Former UFC fighter dies

Tim Hague, the former UFC fighter known as “The Thrashing Machine,” died Sunday, two days after he was critically injured when he was knocked out in a boxing match against former Edmonton Eskimos defensive end Adam Braidwood. Hague’s sister, Jackie Neil, announced the death in a family statement. “It is with incredible sadness, sorrow and heartbreak to report that Tim has passed away today,” the statement said. “He was surrounded by family, listening to his favorite songs. We will miss him

so greatly.” The match Friday night at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, was promoted by KO Boxing. The 33-year-old Hague, who grew up on a farm in Boyle, Alberta, was a heavyweight trained in jiu-jitsu. He was 21-13 as an MMA fighter before switching to boxing last summer.

Ward stops Kovalev

Andre Ward vowed he would leave no doubt this time around and he didn’t, stopping Sergey Kovalev in the eighth round Saturday night to win their light heavyweight title rematch in Las Vegas. Ward turned the fight around with a big right hand that wobbled Kovalev, then swarmed all over him. Kovalev was in the neutral corner and Ward was landing shots to the body when Kovalev sat on the ring rope and referee Tony Weeks signaled an end to the bout at 2:29 of the eighth round. The fight had been close until Ward turned it around with the right hand, with Kovalev winning the early rounds before Ward began making adjustments and Kovalev began tiring. Both fighters complained of dirty tactics and Weeks spent a lot of his time breaking up clinches.