08282017 sports

SPORTS SECTION E

MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017

SWIMMING

Joanna Evans, Page 3

‘My year has been the best ever’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

E

ven though it wasn’t the finish that he anticipated, men’s 400 metres national record holder Steven Gardiner said he’s still pleased with the way 2017 turned out for him. Now he’s looking forward to expanding his horizons in 2018 as he will contemplate running the 200m again.

After dropping his national record from 44.26 seconds in April in St George’s, Grenada to a stunning 43.89 and earning a silver medal in the men’s 400m at the IAAF World Championships in London, England, Gardiner failed to cash in on a big payday at the IAAF Diamond League Final in Zurich, Switzerland as he slipped and fell coming out of the starting blocks.

The disappointment that he experienced in Zurich on Friday was more than made up for with his record-breaking performance before he ascended the medal podium at his first global meet in London three weeks earlier.

“My year has been the best that I’ve ever had in my entire track and field career, not only in terms of running fast this year, but to complete my dream of running 43 this year,” he told The Tribune after the race at the Diamond League

STEVEN GARDINER lies on the track after his heat of the 400 metres at the IAAF Worlds in London on August 6.

(AP Photo/Martin Meissner) Final as he missed out on the opportunity to pick up a possible $50,000 for first place to add to the $40,000 he collected at the World Championships.

“I’m so thankful to my coach, my support team and to everybody who made it possible for me to get to where I am right now.

Thank God for allowing me to accomplish the feat.

Things happen. I just have to brush it off and move on.”

“MY YEAR HAS BEEN THE BEST THAT I’VE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE TRACK AND FIELD CAREER, NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF RUNNING FAST THIS YEAR, BUT TO COMPLETE MY DREAM OF RUNNING 43 THIS YEAR.” - Steven Gardiner Although he slipped and fell coming out of the blocks in Friday’s race, Gardiner

said he’s grateful that he was able to walk away from the episode injury-free.

With the disappointment aside, Gardiner said the greatest thrill for him was becoming the first Bahamian to crack the 44-second barrier.

“Some people it’s easy, but if it was that easy, everybody would go out there and do it,” he stated. “I’m very thankful for it. It dealt very well the first time and I hope that I can constantly be at it when I need to be there and just go from there.”

With the success that he experienced in London came the criticism that he got from not running in the heats of the men’s 4 x 400m relay after the team of Alonzo Russell, Michael Mathieu, Ojay Ferguson and Ramon Miller didn’t advance to the finals at the World Championships.

But looking at it as a “setback” that he hopes to overcome, Gardiner said he would not change anything if he had to do it all over again. He maintains that he would have been prepared to run in the final if the team had qualified and he intends to leave it at that.

“I would keep everything the same,” he said. “It’s been a great year. I couldn’t ask for anything more. It’s just been a wonderful year.”

Gardiner said it was unfortunate what happened in London with the relay team but he was delighted that he got the opportunity to run with Shaunae MillerUibo, Anthonique Strachan and Michael Mathieu in the historic mixed 4 x 400m relay before the home crowd at the IAAF World Relays at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium in April.

And now that the season is over for him, Gardiner said he can only look ahead to a brighter future as he heads into his second year under coach Gary Evans in Orlando, Florida where he trains with American Tony

SEE PAGE 2

TKO: ‘RENO’ FALLS IN THE 12TH ROUND

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

CONNECTICUT Sun forward Jonquel Jones (35) finished with six points and 11 rebounds in a loss to the Chicago Sky at the Mohegan Sun Arena Friday night.

(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Jones and Sun suffer 96-83 loss to Sky

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net FACED with their fifth game in 11 days, Jonquel Jones and the Connecticut Sun were unable to keep pace in their home finale as the WNBA playoff race closes out the regular season.

The Sun suffered a 96-83 loss to the Chicago Sky Friday night in their last home game for the regular season at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Jones finished with six points and 11 rebounds but shot an uncharacteristic 0-6 from the field in 19 minutes.

The Sun had previously won eight of its last nine games headed

into the contest.

“I felt it (Friday),” Jones said of the fatigue factor to the Norwich Bulletin. “I don’t know. I think we just have to get back on it.”

The Sun has three games remaining – all on the road, as they look to solidify one of the top four playoff spots in the league. They face a rescheduled game with the Washington Mystics on August 29, the Phoenix Mercury on September 1 and close out the regular season against the Los Angeles Sparks on September 3.

With a win over the Mystics, the Sun, currently 20-11, will be assured of at least the fourth seed in the WNBA playoffs. They would receive a first-round bye and a

week between the end of the regular season and the playoffs.

“Our last three games are certainly not going to be easy and when the game was (postponed) and delayed until now, we knew it would be a tough way to end the season with three road games against three talented teams. We have to steal a win or two to stay in the top four,” Miller said.

The Sun clinched the playoffs with an August 12 win over the Dallas Wings, their first postseason appearance since 2012.

The Sun franchise began as the Orlando Miracle in 1999 and made the postseason just once in its fouryear tenure in Florida. They relocated to Connecticut in 2003. They

advanced to the WNBA Finals in 2004-05 and the Conference Finals in 2003, 2006, and 2012. Sine their last postseason appearance they finished sixth or fifth in the conference for the past four years.

Jones pushed her averages to 15.9 points, a league leading 11.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game. She averaged 6.8 points and 3.7 rebounds as a rookie last season. She received one vote in the 2016 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year tally to finish in a 5-way tie for fifth behind winner Jantel Lavender.

The Sun finished last season 1420, 5th in Eastern Conference, just missing the postseason after a dramatic midseason turnaround.

BAHAMIAN boxer Tureano Johnson had high hopes of challenging for a title shot in the near future but those plans were derailed for the moment when he suffered a loss in the IBF middleweight eliminator bout.

Sergiy Derevyanchenko remained unbeaten and improved to 11-0 (9 KO) with the 12th round TKO over Johnson (20-2, 14 KO) at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma, on Friday night.

The Ukranian boxer nicknamed “The Technician” delivered a series of punches in the opening moments of the 12th, highlighted by a left hook that floored Johnson around the second mark.

The knockdown prompted referee Gary Ritter to call the fight.

Johnson’s coach, Jason Jorgenson, said in a bout of equally matched fighters, Derevyanchenko was able to get the better hand as Tureano makes his way back from injury.

“Overall Tureano is a great fighter but we were fighting another great fighter as well. Tonight he just seemed to not quite let his hands go on the inside as much as we wanted. We wanted a little more body shots to break this guy down, but this guy is very heavy handed, he’s very quick and that’s why he’s right there in line with Tureano in being ranked so high in the IBF. “As far as out performance tonight, Tureano said he left it all in the ring and I told him there’s nothing to be ashamed of there.

SEE PAGE 2

PAGE 2, Monday, August 28, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

‘RENO’ FALLS IN 12TH ROUND TKO FROM PAGE 1

STEVEN Gardiner falls down after finishing a 400m semifinal at IAAF World Athletics Championships in London on August 6.

(AP Photo/David J Phillip)

Gardiner: ‘My year has been the best ever’ FROM PAGE 1 McQuay and Jamaican Novlene Williams-Mills, both quarter-milers.

“Last year was a little tough,” said Gardiner of his first major campaign when he competed in his debut at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “But this year was a great year. I’m just looking to train harder and just get ready for the next championships and the next Olympics. That is my next goal right now.”

As for next year, he said he doesn’t expect to suit up for the IAAF World Indoors, scheduled for March 2-4 at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham, United Kingdom, because of his height at 6-feet, 2-inches, which is a little difficult to run around the 200m track.

But he has his sights set on representing the country at the Commonwealth Games that will be held at the Carrara Stadium in the Gold Coast, Australia, April 4-15.

In the meantime, Gardiner said if he can achieve the goals he did in such a short time in a change in environment and coaching staff, he’s confident that he can get even better in the long run.

STEVEN GARDINER bites his silver medal won in the 400m at the IAAF Worlds.

“My training group, my training partners have all been pushing me and each other,” he said. “So all I had to do was go out there and do the work and it has all paid off for me.”

The Murphy Town, Abaco native said at times he didn’t believe in his own ability to achieve the success that he anticipated, but he was grateful for the support he got from everybody at home.

Gardiner, who turns 22 on September 12, assured the Bahamian public that they can look forward to him taking a shot at running the 200m that he started running when he burst on the national scene under coach Anthony Williams in Moore’s Island.

“I started out running

the 200 and I was doing it to get my 400 faster, but next year I will be doing the 200, so look out for the 19 seconds next year,” projected Gardiner, who has ran a personal best of 20.63 seconds in 2016 at home at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

“I don’t know if I will attempt it at Commonwealth, but definitely by the next Worlds or the Olympics, I want to try the double and the Bahamas record in the two events.”

Mathieu currently holds the national record in the 200m at 20.16 that he established in Balem, Brazil in 2012.

Looking at the two events, Gardiner said he likes the half-lap race because it’s shorter, but with the strength that he has, it should help to propel him to run even faster.

“I’m going to mix it up next year,” he said. “I will run both the 200 and 400 in as many races as I could.”

Gardiner thanked Williams for all of the support that he has received from him. “He’s not forgotten about me and I haven’t forgotten about him,” said Gardiner of a call he got from Williams to encourage him after he slipped and fell in Zurich.

“He just came off an injury, he had a few fights back and this was a huge step up under those circumstances, but Tureano is a warrior and he was not going to duck this opportunity to go after the IBF world title,” Jorgenson told ZSR 103.5.

“I don’t think by any means Tureano is done, I think this is a good eye opener for how you have to prepare yourself where you have to be if you want to fight for a world title at the very top. I think he will go back to the drawing board and think about exactly what he wants to do and come back 150 per cent. I’m sure he’ll come back stronger than ever.”

With the win, Derevyanchenko now assumes the role of the No.1 contender for the IBF middleweight title.

“I’m very happy with my performance. I did exactly what we worked on in training and broke him down to get the knockout,” he said. “I’m ready to fight the winner of Golovkin vs. Canelo for the title. I think that Golovkin will win and I look forward to fighting him next.”

From the outset of the bout, Tureano seemed intent on keeping the pressure on his challenger early by charging ahead and trying to get an advantage on the inside.

The Technician was able to use his jab to keep Johnson at bay and landed several power punches to take control of the early rounds.

Their exchanges intensified in the fourth and the Technician’s jab continued to create room for his combinations. He hit Johnson with a right cross and uppercut to highlight the end of the fourth round.

Early in the fifth, Johnson was hurt by a right hand in an attempt to smother Derevyanchenko who followed with a right cross and four-punch combination to win round five.

Johnson was able to come back strong in rounds six and seven with body shots to slow down the Technician and the fight’s momentum moved toward Johnson’s pace.

With Johnson gaining the upperhand, Derevyanchenko began holding and tying up to limit Johnson’s ability to get inside and simultaneously allow him to recover.

Johnson finished round eight strongly and survived his opponent wildly swinging, chasing the knockout.

Derevyanchenko took major shots in the ninth and 10th rounds but showed his grit and resilience by staying on his feet and surviving the onslaught. Looking battered and bruised with swelling around both eyes, Johnson landed three uppercuts in the 10th that drew blood. Derevyanchenko clearly had the upperhand in the 11th and nearly ended the fight in the round but Johnson was able to last until the final bell.

In a 50-50 purse split between the fighters following the bout, each fighter earned just over $60,000. The IBF mandated that

TUREANO JOHNSON Johnson must square off with Derevyanchenko to determine the challenger for Golovkin’s middleweight title.

Johnson, 33, returned to the ring in May after being sidelined for nearly a year-anda-half with a second round knockout over Fabiano Pena.

Johnson was originally intended to face Golovkin last April. However, the fight never took place. The Pena fight was Johnson’s first fight under Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions stable since making the switch in September 2015, a move that was expected to send him on the fast track to an eventual title shot and prominence in the division.

He injured his shoulder in a unanimous decision win over Irishman Eamonn O’Kane on October 17, 2015. With the win, he became the mandatory No.1 contender.

He further damaged the rotator cuff just ahead of his scheduled fight with Golovkin.

Johnson was granted a medical extension by the IBF but exceeded the permitted time for a mandatory challenger to remain inactive. Golovkin is set to defend his world titles against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 16.

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THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 28, 2017, PAGE 3

29TH SUMMER UNIVERSITY GAMES

Evans settles for silver in 400m free, Bahamas in 3-way tie for 18th place

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahamian Joanna Evans, the flag bearer during the protest which interrupted the opening ceremonies, put the Bahamas in a threeway tie for 18th place after she claimed an historic silver and bronze medal and set two national records in three finals she contested at the 29th Summer University Games in Taipei, Taiwan.

In her last of four events to lead the Bahamas’ fourmember team of Gershwin Greene, Laura Morley and Albury Higgs on the final day of competition on Saturday, Evans got back on the podium for the silver in the women’s 400m freestyle when she posted a time of four minutes and 08.53 seconds.

The 20-year-old, who made her international splash at the senior level at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was sandwiched between Germany’s Sarah Koehler, the gold medallist in a meet record of 4:03.96 and American Sierra Kai Schmidt, the bronze medallist in 4:09.82.

Evans entered the semifinals with a second place in her heat in 4:12.62 for sixth place overall out of a field of 38 competitors.

The 5-foot, 11-inch University of Texas sophomore swimmer, majoring in engineering, struck for her first medal in the women’s 800m when she touched the wall in 8:31.18 behind Italy’s Simone Quadarella, the gold medallist in a meet record of 8:20.54 with Germany’s Sarah Koehler taking the silver in 8:21.67.

Evans, who in the process shattered her national re-

JOANNA EVANS (far right) with her silver medal won in the 400m freestyle final. In the centre is gold medallist Sarah Koehler, of Germany, and at left is American bronze medallist Sierra Kai Schmidt. cord of 8:32.19 that she set at the Bahamas Swimming Federation’s Royal Bank of Canada National Championships in June, advanced to the final after she clocked 8:36.89 for fourth in her heat and seventh overall.

That same day, Evans had double duties, but she didn’t recuperate fast enough during a 15-minute break as she competed in the final of the women’s 200m freestyle where she was eighth in 2:00.70, lowering her national record of 2:01.27 she set at the Olympics last year.

She earned her berth in the final with the fifth fastest time of 1:59.19 for third in her heat. And in the preliminaries, she qualified in the third spot in 2:00.04 with a second place in her heat.

Evans, the workhorse on the four-member team coached by Andy Knowles, got her feet wet in the games when she placed 23rd out of a field of 54 in the women’s 100m freestyle. She did

56.99 for second in her heat and was just seven spots out of advancing to the semifinals.

Coach Andy Knowles said Evans’ pair of medals and national records provided another spark for the Bahamas.

“She is a real competitor who likes to step up to a challenge and race, which is what she did each night,” he said.

“Last night after winning the bronze in the 800 free, she was able to come back and swim the 200 free finals, after only 15 minutes rest, she was still breathing hard from the 800 and was able to go a 2:00.7 in the 200, which is another reason we knew she would be ready to challenge for the gold in the 400 free.”

Knowles, who has served as a swimmer turned coach on the Bahamas Olympic Games teams, said it’s always a pleasure to be at a top level meet and watch the Bahamas be well represented.

A PROUD Joanna Evans holds up the national flag.

Greene, the lone male competitor for the Bahamas, was 55th overall in a field of 83 competitors in the men’s 50m free in 23.96 after he got third in his heat.

He also contested the 50m butterfly where he was 60th out of a field of 77 in 26.25.

This time he got fourth in his heat.

The other two female competitors went headto-head in just about all of their events.

In the women’s 100m breaststroke, Morley was 23rd in 1:12.07 with Higgs 29th in 1:13.13 as Morley made some history, winning her first heat that featured two Bahamians with

Higgs fifth in an event that had 43 competitors. Morley clocked 2:33.77 for 18th overall and seventh in her heat, while Higgs was 21st in 2:34.91 for second in her heat. There was a total of 32 competitors. They came back to face each other in two other events as Higgs got the best showing in the women’s 50m breaststroke, coming in 24th in 33.57 to win her heat and Morley was 34th in 34.88 for eighth in the same heat.

In the women’s 100m breaststroke, Morley was 23rd in 1:12.07 for her second victory in a heat that saw Higgs trailing in fifth in 1:13.13 for 29th out of a field

of 43.

Higgs also contested the women’s 200m individual medley where she was 24th overall in a field of 39 in 2:21.97 for second in her heat.

“On the whole the team did well, as all swimmers either did a personal best, or were not far off their best,”he said.

The team left Taipei yesterday for New York. Today, Knowles and his wife Nancy are expected to return home and all the swimmers to their respective schools.

Jenn Davis, the team’s medical personnel, will head to her practice in Virginia.

PAGE 4, Monday, August 28, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Dalton, Bengals look regular-season ready against Washington Redskins

By STEPHEN WHYNO Associated Press LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals’ starters looked regular-season ready, while Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins still have some work to do.

Dalton was 8 of 13 for 70 yards and Cincinnati’s firstteam offence and defence looked sharp against Washington yesterday as the Redskins won each team’s third preseason game 2317 on the strength of their backups. Linebacker Vontaze Burfict intercepted Cousins’ pass and returned it for a touchdown, stiffarming the quarterback at the end zone and jumping into the stands, before leaving with a back injury.

A.J. Green had four catches for 43 yards, Jeremy Hill ran for 15 yards and a touchdown before his day was cut short with an ankle injury and the Bengals’ starters were 4 of 6 on third down. Chris Smith and rookies Jordan Willis and Carl Lawson each sacked Cousins as defensive coordinator Paul Guenther seems to have the edge rushers he was looking for.

Cincinnati running back Giovani Bernard ran for 25 yards on four carries in his first game since tearing the ACL in his left knee last season. The Bengals had taken a cautious approach in bringing Bernard back.

The Redskins got tight end Jordan Reed back after he missed the first two pre-

season games and almost the first month of training camp with an injury to the big toe on his left foot.

Reed had two catches for 12 yards and didn’t look hampered by the injury.

After generating 1 whole yard in the first quarter, the Redskins’ starters eventually put together a touchdown drive, but also went three-and-out three times.

Cousins was 10 of 19 for 109 yards and an interception as Washington’s first-team offense finished its exhibition action with nine three-andouts on 15 possessions.

Both teams are 1-2.

SITTING OUT Bengals TE Tyler Eifert and Redskins WR Josh Doctson were surprise scratches, though Doctson has missed time in camp with a hamstring injury.

Washington rookie LB Ryan Anderson, who got a shoulder stinger in the first preseason game, was not in uniform after being considered a game-time decision.

INJURY UPDATE Bengals: Along with his game-ending back injury, Burfict was evaluated for a concussion but cleared. ...

RB Cedric Peerman suffered a left shoulder injury and TE Mason Schreck left with a knee injury.

Redskins: DL Phil Taylor injured his left quadriceps muscle on the first defensive series and did not return. ...

LB Junior Galette, who had been out with a hamstring injury, saw his first game action since Dec. 28, 2014.

WASHINGTON Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins throws to a receiver in the first half of yesterday’s preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon) ROOKIE WATCH Bengals: WR John Ross flashed some speed on a jet sweep in his preseason debut. Ross, who set the 40-yard dash record at the scouting combine and was a first-round pick, had been held out to recover from shoulder surgery. ... RB Joe Mixon, getting extra carries with Hill going out with an injury, ran eight times for

31 yards and fumbled an exchange with Dalton. ...

DT Ryan Glasgow made a fourth-and-1 stop in the third quarter.

Redskins: C Chase Roullier, starting in place of the injured Spencer Long, had some good downfield blocking on a day most of the offensive line struggled. ... RB Samaje Perine didn’t do much to challenge Rob

Kelley’s starting job, gaining 5 yards on 5 carries. ...

CB Joshua Holsey had a sack and looks Undrafted free agent CB Fish Smithson picked off A.J. McCarron in the fourth quarter and returned it 63 yards.

team record and the longest drought in the majors this season.

run homer, leading Colorado to the victory.

Gerardo Parra had two hits and scored two runs as Colorado took two of three from Atlanta for its first road series win since also winning two of three at Washington from July 29-30. Gray (6-3) struck out seven and walked two. Jake McGee worked the ninth for his third save.

flourished under the sun, Starlin Castro had four hits and the Yankees took advantage of a record five errors by the Mariners in the first inning.

Mariners shortstop Jean Segura committed three early miscues — two on one play.

Third baseman Kyle Seager and left fielder Ben Gamel also botched balls as the Yankees scored six runs, one earned, in the first inning against Andrew Albers (2-1).

POSITION BATTLES Bengals: Hill versus Mixon got derailed by injury,

and Bernard’s return adds him to the mix. ... K Randy Bullock made a 53-yard field goal, while rookie Jake Elliott was wide right from 45 yards, his first miss of the preseason.

Redskins: Zach Brown and Mason Foster again started at inside linebacker, leaving Will Compton to play with the second team.

BASEBALL CAPSULES MARLINS 6, PADRES 2 MIAMI (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton hit his 50th home run to break an eighth-inning tie, helping the Miami Marlins sweep the San Diego Padres with a 6-2 victory on Sunday.

Stanton became the first National League player to reach 50 homers since Prince Fielder hit 50 for Milwaukee in 2007. Stanton’s 17th homer in August tied him for the secondmost in MLB history in the month, behind Rudy York’s 18 in 1937.

With the score 2-all, Dee Gordon singled to lead off the eighth. Stanton then drove a 2-1 pitch from Clay-

ton Richard (6-13) into the hedge in center field.

INDIANS 12, ROYALS 0 CLEVELAND (AP) — Yan Gomes hit a grand slam to highlight Cleveland’s nine-run second inning, and the AL Central-leading Indians completed a threegame shutout sweep.

Carlos Carrasco (13-6) allowed six hits in seven innings, and the Indians, who haven’t given up a run in 28 innings, outscored the Royals 20-0 in the series.

It’s the first time Cleveland has posted three straight shutouts since 1956.

Kansas City hasn’t scored in 34 consecutive innings, a

PHILLIES 6, CUBS 3 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Rookie Rhys Hoskins homered for the fifth straight game and made a diving catch to start a gamechanging triple play in the fifth inning, leading Philadelphia to the victory.

Nick Williams also connected for the Phillies, who have gone deep in nine straight games, hitting 20 homers over that span.

Hoskins led off the eighth with a drive to left-center to give him 11 home runs in his first 18 games, becoming the fastest in major league history to reach 11 homers.

Hoskins, who has 24 RBIs, was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Aug. 10.

ORIOLES 2, RED SOX 1 BOSTON (AP) — Adam Jones and Trey Mancini hit back-to-back RBI doubles against Doug Fister in the first inning, and the Orioles held on for a three-game sweep of the AL East-leading Red Sox. One outing after his shocking one-hitter, in which he gave up a leadoff homer and held the Indians hitless the rest of the way, Fister (3-7) again struggled in the first inning before settling down.

But this time the Red Sox couldn’t erase the early deficit, stranding 13 and batting 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position.

RAYS 3, CARDINALS 2, 10 INNINGS ST. LOUIS (AP) — Logan Morrison hit his second homer of the game in the 10th inning, sending Tampa Bay to the road win.

Morrison drove a 97-mph fastball from Sam Tuivailala (3-3) into the right-center field bleachers with one out in the 10th for his 31st homer.

Sergio Romo (3-1) got three outs and Alex Colome worked a scoreless 10th for his major league-leading 39th save in 44 chances. All five runs in the game were scored on solo homers.

ROCKIES 3, BRAVES 0 ATLANTA (AP) — Jon Gray pitched five-hit ball into the seventh inning and Mark Reynolds hit a two-

WHITE SOX 7, TIGERS 1 CHICAGO (AP) — White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito threw seven scoreless innings to earn his first major league victory.

Giolito (1-1) allowed three hits in his second start with the White Sox after they acquired him in a December trade with Washington. Matt Davidson homered and Yolmer Sanchez had three hits for the White Sox, who have won four of five.

PIRATES 5, REDS 2 CINCINNATI (AP) — John Jaso and Starling Marte each drove in two runs as Pittsburgh earned its second straight win.

A.J. Schugel (3-0) pitched two scoreless innings and Felipe Rivero got three outs for his 16th save.

The last-place Reds left 11 runners on base, including three in the ninth, while slipping to 2-4 on their ninegame homestand.

Reds rookie Tyler Mahle (0-1) allowed three runs and four hits in five innings in his first major league start.

He walked four and hit a batter.

TWINS 7, BLUE JAYS 2 TORONTO (AP) — Byron Buxton homered three times and set a career high with five RBIs, powering the Twins to the win.

Buxton had four hits, scored four runs and stole a base in his first career multihomer game. Kyle Gibson (8-10) pitched into the seventh inning as Minnesota earned a rare series victory north of the border.

Coming into the day, the Twins had a half-game lead over the Angels and Mariners in the race for the second AL wild card.

Minnesota has won a major league-best 15 games since August 6.

YANKEES 10, MARINERS 1 NEW YORK (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka finally

METS 6, NATIONALS 5 WASHINGTON (AP) — Amed Rosario hit a tiebreaking homer in the

eighth inning and the Mets cut down the potential tying run at the plate for the final out in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.

With two outs in the ninth and pitcher Edwin Jackson pinch-running at first base, ex-Met Daniel Murphy sent a sharp grounder into rightcenter field for a double.

When rookie right fielder Travis Taijeron booted the ball, Jackson was waved around third.

Gold Glove center fielder Juan Lagares, quickly backing up Taijeron, grabbed the ball and threw to second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera, who relayed a strike to catcher Travis d’Arnaud in time to get Jackson.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 28, 2017, PAGE 5

North London woes: Arsenal routed at Liverpool, Spurs draw

By ROB HARRIS Associated Press LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Humiliation for Arsenal at Liverpool. More Wembley frustration for Tottenham.

The north London clubs had an afternoon to forget in the Premier League yesterday before the twoweek international break.

An error-strewn display by Arsenal was punished at Anfield where Liverpool surged to a 4-0 victory.

At the same time in the capital, Tottenham was heading for only its third victory in 12 matches at Wembley until Burnley struck in stoppage time to claim a 1-1 draw at English football’s national stadium.

Chelsea, which beat Tottenham at its temporary home for the season last Sunday, followed up with a 2-0 victory over Everton as the champions showed they have quickly recovered from a shock opening-day loss to Burnley.

West Bromwich Albion missed out on a third consecutive win when it was held 1-1 by Stoke. It leaves Manchester United, which beat Leicester 2-0 on Saturday, as the only team with a perfect record after three of 38 rounds.

RUTHLESS LIVERPOOL This was the platform for Liverpool’s attacking unit to flourish, and they seized it. There were certainly no signs Liverpool missed Philippe Coutinho, who is embroiled in a transfer stand-off, as Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and substitute Daniel Sturridge scored.

Liverpool went ahead in the 17th minute when the opener was gifted. Firmino ghosted into the penalty area to meet Joe Gomez’s cross unmarked and sent a downward header past goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Even after conceding, Arsenal remained as chaotic and lethargic, never looking capable of mounting a comeback — particularly after conceding again five minutes before halftime.

A counterattack launched from inside the Liverpool penalty area

by Gomez was completed by Mane’s shot into the far corner of the net.

The third goal was conceded just after Arsenal had taken a corner.

Salah pinched the ball off Hector Bellerin and was given the freedom to dart forward unchallenged before the Egyptian netted his

By TALES AZZONI Associated Press

LIVERPOOL’S DANIEL STURRIDGE, left, celebrates scoring his side’s fourth goal of the game against Arsenal yesterday.

(Peter Byrne/PA via AP) third Liverpool goal.

Salah turned provider for the fourth with a cross met by the unmarked Sturridge and headed past Cech.

Arsenal didn’t even manage a single shot on goal as Arsene Wenger’s side endured a second successive loss. It was a quiet day for Loris Karius, who was unexpectedly selected ahead of Liverpool first-choice goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

“We’re very disappointed with the way we performed but we have to accept it,” Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey said. “We’re sorry to the fans that came up. It’s not good enough and we have to do something about it.

“We’re going to have to change something if we’re to compete this year. That wasn’t good enough.

Liverpool showed what it’s going to have to take to compete for the Premier League.”

Falcao scores 2 as Monaco routs Marseille 6-1

By JEROME PUGMIRE Associated Press RADAMEL Falcao made it seven goals in four games as defending champion Monaco routed Marseille 6-1 yesterday to keep pace with Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the French league.

Both have won four matches and PSG leads Monaco on goal difference.

But even after selling key players, and with 18-year-old forward Kylian Mbappe edging closer to a PSG move, Monaco continues to play with style and ruthless efficiency.

This was Monaco’s 16th straight league win, extending its record af-

ter last week beating the mark of 14 held by Bordeaux in 2009.

Monaco scored 107 league goals last season and has already notched 14 in four games.

PSG, which beat Saint-Etienne 3-0 on Friday, has also scored 14 but conceded two less.

Marseille has lost four straight games to Monaco, conceding 18 goals, and this was the latest noncontest.

Poland centre half Kamil Glik showed his scoring prowess by thumping in Thomas Lemar’s free kick from the left after two minutes — his eighth goal in 40 league games since joining last season from Italian side Torino.

Falcao netted with a penalty in

the 20th after Brazil midfielder Fabinho was fouled, and the Colombia striker then beat goalkeeper Steve Mandanda with a diving header after midfielder Joao Moutinho’s free kick deflected into his path near the penalty spot.

Adama Diakhaby, playing in the place of Mbappe — who scored 26 goals last season in an astonishing breakthrough campaign — made it 4-0 just before the break with his first goal since joining from Rennes.

Mbappe is reportedly signing a loan deal to PSG today with an option to buy him for 180 million euros ($215 million).

Stevan Jovetic, his touted replacement, was at Stade Louis II

HAMILTON HOLDS OFF VETTEL’S LATE MOVE TO WIN BELGIAN GP

By JEROME PUGMIRE Associated Press SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — For a brief moment, Lewis Hamilton feared he had lost the Belgian Grand Prix yesterday.

Sebastian Vettel, on quicker tires with about 10 laps to go, drove up right alongside him on a long straight, and Hamilton thought “this might be it.”

But the British driver fended off his rival heading into the corner.

“It worked out perfect. It was great to go into Turn 5 having just done enough,” Hamilton said. “He was able to get way too close. It was only just enough to stay ahead.”

After that, Vettel never got another chance to pass Hamilton and conceded some ground in the title race.

Hamilton’s third Spa win helped him trim championship leader Vettel’s advantage over him to seven points, with eight races left in what is shaping up to be a nail-biting finish.

Hamilton’s fifth win this season was his 58th overall, having equalled Michael Schumacher’s pole position record of 68 in Saturday’s qualifying.

Vettel finished about 2 seconds behind Hamilton.

“I was waiting for Lewis to make a mistake and he didn’t,” the German driver said. “I’m not entirely happy.”

The track was more suited to Mercedes than Ferrari, and Hamilton said improvement can still be made.

“This weekend we definitely didn’t have the race pace. The car is not quite where we need it,” said Hamilton, who was competing in his 200th GP. “It was only just enough to stay ahead.”

Four-time F1 champion Vettel has 220 points to three-time champion Hamilton’s 213 heading into next weekend’s Italian GP in

MERCEDES driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain gives the thumbs up on the podium after winning the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix yesterday.

(AP Photo/Olivier Matthys) Monza.

“The positive thing is that we had really good race pace,” Vettel said.

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo finished third — for his sixth podium of the season — ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, with Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas fifth.

Ricciardo showed great race intelligence and opportunism to pass Bottas after the safety car came out 10 laps from the end.

Hamilton made a good start to the race on the long climb up to Eau Rouge, but Max Verstappen’s hopes ended on lap 8 when his Red Bull lost power.

“I can’t believe this,” Verstappen said. His exasperation was understandable — it is the sixth time this season he has failed to finish the race, and some 80,000 Dutch fans had crossed the border to cheer him on.

“I’m not happy at all,” Verstappen said. “I am very disappointed for the fans who buy an expensive ticket to watch.”

LEGANES CONTINUES PERFECT START IN SPANISH LEAGUE

The 19-year-old Verstappen secured a podium with third place in China but has been hit with reliability issues since.

Two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso retired on lap 27 in the latest setback as McLaren continues to struggle with Honda engines. The Spanish driver has completed only three races so far.

The Spa track, nestled in the Ardennes forest, is the longest in F1 at 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) and the race is often full of incident.

There was one heated clash between Force India drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon, prompting the safety car to come out after they made contact with each other on lap 30, sending debris onto the track.

Their tense relationship is degrading fast.

After bumping on the track at the Azerbaijan GP in June, they did it again when they touched wheels as Ocon moved on the outside of the track shortly after the start, with Perez responding by squeezing the Frenchman against the barrier.

Later the pair came into contact again with Ocon’s front wing flying away and a tire dropping off Perez’s car as a result.

This prompted a furious, expletive-laced outburst from Ocon.

After both cars pitted for repairs, Ocon finished ninth but Perez had to retire just before the end.

The safety car stayed out for four laps, which was too long for Hamilton’s liking, and he used an expletive of his own to complain.

“There was hardly any debris about,” Hamilton said afterward.

Drivers worry that their tires lose heat if they stay behind the car too long.

But Vettel failed to capitalise.

“Maybe that was the problem, my restart was too good,” Vettel said. “I was too close.”

to watch Monaco tear Marseille apart again, having scored four goals in each of their three meetings last season — including one in the French Cup. If the Montenegro forward joins Monaco, then the former Manchester City and Fiorentina forward will surely relish playing alongside Falcao.

France fullback Djibril Sidibe made it 5-0 midway through the second half, before winger Remy Cabella replied.

With Falcao already substituted, Fabinho scored the sixth from the penalty spot with 10 minutes left.

Marseille’s first defeat of the season leaves it in sixth place with seven points.

MADRID (AP) — Leganes defeated Espanyol 1-0 yesterday to continue its perfect start in the Spanish league.

Argentine defender Martin Mantovani scored in the first half to give Leganes the away victory.

It was the second straight win for Leganes, which made its first-division debut last season.

“It’s the type of game that is worth more than three points, it’s an incredible result,” Mantovani said. “We are off to a very good start.

We worked very hard in the offseason for this. We can’t get too excited, but it gives us motivation to keep working.”

Mantovani said he forgot to honour his pregnant wife during the goal celebration, having promised her to put the ball under his shirt if he scored.

“She is going to kill me,” he said, smiling.

On Saturday, Barcelona won 2-0 at Alaves with a pair of goals by Lionel Messi. Atletico Madrid earned its first league victory with a 5-1 rout at Las Palmas.

Defending champion Real Madrid hosts Valencia in its home opener later Sunday.

WINNING AGAIN Athletic Bilbao improved from its opening draw at home by defeating Eibar 1-0 with a first-half goal by Aritz Aduriz.

The veteran striker scored with a close-range header at Eibar’s Ipurua Stadium.

Athletic had opened with a disappointing 0-0 draw in Bilbao. Eibar debuted with a 1-0 win at Malaga.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, August 28, 2017, PAGE 7

GAVRILOVA UPSETS CIBULKOVA IN NEW HAVEN FOR FIRST WTA TITLE

By PAT EATON-ROBB Associated Press NEW HAVEN, Conn.

(AP) — Daria Gavrilova doesn’t hide her emotions on the tennis court — and she put them on full display Saturday in winning her first WTA tournament title.

The unseeded 23-yearold Russian-born Australian upset second-seeded Dominika Cibulkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Connecticut Open.

She finished her comeback from a set down by breaking the 11th-ranked Slovak in the final game, hitting a forehand winner, throwing her racket and jumping into the air in jubilation.

The match was extremely close with Gavrilova winning 105 points and Cibulkova taking 102.

“It’s even more special to win it that way, against such a tough competitor,” she said. “I think I’ve beaten some great players to win my first title.”

Gavrilova beat top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the semi-finals and

is 9-18 in her career against top-10 opponents. Cibulkova came in ranked 11th. She had been as high as fourth this season.

Gavrilova, ranked 26th in the world, gesticulated wildly throughout the match and yelled “Come on” after every big point.

That included the turning point in the match, when she broke Cibulkova to go up 3-2 in the second set in a game that featured a 30shot rally and five deuces.

“I told myself when it was, like, third time deuce, I said that it might be the turning point, to fight for every point,” Gavrilova said.

Both players had problems early serving into the sun. There were five service breaks in the first set all from the same end of the court.

Cibulkova broke at love in the 10th game to take that set when Gavrilova hit a shot into the net and then screamed in frustration.

Cibulkova relied heavily on her forehand, making winner after winner. She had 32 of them in the match, but Gavrilova had 35.

DARIA GAVRILOVA, of Australia, holds the trophy after her 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, in the final of the Connecticut Open tennis tournament on Saturday.

(AP Photo/Jessica Hill) set, pumping her fist wildly as she sent the match into a third set. The two also

The Australian broke Cibulkova again in the ninth game of the second

traded breaks in the third set before the decisive 10th game. “I always had

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 74° F/23° C

TAMPA

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Partly sunny with a brief shower

Partly cloudy with a stray shower

Sun and some clouds with a shower

Clouds and sun with a few showers

Couple of thunder‑ storms

Some sun with a shower or t‑storm

High: 92°

Low: 79°

High: 92° Low: 79°

High: 92° Low: 81°

High: 91° Low: 81°

High: 91° Low: 78°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

106° F

96° F

113°-96° F

114°-97° F

116°-95° F

116°-96° F

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

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High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

8‑16 knots

S

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 76° F/24° C

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FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 78° F/26° C

E

W S

E

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WEST PALM BEACH

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uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 78° F/26° C

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 78° F/26° C

MIAMI

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 79° F/26° C

8‑16 knots

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 93° F/34° C Low .................................................... 80° F/27° C Normal high ....................................... 89° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 76° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 91° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 78° F/26° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.02” Year to date ............................................... 24.33” Normal year to date ................................... 24.28”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 79° F/26° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

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KEY WEST

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 83° F/28° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

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tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

1:02 a.m.

1:38 p.m.

2.7 2.9

7:18 a.m.

8:01 p.m.

0.8 1.2

Tuesday

1:53 a.m.

2:33 p.m.

2.5 2.8

8:07 a.m.

8:59 p.m.

1.0 1.3

Wednesday 2:49 a.m.

3:29 p.m.

2.4 2.8

9:01 a.m.

9:58 p.m.

1.1 1.3

Thursday

3:47 a.m.

4:25 p.m.

2.4 2.9

9:57 a.m. 1.1 10:54 p.m. 1.3

Friday

4:43 a.m.

5:17 p.m.

2.4 3.0

10:51 a.m. 1.0 11:44 p.m. 1.1

Saturday

5:35 a.m.

6:04 p.m.

2.6 3.1

11:42 a.m. 0.9 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Sunday

6:22 a.m.

6:48 p.m.

2.7 3.2

12:30 a.m. 1.0 12:29 p.m. 0.7

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:49 a.m.

7:33 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

1:00 p.m. none

First

Full

Last

New

Aug. 29

Sep. 6

Sep. 13

Sep. 20

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

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High: 90° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

E

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LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map L

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

CAT ISLAND

E

W

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

this one point that I didn’t make,” Cibulkova said. “I just say it was always 30-15 for me, then small out here and there. That’s what I’m talking about, these one, two points that would not go my way.”

Cibulkova, who won four times on tour last year, has not had a victory this season. She was looking for her ninth career win and her first in New Haven in her 8th appearance at the tournament. She had never before made it past the quarter-finals.

Gavrilova began playing for Australia in 2015 after moving from her native Russia at age 18. She became the first player to win her first WTA title in New Haven.

Neither player will get much of a rest before today’s start of play in the US Open. Cibulkova will face fellow Slovak Jana Cepelova in the first round and Gavrilova will face American Allie Kiick.

“It’s so worth it, winning your first title,” Gavrilova said. “Of course I gave my all.”

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

7‑14 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND

L

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 89° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N

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W

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W

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marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday:

WINDS S at 7‑14 Knots S at 6‑12 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SSE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots S at 8‑16 Knots S at 6‑12 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots SSE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots

WAVES 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 85° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 84° F 83° F 83° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 82° F 82° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F

PAGE 8, Monday, August 28, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

UNDEFEATED

FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR celebrates after defeating Conor McGregor in a super welterweight boxing match in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

(AP Photos/Isaac Brekken)

Mayweather dominates McGregor in late rounds to go 50-0, retires

By TIM DAHLBERG Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Floyd Mayweather Jr put on a show in the last fight of his spectacular career.

Conor McGregor didn’t do so badly, either.

Mayweather figured out a 50th opponent Saturday night, letting McGregor have the early rounds before stalking him late and leaving the mixed martial artist defenceless and exhausted on the ropes in the 10th round.

It was a smashing end to a career that earned Mayweather more money than any fighter before him, including an estimated $200 million for his last bout.

“I think we gave the fans what they wanted to see,” Mayweather said. “I owed them for the (Manny) Pacquiao fight.”

Mayweather battered McGregor around the ring in the later rounds, finally stopping him at 1:05 of the 10th with a flurry of punches that forced referee Robert Byrd to stop the fight.

Before a pro-McGregor crowd that roared every time the UFC fighter landed a punch, Mayweather methodically broke him down after a slow start to score his first real stoppage in nearly a decade.

He did it in what he said would be his final fight, against a man who had never been in a professional

boxing match before.

McGregor boxed surprisingly well but after landing some shots in the early rounds, his punches seemed to lose their steam. Mayweather then went on the pursuit. McGregor backpedalled most of the way, stopping only to throw an occasional flurry as Mayweather wore him down.

“I turned him into a Mexican tonight,” McGregor said. “He fought like a Mexican.”

Though Byrd cautioned McGregor for hitting behind the head on two different occasions, there were no real fouls in the fight and McGregor never tried to revert to any MMA tactics.

McGregor had vowed to knock Mayweather out within two rounds, and he won the early rounds with movement and punches to the head. But the tide of the fight turned in the fourth round as Mayweather seemed to figure out what he had to do and began aggressively stalking McGregor.

Mayweather was credited with landing more than half his punches, as he solved McGregor’s defence after a few rounds. Ringside stats showed him landing 170 of 320 punches to 111 of 430 for McGregor.

In a fight so intriguing that it cost $10,000 for ringside seats, McGregor turned in a respectable performance for someone in

FLOYD Mayweather Jr punches Conor McGregor. his first fight.

He switched from southpaw to conventional at times and used his jab well, but Mayweather’s experience and his ring savvy paid off as he executed his game plan to perfection.

“Our game plan was to take our time, go to him and take him out in the end,” Mayweather said. “I guaranteed everybody this fight wouldn’t go the distance.

McGregor was trailing badly on all three ringside scorecards through the

ninth round, with scores of 89-81, 89-81 and 87-83. The Associated Press had it 8784.

Mayweather was widely criticised for not going after Pacquiao in their megafight, and he didn’t make the same mistake this time. In a fight that could make him $200 million, he seemed to stagger McGregor with a series of punches in the ninth round, landing at will as McGregor desperately tried to clinch.

The end was near as the

two fighters came out for the 10th round and Mayweather went right after McGregor again. He landed a punch that set McGregor reeling across the ring, then landed a combination that had McGregor defenceless as Byrd moved in to stop the bout. McGregor didn’t complain when the fight was stopped and went over and hugged Mayweather.

“I was a little fatigued,” he said. “He was composed in there, that’s what 50 pro fights can give you.”

He seemed almost happy in the ring afterward, secure that he had given a good performance even in losing.

“I thought it was close though and I thought it was a bit of an early stoppage. I was just a little fatigued.”

McGregor’s challenge of Mayweather was fuelled by social media and turned into a spectacle as the two fighters promoted the bout.

It figured to make him $100 million or so, and gave McGregor a name and brand outside of the UFC. He also got some respect from a fighter who has been in the ring his entire life.

“He’s a lot better than I thought he’d be,” Mayweather said. “He’s a tough competitor, but I was the better man tonight.”

After all the talk and hype, the fight unfolded like most in boxing figured it would. Mayweather, a 5-1 favourite, took a few rounds to establish his dominance but once he did it was a onesided fight.

Mayweather ran his record to 50-0, surpassing Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record and giving himself a great parting gift. He repeated afterward that he was not going to fight again.

“This is my last fight for sure. 50-0 sounds good, I’m looking forward to going into the Hall of Fame,” Mayweather said. “I picked the best dance partner to do it with.

Conor’s choices: Defend UFC belt, box again, or Diaz III?

By GREG BEACHAM Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Conor McGregor was exhausted and hurt by the 10th round, his audacious venture undone by every logical problem with a mixed martial artist entering a professional boxing ring for the first time to take on the most accomplished boxer of recent years.

Yet the Irishman lasted longer and fought more competitively against Floyd Mayweather Jr than just about anyone expected.

McGregor was gracious and analytical afterward, but he was bothered by one aspect of his defeat: Referee Robert Byrd’s seemingly wise decision to stop the bout while McGregor was still on his

wobbly legs. “Let the man put me down,” he said.

Among his many talents, McGregor has a knack for coming up with slogans that would look good both on a T-shirt and a coat of arms.

Even though he didn’t get his wish to taste the canvas, McGregor left the Vegas ring with his honour intact — and he can go just about anywhere he wants from here.

After hanging in there against Mayweather, McGregor is in an unprecedented position as a huge draw in two combat sports. He could command another hefty boxing paycheck, or he could return to the UFC to defend his two championship belts as the biggest star in his up-and-coming sport.

MAYWEATHER hits McGregor. (AP) McGregor will make no decisions before his upcoming yachting holiday in Ibiza, but he certainly doesn’t seem eager to limit himself to one sport.

“I believe I’ll do it again,” McGregor said of boxing, before

immediately adding: “I’m looking forward to kicking something again. I’m also looking forward to grappling. I’m looking forward to getting back in and having a good, solid knock again.”

The UFC wants its biggest star back in the octagon quickly.

McGregor has won titles in two weight classes, but he has never defended either belt, and he hasn’t fought at all since last November.

Yet the UFC also just made untold millions from McGregor’s dalliance with boxing while he was under contract. President Dana White realises McGregor will be impressed by boxing money, and White says he is willing to write a check that will keep McGregor in the cage.

“I would rather he did not (box

again),” White said. “This is not what he does. He is a mixed martial artist.”

A third meeting with Nate Diaz is an obvious choice for McGregor’s next UFC fight after their two crowd-pleasing brawls in 2016. McGregor immediately mentioned that possibility, but also said he would want that bout at the lightweight limit of 155 pounds, not the 170-pound welterweight mark at which they fought the first two times.

Returning to featherweight is less likely, given the effort necessary to make that 145-pound limit. McGregor hasn’t fought there since he knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds in late 2015, and the vaunted Max Holloway recently won that belt.