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Sports International
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
September 15 - 21, 2012
Ricky Hatton comeback set for approval by boxing officials FORMER two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton’s comeback has moved closer after he appeared before boxing officials to ask for his licence back. Hatton, 33, attended a British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) meeting in Cardiff on Wednesday and is set to hold a news conference on Friday. General secretary Robert Smith told BBC Sport: “His licence will be granted pending the completion of medicals. “He spoke well, looks fit and he wants to have one more hurrah.” Hatton, nicknamed ‘The Hitman’, has not fought since suffering a second-round knockout by Manny Pacquiao in May 2009. The Manchester-based former light-welterweight and welterweight champion formally retired last year with a record of 45 wins and two defeats and now runs his own promotions company. In 2010, Hatton was stripped of his licence to box by the BBBoC after allegations of cocaine usage. “He looks very well, everything seems to be in order and he’s sorted himself out,” Smith said. “From what he was saying, he seems very settled with his family. He has already had some of the medicals and we are making sure he’s on track.”
Andy Murray will now replace the injured Rafael Nadal as world number three on the official men’s rankings.
Murray wins historic US Open Ricky Hatton (left) has not fought since suffering a secondround knockout by Manny Pacquiao (right) in May of 2009.
Hatton dominated the lightwelterweight division and his most notable win at that weight came against IBF champion Kostya Tszyu in 2005. The following year, Hatton defeated Puerto Rican Luis Collazo to take the WBA world welterweight title, following that victory by beating Juan Urango to reclaim his IBF light-welterweight title. He lost to American five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather in 2007 and suffered a comprehensive beating by Pacquiao in his final fight three years ago. Hatton, who frequently ballooned
in weight between bouts, has lost three stone this year and is tipped to return to action with a fight in November. He stopped Paulie Malignaggi in 11 rounds in his penultimate fight in 2008, since when the American has become the WBA welterweight champion. Former world champion Barry McGuigan has told the BBC that Hatton can win a world title again. “There’s every chance we’ll see 90% of the Ricky Hatton we saw a few years back and that will be good enough to beat someone like Paulie Malignaggi,” McGuigan said. (BBC)
Kevin Pietersen row: Players could have sorted it - Vaughan FORMER England captain Michael Vaughan says the Kevin Pietersen dispute could have been resolved by the players. The batsman was dropped for sending texts about team-mates to rival South African players earlier this year. In a BBC Radio 5 live special, Vaughan calls the row “very sad” and says it could have been sorted by a few senior players taking Pietersen “to dinner”. Pietersen, 32, has already been left out of England’s World Twenty20 squad and is set to miss the tour to India. The squad for the Test series in India was due to be announced on Thursday but has been delayed until Tuesday. Vaughan added: “I do find it very sad it’s come to this. It could have been put to bed many months ago when all these issues were around, with a few senior players saying Kev, what are you doing? Get your head straight, this is England, this is what we’ve worked for.” Vaughan said he was unsure whether a conversation had taken place between Pietersen and senior
ANDY Murray became the first British man to win a Grand Slam final since Fred Perry in 1936 after defeating Novak Djokovic in the final of the U.S. Open. The Scot even surrendered a twoset lead during a five-set thriller that lasted almost five hours, before he regained his focus to win 7-6 (12-10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 in swirling winds at Flushing Meadows. It proved to be fifth time lucky for the Olympic champion, who -- like his coach Ivan Lendl -- had lost his previous four Grand Slam finals. Murray will now replace the injured Rafael Nadal as world No.3 in the official men’s rankings. “They were incredibly tricky conditions. It was really tough because Novak is really strong and fights all the way,” said Murray after the final. “I have always had tough matches
with him. I don’t know how I managed to come through in the end.” With his support team in New York swelled by fellow celebrity Scots, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and actor Sean Connery, the 25 year old singled out Lendl, a three-time U.S. Open champion, for praise. “He was one of the greatest,” Murray said. “He has helped me through the tough times as have all of my team. It’s the best feeling for me, I’ve had an unbelievable summer.” Murray put the bitter disappointment of losing this year’s Wimbledon final against Roger Federer behind him by taking the Gold medal at the London Olympics at the Swiss star’s expense -- a result many believed could be a turning point in the Dunblane-born star’s Grand Slam fortunes.
Camelot has already won the 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby.
Camelot ready for Triple Crown bid in St Leger at Doncaster Kevin Pietersen was not awarded a central contract from 2012-2013 because of the row.
players, adding: “If it has and he still acted the way he has, he’s been an idiot.” Pietersen was left out of the third Test against South Africa at Lord’s in August after admitting sending “provocative” texts to Proteas players. The batsman is alleged to have criticised captain Andrew Strauss, who has since retired from all forms of cricket and handed over the reins to Alastair Cook.
With little sign of a reconciliation following talks with England head coach Andy Flower, Pietersen was not awarded a central contract for the 2012-13 season. He was also left out of the party for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. Vaughan was skipper when Pietersen made his international debut against Zimbabwe in November 2004 and oversaw the 2005 Ashes series in which Pietersen emerged as a Test star.
CAMELOT will face eight rivals as he bids to become the first Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky in 1970. The three-year-old, trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien, runs in the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday having already won the 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby. Camelot will be O’Brien’s only runner after he withdrew stablemates Imperial Monarch and Chamonix on Thursday. Opponents include Derby runnerup Main Sequence and the John Gosden pair, Thought Worthy and
Michelangelo. Camelot will again by ridden by Aidan’s 19-year-old son Joseph and is likely to start an odds-on favourite. William Buick has chosen to partner Derby fourth and subsequent York winner Thought Worthy, rather than Michelangelo (Frankie Dettori), for Gosden, who has won the last two St Leger runnings with Arctic Cosmos and Masked Marvel. Camelot will be running over oneand-three-quarter miles for the first time after victories in the Guineas, which is run over a mile, and the mile-and-a-half of the Derby.