in 2000.

Oklahoma State freshman Jonathan Moore shot a three-under 69 in the NCAA men’s championships to win the individual title and help the Cowboys to their 10th team title, and first since 2000, at Sunriver, Ore.

MISCELLANY

Defar Sets World Record in Women’s 5,000

Meseret Defar set the world record in the women’s 5,000 meters, running the race in 14 minutes 24.53 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York.

Defar outpaced the field to break the mark of 14:24.68 set by Elvan Abeylegesse in 2004. Workitu Ayanu was second to Defar in 14:50.51.

Marion Jones won the 100 meters, crossing the line in 11.06 seconds.

The former Olympian beat a strong field that included world champion Lauryn Williams, top Jamaican Veronica Campbell and 2003 world champ Torri Edwards. Campbell was second in 11.11.

In the men’s 100, co-world record holder Justin Gatlin won with a time of 9.87. Tyson Gay was second in 10.04.

Matt D’Orazio threw six touchdown passes, five to Bobby Sippio, to help the Chicago Rush advance to the ArenaBowl with a 59-56 victory over the San Jose SaberCats in the American Conference title game at San Jose.

In the ArenaBowl on June 10 in Las Vegas, the Rush will play the winner of today’s National Conference championship game between Orlando and Dallas.

For the first time since 1927, the football game between Oregon and Oregon State will be played on Nov. 24, the Friday after Thanksgiving, instead of on a Saturday.