Ref stops the fight as Dlamini pummels Rodrigues

SOUTH African middleweight champion Walter Dlamini smashed Fernando Rodrigues in a non-title match-up scheduled for ten rounds and the referee stopped the fight at 1 minute 23 seconds into the second round, at the Kwa-Thema Community Hall in Springs on Sunday.

The 39-year-old Dlamini who won the South African title in December when he stopped Wayne Groth in 40 seconds of the first round, came out fast at the bell in round one throwing big bombs at the 22-year-old Rodrigues.

Rodrigues managed to survive as he resorted to holding and mauling before Dlamini caught him with a ENGLAND lock Maro Itoje will miss their final Six Nations match with Scotland on Saturday due to a knee injury.

Itoje, who had sustained medial ligament damage during England’s 32-20 win over holders Ireland in their opening game, suffered a setback in his bid to recover before Saturday’s win against Italy when he limped out of training last week.

England coach Eddie Jones called up 31 players to prepare for the match at Twickenham, including uncapped right uppercut and left to the head, that left him flat on his back near the end of the round.

Rodrigues managed to beat the count and it was rather surprising that the referee did not stop the fight.

It was a badly beaten Rodrigues who answered the bell for the second round as Dlamini continued to throw lefts and rights to the head and body before referee Thabo Spampool stepped in to wave the fight off.

Dlamini improved his record to 17-6-4; 9 and the No 6 rated Rodrigues saw his record drop to 6-2-1; 3.

In an untidy non-title lightweight bout scheduled for ten rounds, Michael Mokoena stopped the SA lightweight quartet Ben Earl, Elliott Stooke, Marcus Smith and Ollie Thorley.

Meanwhile, Scotland will be without back-three trio Tommy Seymour (rib), Blair Kinghorn (ankle) and Stuart Hogg (shoulder) due to injuries, champion Thompsom Mokwana in the sixth.

The bigger and taller southpaw Mokoena was in control in a fight that was spoilt by too much holding and pushing by Mokwana.

The only highlight was a possible first in local boxing history, when both fighters were swinging wildly and connected with shots to the head, which was a double knockdown.

Mpumelelo Tshabalala stopped Sanele Mhlungu in the fifth round in a junior-flyweight contest and in a scheduled eight round cruiserweight fight Lebo Mashitoa won on a fifthround technical knockout over Limbani Lano. – ANA, Scottish Rugby said.

Seymour and Kinghorn were injured in Saturday’s 18-11 defeat by Wales and the England clash comes too soon for them.

Hogg is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in the 22-13 loss to holders Ireland in the second round last month. Head coach Gregor Townsend called up Glasgow Warriors’ Ruaridh Jackson and uncapped Kyle Steyn and released Adam Ashe, Tim Swinson, James Johnstone and Luke Crosbie. | Reuters WORLD number two Simona Halep survived a tough challenge from Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Kozlova to win their third round match 7-6(3) 7-5 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on Sunday.

The Romanian finally put away the 114th ranked Kozlova with eight consecutive points in the second set, a backhand winner proving the decider just as it had in the first set.

The tournament lost 23-times Grand Slam winner Serena Williams, who retired against Garbine Muguruza with what organisers described as a viral illness. The Spaniard was ahead 6-3 1-0 at the time.

The victory advanced the French Open champion, who won Indian Wells in 2015, to the fourth round for the fifth time in six years.

The meeting was the first between the pair and featured big swings.

After Kozlova claimed a 3-2 advantage in the first set, Halep won three consecutive games to go to set point at 5-3 on Kozlova’s serve.

With the former world number one’s groundstrokes failing her, Kozlova reeled off 11 of the next 12 points, breaking back for 5-5 with a forehand winner.

Halep finally won the set on her third opportunity with another trademark backhand down the line.

The Romanian took a 5-2 lead in the second set, but Kozlova again rallied to even the match at 5-5 before Halep reeled off the eight straight points to seal the win.

Muguruza was happy with the way she had been playing against Williams before the American’s retirement.

Sixth seed Elina Svitolina beat Daria Gavrilova 7-5 6-4 to advance while world number seven Kiki Bertens reached the fourth round after a 7-6(10) 6-4 win over Briton Johanna Konta. Bertens will next meet Spain’s Muguruza.

China’s Qiang Wang and Australia’s Ashleigh Barty also advanced. | Reuters ROGER Federer began his campaign for a record sixth Indian Wells title by defeating German Peter Gojowczyk 6-1 7-5.

The Swiss fourth seed repelled a tough second set challenge from the world No. 85 to book his third-round place.

World number two Rafa Nadal brushed aside American Jared Donaldson 6-1 6-1 and will next face Diego Schwartzman after the Argentine beat Roberto Carballes 6-3 6-1.

Earlier in the day, Japan’s Kei Nishikori narrowly avoided defeat to Frenchman Adrian Mannarino before battling through 6-4 4-6 7-6(4).

Federer, who won the last of his Indian Wells titles two years ago, used his backhand slice to keep Gojowczk from gaining any rhythm in the first set.

Yet the second proved more of a challenge as the German saved four break points in his first service game, then used his momentum to break for a 3-1 lead.

Federer immediately broke back before later benefiting from an untimely double fault for another break and serving out for victory in just over an hour and a quarter.

World number seven Nishikori was not at his best, with the left-handed Mannarino’s flat groundstrokes neutralising his attacks and the Frenchman seemed to be heading for victory when he served for the match at 6-5.

Yet he double faulted on the third break point he faced and Nishikori raced into a 6-2 lead in the tiebreak.

Still, Mannarino kept fighting, saving two match points before the Japanese finally wrapped up victory after two hours and 33 minutes.

Eighth seeded American John Isner swept past Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-0 6-2, 10th seeded Croatian Marin Cilic beat Dusan Lajovic of Serbia 6-3 6-4, while Russia’s 14th seed Danill Medvedev beat American Mackenzie McDonald 7-5 6-0. | Reuters