BOXING
For years, boxing devotees yearned for a match between Manny Pacquiao, a powerful puncher, and Floyd Mayweather Jr., a defensive wizard. For years, their warring camps failed to make the fight happen.
The fighters finally made it to the ring on Saturday night in Las Vegas, with Pacquiao now 36 and Mayweather 38. Pacquiao, complaining later of a right shoulder injury, barely connected at all with the elusive Mayweather. Mayweather won a unanimous decision from the judges to improve his career record to 48-0.
The fight was, by most accounts, a typical Mayweather bout. He slipped most of Pacquiao’s punches, dodged and moved and then collected a lot of money for doing it. He showed off a $100 million check afterwards and there will be more once the pay-per-view numbers settle. The fight cost about $100 for home purchase.
Mayweather said he will give up his unified welterweight titles and will look for a farewell bout in September.
NBA
The San Antonio Spurs’ reign as NBA champions is over. They were eliminated in a seventh playoff game, 111-109, by the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. Chris Paul, playing with a hamstring injury, hit the winning basket for the Clippers with one second left. … The Washington Wizards and Golden State Warriors won their respective openers of their next playoff series.
HORSE RACING
The favored America Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby, with Firing Line second and Dortmund third. Pharoah and Dortmund were both trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who saddled the fourth Kentucky Derby winner of his illustrious career. The Derby set an attendance record at Churchill Downs with 170,517 on hand. Next up in the Triple Crown races: The Preakness Stakes on May 16.
BASEBALL
Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees hit his 660th career home run on Friday night, tying Willie Mays for fourth place on the all-time list.
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .
-
Oklahoma and Texas will depart from the college sports conference at the end of the season. The Big 12...
-
Robert Kraft wants to re-sign Brady just long enough that he can retire as a Patriot. Earlier this week,...
-
The skilled third-baseman will be enshrined in Cooperstown. Scott Rolen is one of the most skilled and recognized third-basemen...
-
Brady’s 23rd football season has ended. On Monday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys went head-to-head for...
-
Smith has been fired after one season with the team. Over the weekend, the owners of the Houston Texans...
-
Pelé passed due to complications related to colon cancer. On Thursday night, the sporting world received unfortunate news: Pelé,...
-
His return heralded a victory over the Phoenix Suns. On Sunday, Houston Rockets coach Stephen Silas needed to take...
-
Mayfield will be available on waiver to other NFL teams. After an underwhelming performance in his current role as...
-
Mike White led the team to a decisive victory over the Bears over the weekend. On Saturday, the New...
-
The game has been moved out of New York due to an encroaching snowstorm. This weekend, the Buffalo Bills...
-
Negative pushback prompted the team to give the role to someone else. Recently, the Brooklyn Nets have been in...
-
The Bears got Claypool in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick. This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers cut a deal...