Ali-liston gloves to be sold
New York:Just months before the 50th anniversary of the heavyweight rematch between Muhammad Ali and Sonny liston, boxing fans are getting a chance to own a piece of one of the most hotly debated title fights of all time. Both pairs of gloves from the May 25, 1965, bout in lewiston, Maine — won by Ali with a first-round knockout from what some saw as a “phantom punch” — go up for auction February 21 in New York. They are expected to fetch more than $1 million. Footage of the fight does not make it clear whether Ali’s quick right hand actually connected, and many fans booed. Even the most famous photos of the fight show an enraged Ali standing over liston as he lay on the canvas, gesturing and yelling at him to get up and fight.
2015 agra car rally from Jan 31
New Delhi: Around 80 people, including Arjuna Awardee Deepa Malik, will participate in the 2015 Agra Taj Car Rally to be flagged off from lion Safari, Etawah on January 31. The two-day event will witness participants embarking on a 350-450 km rally which will be flagged off by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. Top biker CS Santosh, who became the First Indian to finish the Dakar Rally recently, and Gaurav Gill, a two-time Asia Pacific champion, will be the chief guest during the rally which will conclude at the ‘City of Taj - Agra’.
ajmal undergoes bowling test
Chennai: Suspended Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was on Sunday put through an official ICC bowling test at the apex cricket body’s accredited laboratory here under the supervision of two technical experts from Dubai. Apart from Ajmal, Bangladeshi right-arm off-break bowler Sohag Gazi, 23, also reported for testing today as per instructions of the International Cricket Council. The report is expected within 10 days.
double delight for advani
Kolkata: Pankaj Advani added one more title to his glittering career when he eased past an inexperienced Varun Madan 6-3 to win the Senior National Snooker Championship at the Bengal Rowing Club on Sunday. 24-year-old Delhi lad Madan, who made his maiden senior national final from the qualifiers, won the third, fifth and seventh frames to make it 3-4. However, the 12-time world champion Advani was unstoppable from there on as he did not give Madan any chance, winning the eighth frame by posting a 74 break before clinching the issue in the next. The 29-year-old Bangalore ace cueist, who had won the senior national billiards last week, thus capped a memorable two-week stint in Kolkata winning his fourth double, first since 2009. Advani also has seven senior national billiards titles, taking the total count to 26 in all age groups.
Naidu to open National Games
Thiruvananthapuram: The 35th National Games, to be hosted by Kerala from January 31 to February 14, will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Venkaiah Naidu, it was officially announced on Saturday. “Naidu will open the Games at a function in the newly-built Greenfield Stadium at Karyavattom on the evening of January 31. An array of significant personalities will be present during the occasion,” state sports minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said. Cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar, the Goodwill Ambassador of the event, will hand over the Games Flame to sprint queen P T Usha and international long-jumper Anju Bobby George, beginning the much-awaited gala, he told a press meet.
37 points scored in A quarter
Oakland (California): Klay Thompson scored the most points in a quarter in NBA history, a 37-point third period that powered the Golden State Warriors to victory. Thompson, who finished with a career-high 52 points, pleased the announced sellout crowd of 19,596 at rowdy Oracle Arena. The All-Star hopeful made all 13 shots, including a league-record nine from 3-point range, and hit both of his free throws during a 12-minute span. The last player to score at least that many points in a quarter was Carmelo Anthony with 33 in 2008.
Chelsea, man city out of fa cup
london: Chelsea and Manchester City were humbled at home in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday with Chelsea squandering a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 to third-tier Bradford and Manchester City stunned 2-0 by second-tier Middlesbrough. Southampton, Tottenham and Swansea all saw the exit door losing to Crystal Palace, leicester City and Blackburn Rovers respectively.
Kapur, jeev finish tied 38th
Doha: Shiv Kapur and Jeev Milkha Singh finished in a tie for 38th place even as Branden Grace produced a stunning eagle on 16th and a closing birdie to grab the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters golf tournament here on Saturday. Kapur, who was inside top-10 after the first day, shot one-over 73 on the final day with three birdies and four bogeys, to finish at five-under 283, while Jeev carded a final round of two-under 70 with three birdies and one bogey. Grace, winner of the Alfred Dunhill in December, thus grabbed his second title of the wraparound 2015 season and also moved into the Top-50 of the world.
aus player gets hit on the head
Melbourne: Bringing back memories of the tragic death of Philip Hughes in November last, an Australian cricketer Daniel Hughes was left unconscious briefly after being hit by an almost identical bouncer on his neck during a first grade match but fortunately escaped unscathed, local media reported. Batting for Northern Districts against Blacktown at Mark Taylor Oval in Sydney, Daniel attempted a hook shot off a bouncer from bowler Cameron Nupier but the delivery hit him on the back of his neck, underneath his cricket helmet and he was rushed to the Hornsby hospital.
thandi wins itf u18 title
Kolkata: Top seed India’s Karman Kaur Thandi Saturday lifted the Women’s Singles Under 18 trophy at the ITF juniors here edging past Thailand’s Y. Jittakoat 6-4, 7-5. Over the boys singles side, Aryan Goveas lost to Chinese Taipei’s Cing Yang Meng despite staging a comeback in the second set before losing 6-0, 5-7, 6-4. Agencies