Wednesday, September 23, 2015
EXTRATIME
29
Boxing
UNBEATEN
OROZCO
ready for war U
nbeaten junior welterweight Antonio Orozco (22-0, 15 KOs) sounded confident in our telephone conversation discussing his October 3 HBO date against former world champion Humberto Soto (65-8-2, 35 KOs) at Staples Center in Carson, California. He says that sparring has been great and this training camp has been better than ever. Orozco took no shortcuts. He never does, but he took his preparation to a new level because he understands that beating “Zorrita” will open the doors to a world title
opportunity. “The fight is here. I just finished my last day of sparring, it was a great training camp. I feel great and I had great sparring partners like Emmanuel Taylor who was my last opponent in my last fight. I wanted somebody that can make me work really hard and Taylor did that when we fought and he pushed me extra hard in sparring, so I feel more than ready. We finished the tough part of our training and now I will just keep in shape and wait for the day of the fight,” Orozco said. Humberto Soto represents not only a very
FEDERER’S FAN WAKES FROM 11YEAR COMA Tennis
A
Roger Federer fan who spent almost 11 years in a coma woke to the news that the Swiss was still at the top of the game and watched him reach the US Open final. Spaniard Jesus Aparicio was putting money aside to watch his idol in person, targeting the 2005 Championships at Wimbledon, when he was involved in a car crash in December 2004. Federer, then 23 and having claimed three of the year’s four Grand Slams -- a feat he would repeat twice more in 2006 and 2007 -- has maintained his status as one of the world’s preeminent players ever since. It may be more than three years since the Swiss’ last major title, yet he has contested a further three finals,
two this season, and won the Davis Cup in 2014 -- feats which amazed Aparicio. “It came like a flash to my mind and I asked about Roger,” Aparico told Tennisworld USA after speaking to his parents about all he had missed. “I thought he had retired. “When I knew that, at 34 years, he is still playing and is No.2 in the world, I thought they were kidding me. When I heard that he reached 17 slam titles, I put my hands on my face. “I knew Federer was very good but I never thought he could win all he has won.” Aparicio was out with friends celebrating his 18th birthday the night of his car accident, and was the only person to suffer serious injuries.
tough challenge, but also “Relentless” Orozco knows that this bout is like a world title fight because he is facing a former 3-time world champion. “I do feel like this is a world title fight, Soto is a great fighter, he has experience, he is at a good level and my preparation went perfect, knowing what is a stake here. I focus on Humberto Soto in his prime. We worked on speed and power. I know that this could be my
B
ermuda cricketer Jason Anderson has been slapped with a life ban for inciting a hair-raising brawl during a club match in the small island nation. Anderson, representing Cleveland County Cricket Club, launched a brutal assault on Willow Cuts Cricket Club batsman George O’Brien while wicket-keeping during the Champion of Champions final at the St David’s Cricket Club Ground 10 days ago. The fight turned ugly after Anderson remonstrated Brien between overs with both players wrestling each other to the ground. Anderson went as far as kicking the batsman. Fellow players and officials rushed to calm them down but the damage was done by then. While Anderson was banned for life, O’Brien was barred for a “period sufficient to include 6 Logic 50 over matches”. Cleveland captain Allan Douglas, speaking after the game, said he did not know specifically what led to the horrific scenes.
opponent’s last hurrah and he is going to come in outstanding shape so we took training camp very seriously and I had the support of my family who is my motivation, my manager Frank Espinoza who I thank for taking care of everything and I just focus on training and fighting, Golden Boy who gives me the opportunity to be in competitive fights and especially my fans who are always there for me. I am just blessed to be in this position and I will do my best to beat Humberto.”
et k c i r C
Anderson
Bermuda cricketer, Anderson banned for life “I think a little bit of frustration built up by Jason, dropping a catch and missing a stumping, but I don’t know what was said between George and Jason because I was at the other end of the wicket (bowling),” Douglas said. “Once I saw those two going at it, that’s when I decided to jump into the middle and try to break it up; me and Aaron Adams,” he added. The Bermuda
Cricket Board found Anderson guilty of a Level 4 offence. “Jason Anderson formally of Cleveland County Cricket Club has been found guilty of a Level 4 2.4.2 of the Code of Conduct: Physical assault of another Player and has been given a life ban from all cricket and any involvement in the game of cricket in Bermuda in any capacity,” the Board said.
Highly regarded as one of Singapore’s most successful amateurs, Poh other career highlights included representing Singapore at the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014 and being crowned Singapore National Amateur Champion in 2010 and 2014. While Poh is aware the level of competition on the ADT is higher, he is confident of carrying his amateur form over to his professional career. “Competing in the ADT includes
competing with some Asian Tour stars too which is very different from the amateur scene,” said Poh, whose first ADT start, also in Chinese Taipei last month, saw him miss the cut by two shots. “I’ve played two events on the Thai Tour and I’ve achieve a top-20 and a tied-ninth finish after I turned professional. I hope to bring that performance into the tournament,” added Poh.
Poh set to face acid test at ADT
N Federer
Orozco
ewly-turned professional Johnson Poh of Singapore will get another taste of action on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) when he tees up at the US$110,000 Ballantine’s Taiwan Championship which starts on Thursday. Playing on a sponsor’s invite at the ADT event, Poh will be hoping to leave an early impression at the National Golf Country Club, just like what he has done in his illustrious amateur career.
“I’m delighted and honoured to be given the chance to participate in the Prestigious Ballantine’s Taiwan Championship. “I am targeting to finish inside the top-20 and stay under-par for the tournament!” said the 23-year-old Singaporean. Poh joined the play-for-play ranks in June shortly after winning the team and individual silver medals at the South East Asian Games.