7-foot Russian suffers first loss

Ruslan Chagaev outpointed Nikolai Valuev on Saturday in Stuttgart, Germany, to take the 7-foot Russian’s WBA heavyweight title.

The loss was the first of Valuev’s career. Instead of inching closer to Rocky Marciano’s record of 49 fights at the start of a career without a loss, the 35-year-old Valuev dropped to 46-1 with one no-decision.

Chagaev, the 28-year-old Uzbekistan fighter who calls himself “White Tyson,” had winning scores of 117-111 and 115-113 and a third of 114-114.

Chagaev, who gave away 11 inches and 90 pounds to Valuev, is 23-0-1.

Football

Giants sign Wright

Veteran quarterback Anthony Wright has reached an agreement on a two-year contract with the New York Giants, a person within the NFL who requested anonymity said.

The 31-year-old Wright saw limited action with Cincinnati last season.

Miscellany

Oden rumors swirl

Greg Oden’s father told a newspaper the 7-foot basketball center from Ohio State is turning pro, while the man who hopes to be Oden’s agent, Mike Conley Sr., said the decision hasn’t been made.

“No. Definitely not. Not to say he’s not going to decide that – but, 100 percent, as of this moment, he hasn’t decided,” Conley, father of Oden’s high school and college teammate, Mike Conley Jr., said.

•Kristine Lilly scored two second-half goals to help the United States beat Mexico 5-0 at Foxborough, Mass., in the first of eight tuneup soccer matches before the World Cup in China in September.

•At Houston, qualifier Mariano Zabaleta upset second-seeded James Blake 7-5, 7-6 (7) to advance to the final in the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Tennis Championships. Zabaleta plays Ivo Karlovic in today’s final.

•At Charleston, S.C., Jelena Jankovic advanced to the final of the Family Circle Cup tennis event, winning a marathon match against Venus Williams 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5). She now meets fourth-seeded Dinara Safina.

Horse racing

Street Sense upset

Street Sense came up a nose short against Dominican in a wild finish at the Blue Grass Stakes in Lexington, Ky.

The thrilling victory put Dominican on the road to the Kentucky Derby in three weeks. Street Sense already has a ticket punched for Churchill Downs. Dominican covered the 1 1-8 miles in 1:51.33.

•Curlin stormed down the stretch to another lopsided victory, winning the Arkansas Derby at Hot Springs, Ark., by a record margin. Curlin covered the 1 1-8 miles in 1 minute, 50 seconds.

•Notional fractured his left front ankle during a routine gallop and will not run in the Kentucky Derby.