Boxing’s biggest loser will retire after 300th bout
He is billed as boxing’s biggest loser. On Friday, when the bell rings for the final time in his career, Peter Buckley will touch gloves with his opponent and try to avoid his 257th defeat in 300 bouts.
The 39-year-old super featherweight has the worst record of any current fighter. It is so bad that he hasn’t won in five years. There are nights, however, when things actually go his way. He can point to 31 victories and 12 draws on his record.
The Englishman’s last victory was a decision over Joel Viney in October 2003.
Buckley will face Matin Mohammed in Birmingham, England, in his final fight.
NBA
Oden out 4 to 6 weeks
Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden will be out four to six weeks with an injury to his right foot.
The team said that an MRI and CT scan revealed Oden has a mid-lateral foot sprain.
Oden injured his foot in the first quarter of the Blazers’ 96-76 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
•Suns edge Spurs: Amare Stoudemire scored 22 points and Shaquille O’Neal added 15 points and 13 rebounds to carry the Phoenix Suns to a 103-98 win at San Antonio. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker each scored 32 to pace the Spurs.
•Love shines in debut: Minnesota rookie Kevin Love made an impressive debut with 12 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes and Al Jefferson had 21 points and 10 rebounds to help the Timberwolves to a 98-96 victory over the Sacramento Kings in Minneapolis. Former Washington Huskies star Spencer Hawes had 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Kings.
•Pistons win in Curry’s debut: The Detroit Pistons played well enough to give Michael Curry a win in his debut as a head coach.
Tayshaun Prince scored 19 points to lead the Pistons a 100-94 win over the visiting Indiana Pacers.
Danny Granger led the new-look Pacers with 33 points. Just eight of the 15 players on the opening-night roster were on the team at the end of last year.
•Knicks beat Heat: Mike D’Antoni’s New York Knicks are off and running. Jamal Crawford scored 29 points, Zach Randolph added 20, and the Knicks beat the Miami Heat 120-115 in New York in their first game under new coach D’Antoni. Dwyane Wade had 26 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for Miami.
•Web casts available: Fans can subscribe to a full season of live Web casts of NBA games on NBA.com for the first time without purchasing the TV package, NBA Digital announced. NBA League Pass Broadband will provide access to 40 live games each week.
Football
Culpepper works out
The Detroit Lions worked out quarterback Daunte Culpepper and liked how he looked.
“We looked at him and visited with him and we’ll see how things work out,” Lions coach Rod Marinelli said.
Culpepper, who retired in September, is considering a return to the league.
•Johnson will start: Brad Johnson will make his third straight start at quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys when they play the division-leading New York Giants on Sunday.
•McFadden ailing: For weeks, Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden was slowed by a turf toe injury on his right foot. Now he’s dealing with a turf toe injury on his other foot. McFadden hopes to get the latest injury under control in time to play this Sunday against Atlanta.
•Kasay gets extension: Carolina Panthers kicker John Kasay, who has made 21 straight field goals, signed a four-year extension with the team.
•RCA Dome’s days numbered: The Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority says the RCA Dome, the former home of the Indianapolis Colts, will be imploded on the Saturday morning before Christmas.
•Virginia back faces charges: Virginia fullback RaShawn Jackson is facing felony charges in connection with a campus burglary committed in 2007 in Charlottesville, Va.
•Senators want free games: Senators have asked NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to make game broadcasts on the NFL Network available on free television to more fans.
The league has said it provides free broadcasts in the home cities of competing teams. But 13 lawmakers said in a letter this week that the NFL is too narrowly interpreting what a home city is.
NHL
Leafs top money list
For the third straight year, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the NHL’s most valuable team, worth $448 million.
The Leafs increased in value by 9 percent and easily were valued ahead of the New York Rangers in Forbes’ annual rankings. The Rangers are worth $411 million.
Golf
Ballesteros improves
La Paz Hospital says Seve Ballesteros is “evolving favorably” after undergoing surgery last week in Madrid, Spain, on a cancerous brain tumor. Ballesteros remains in intensive care.
•Kim joins European tour: Anthony Kim has joined the European tour, the latest of a half-dozen U.S. tour players who have decided to take up joint membership in Europe for the 2009 season.
Among those expected to join are Phil Mickelson and Geoff Ogilvy.
Miscellany
UDC penalized
Citing what it called “the most egregious lack of institutional control ever seen” by its Division II investigative committee, the NCAA levied numerous sanctions on the University of the District of Columbia. The penalties include five years of probation, a cancellation of seasons for certain sports, a one-year postseason ban in all sports, forfeiture of wins in select sports, a reduction of scholarships and a reduction in recruiting activities.
•UAA investigated: The University of Alaska Anchorage athletic department is being investigated for a complaint that it discriminates against women athletes. The complaint claims UAA treats women unfairly by the quality of coaching, access to the university’s two trainers, and locker room assignments.