In brief: Hopkins, Wright scuffle at weigh-in
Bernard Hopkins shoved Winky Wright in the face at the weigh-in for their 170-pound fight Friday in Las Vegas, sparking a heated scuffle between their entourages.
After both fighters weighed in at exactly 170 pounds at the Mandalay Bay casino, they stood face-to-face for the usual post-weight photographs. But Hopkins, the 42-year-old veteran who renounced retirement to face Wright, became animated and waved his finger in Wright’s face.
Wright then put his finger in Hopkins’ face, and Hopkins shoved Wright’s head backward with a shot to the forehead. Wright replied with a right-handed swing, and both fighters’ entourages quickly jumped in to separate the fighters and exchange their own shoves and blows.
College football
Purify reinstated
Maurice Purify, who led Nebraska in receiving yards last season, was reinstated to the team after pleading no contest earlier this week to criminal charges including assault.
He will be suspended for the season opener against Nevada, and will face “continued additional discipline within our football program,” coach Bill Callahan said in a statement.
“The University of Oklahoma has taken the first step to appealing a ruling by the NCAA that stripped the football team of its 2005 wins and found the university guilty of “failure to monitor” the employment of its athletes.
The penalties stem from a case involving players, including starting quarterback Rhett Bomar and offensive lineman J.D. Quinn, now at Montana, who were kicked off the team last August for being paid for work they had not performed at a Norman, Okla., car dealership
“Longtime offensive coach and Oregon State coordinator of support services Jim Gilstrap died Thursday. He was 65. Gilstrap died of medical complications at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis, Ore.
Miscellany
Yashin leaves NHL
Former New York Islanders captain Alexei Yashin will play next season with Locomotiv Yaroslavl of the Russian Super League after failing to get an NHL contract offer to his liking.
Yashin, who had the final four seasons of his 10-year contract bought out by the Islanders in June, agreed to terms on a one-year deal.
“The Edmonton Oilers signed defenseman Joni Pitkanen to a one-year, $2.4 million contract.
“Center Jake Voskuhl has signed a one-year contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
“The Memphis Grizzlies have signed Andre Brown, a 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward who spent last season with Seattle.
“Miami Heat general manager Randy Pfund has signed a contract extension and will return for a 13th season with the organization.
“San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club sued two-time America’s Cup champion Alinghi, seeking to replace Spanish syndicate Desafio Espanol as the official challenger for the next regatta. Golden Gate claimed the syndicate is an “invalid challenger” because it never held a regatta as stipulated in the rules of the “deed of gift,” the regulations which govern the America’s Cup.