Boxer Alvarez suspended six months by regulators
VEGAS — Nevada boxing regulators gave Canelo Alvarez a reduced penalty for doping violations Wednesday, potentially allowing him to return to the ring in September against Gennady Golovkin.
Alvarez was handed a six-month suspension instead of the standard one-year term for firsttime violators. His May 5 fight with Golovkin was called off because of the doping, but with the Nevada Athletic Commission suspension retroactive to February he would be available for a possible fight with Golovkin on the traditional Mexican Independence Day weekend in September.
Also Wednesday, Golovkin announced that he would fight Vanes Martirosyan at Carson, Calif., on the May 5 date he was supposed to meet Alvarez.
Alvarez was supposed to face Golovkin for his unified middleweight title next month in Las Vegas, but the fight was called off after the commission issued a complaint against Alvarez for testing positive to the banned performance-enhancing drug clenbuterol in his hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico. The fight would have been a rematch of their bout last September, where Alvarez got a controversial draw in a fight many thought Golovkin clearly had won.
COLLEGES
PV men capture SWAC golf title
The Prairie View A&M men’s team won the Southwestern Athletic Conference golf title for the first time since 1979 in a dominant performance at Oak Wing Golf Club in Alexandria, La.
The Panthers led after every round of the 54hole tournament posting an 891 team total and outdistancing six-time defending champion Alabama State by 31 strokes. Texas Southern (927) was third.
Panthers freshman Lawrence Crea (67-7677—220) earned medalist honors. In other news:
TCU baseball player Luken Baker will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his left leg. The junior from Oak Ridge fractured his left fibula and tore a ligament in his left ankle. He also strained another ligament. Baker was injured on an awkward slide into second base during Tuesday's 4-2 loss to Abilene Christian.
The NCAA Division I Council banned college football teams from using former players in practice and tabled a proposal to let players participate in four games while still redshirting. The Division I Council announced several rule changes that included lifting a ban on alcohol sales at NCAA championships after a two-year pilot program where alcohol was available at several events. Last year, Clemson had former Tigers quarterback Tajh Boyd mimic Bama's Jalen Hurts in practice to prepare for a playoff game against the Tide. Tech freshman Smith going pro
Zhaire Smith is turning pro after a standout freshman season at Texas Tech that included the Red Raiders advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time. The 6-5 Smith said in a Twitter post that he is signing with an agent.
Smith averaged 11.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Red Raiders. He led the team with 42 blocked shots and 42 steals. In other news:
Kentucky forward Wenyen Gabriel will enter the NBA draft pool but not hire an agent, remaining eligible to return for his third season with the Wildcats. The 6-9 sophomore averLAS aged 6.8 points with 5.4 rebounds per game. Gabriel is the fifth Kentucky player to enter the June 21 draft after freshman teammates Kevin Knox, PJ Washington, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Hamidou Diallo.
South Carolina forward and former Louisville recruit Brian Bowen is entering the NBA draft. Bowen, who transferred to South Carolina after being suspended by Louisville amid a federal investigation into college basketball, won't hire an agent. He has not played a game with the Gamecocks since enrolling at South Carolina in January.
TENNIS
Djokovic, Nadal pressed in wins
Novak Djokovic and defending champion Rafael Nadal needed a combined 14 match points to reach the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters at Monaco.
After Djokovic finally converted his 10th match point to beat Borna Coric 7-6 (2), 7-5, Nadal required four in a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Aljaz Bedene. Red Stars surge to win over Dash
The Chicago Red Stars got an own goal in the seventh minute and goals from Lauren Kaskie and Sofia Huerta to defeat the Dash 3-0 in National Women’s Soccer League play at Bridgeview, Ill.