Pacquiao’s rare knockout win earns him welterweight title
Manny Pacquiao clinched his 60th victory with a seventh-round knockout Sunday of Argentinian Lucas Matthysse, his first stoppage in nine years.
Pacquiao said he worked hard but was surprised by the swift win in the World Boxing Association welterweight title fight in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Pacquiao rebounded from his disappointing loss last year to Australian Jeff Horn and his victory could extend his boxing career that had taken a backseat to his political life as a Filipino senator.
“This is part of boxing. You win some, you lose some,” Matthysse said. He hailed Pacquiao as a “great legend” and said he will take a break after his loss.
Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad also attended the fight, the biggest boxing match in the country since the 1975 heavyweight clash between Muhammad Ali and Australian Joe Bugner.
Said Duterte: “I would like to congratulate Senator Manny Pacquiao for giving us pride and bringing the Filipino nation together once more.”
College sports
MICHIGAN STATE AD PERMANENT >> Michigan State is set to hire Bill Beekman as athletic director, a person with knowledge of the decision said. Beekman has been the interim head of the troubled athletic department since early February. Beekman took over on an interim basis shortly after athletic director Mark Hollis retired following the sex abuse scandal involving former sports doctor Larry Nassar, and just before ESPN reported allegations of sexual assault and violence against women involving Michigan State
football and basketball players. Beekman has also been a vice president of the school and secretary of its board.
CAL RECEIVER GOES HOME >> Former Cal wide receiver Demetris Robertson says he is transferring to Georgia, returning to his home state. Robertson was a five-star recruit out of Savannah, Georgia, in 2016 who chose to head west to play his college ball, picking Cal over Georgia, Notre Dame and others. Robertson had a strong freshman season with 50 catches for 767 yards and seven touchdowns, but missed all but two games last season for what was called a lower body injury that eventually needed surgery. NCAA rules require Robertson to sit out this season, though after sitting out most of 2017 Georgia could make a case for a waiver to allow him immediate eligibility.
NBA
CAVS SIGN FRYE >> A person familiar with the decision says the Cleveland Cavaliers
will re-sign forward Channing Frye for next season.
PARKER SIGNS WITH BULLS >> Jabari Parker and the Chicago Bulls agreed to a $40 million, two-year contract, bringing the talented and oft-injured forward to his hometown team.
MLS
PONTIUS LIFTS GALAXY >> Chris Pontius scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the 93rd minute, and the 10-man Los Angeles Galaxy rallied with two stoppagetime goals to beat the 10man New England Revolution 3-2 on Saturday night. OTHER GAMES >> Marc Rzatkowski scored twice after the 71st minute to rally the host New York Red Bulls to a 3-2 win over Sporting Kansas City . ... Jesus Medina scored his fourth MLS goal and Sean Johnson had five saves to help New York City FC beat the Columbus. ... Ibson Barreto da Silva scored and Darwin Quintero added a goal and two assists to help Minnesota beat visiting Real Salt Lake
3-1 . ... Carlos Gruezo scored his second MLS goal to help host FC Dallas beat the Chicago Fire 3-1 . ... Paul Arriola scored two goals and D.C. United celebrated the opening of Audi Stadium with a 3-1 win over the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps. ... Chris Schuler scored his first MLS goal since 2014 to help host Orlando City beat Toronto FC 2-1 and snap a franchise-record ninegame losing streak.
Also
SPORTS BETTING IN NEW JERSEY >> A northern New Jersey horse racing track has brought legal sports betting to New York City’s doorstep. The Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford began taking sports bets Saturday morning. The track is located in the sports complex where the NFL’s Giants and Jets play. It’s the fourth sports betting outlet in New Jersey following the state’s U.S. Supreme Court victory in a case that cleared the way for all 50 states to legalize sports betting.