Dereck Chisora Banned By World Boxing Council

World Boxing Council heavyweight contender Dereck “Del Boy” Chisora has been banned from fighting and ordered to seek out anger management therapy as a result of the antics he engaged in before and after his recent failed title challenge against WBC champion Vitali Klitschko.

Chisora slapped Vitali hard in the face at the weigh-in, spat water in his brother Wladimir’s face during the ring introductions, and brawled with fellow UK heavyweight David Haye at the post-fight presser.

The WBC has issued the following statement on its website:

Jose Sulaiman, Mexico, president of The World Boxing Council has followed strictly all the actions related to the misconduct of Derek Chisora, that is considered one of the worst behaviors ever by a professional boxer, and we stand strongly with the BBB of C and the BDB to resolve this case immediately. The WBC is absolutely condemning behaviors that are not to be accepted in boxing under any circumstances and will act as soon as it can proceed to impose the fines and sanctions as we consider necessary.

The WBC is imposing a serious fine to be finally determined after the hearing to be held under the supervision of our counsel representative attorney Stephen Beverly. The WBC will also take off from the WBC rankings, the name of Derek Chisora and declare an indefinite suspension against fighting again for a WBC title, while demanding Chisora to...

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Read more: http://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/dereck-chisora-banned-by-world-boxing-council/#ixzz1nrM5NOag

Dereck Chisora Banned By World Boxing Council

World Boxing Council heavyweight contender Dereck “Del Boy” Chisora has been banned from fighting and ordered to seek out anger management therapy as a result of the antics he engaged in before and after his recent failed title challenge against WBC champion Vitali Klitschko.

Chisora slapped Vitali hard in the face at the weigh-in, spat water in his brother Wladimir’s face during the ring introductions, and brawled with fellow UK heavyweight David Haye at the post-fight presser.

The WBC has issued the following statement on its website:

Jose Sulaiman, Mexico, president of The World Boxing Council has followed strictly all the actions related to the misconduct of Derek Chisora, that is considered one of the worst behaviors ever by a professional boxer, and we stand strongly with the BBB of C and the BDB to resolve this case immediately. The WBC is absolutely condemning behaviors that are not to be accepted in boxing under any circumstances and will act as soon as it can proceed to impose the fines and sanctions as we consider necessary.

The WBC is imposing a serious fine to be finally determined after the hearing to be held under the supervision of our counsel representative attorney Stephen Beverly. The WBC will also take off from the WBC rankings, the name of Derek Chisora and declare an indefinite suspension against fighting again for a WBC title, while demanding Chisora to...

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Read more: http://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/dereck-chisora-banned-by-world-boxing-council/#ixzz1nrM5NOag

Major Update on the Future of the Kings of Wrestling in WWE

After plenty of obstacles and hiccups along the way, the Kings of Wrestling are finally in the WWE. Both of them.

Though the company signed Claudio Castagnoli, now known as Antonio Cesaro in Florida Championship Wrestling, several months ago, it took a while to get his former ROH tag team partner Chris Hero (now Kassius Ohno) under contract due to issues with naturally-elevated testosterone levels.

Both halves of the former Kings of Wrestling are now down in WWE’s developmental territory, but they’re working as singles competitors rather than in the tag team that made them famous.

Though I have no doubt that both Cesaro and Ohno can and likely will succeed in the WWE as singles wrestlers, I would absolutely love to see them debut on the main roster as a tag team.

While teaming together in ROH, Cesaro and Ohno developed a reputation as one of the very best tag teams in all of professional wrestling, and they could provide a monstrous lift to the WWE’s ever-so-struggling tag team division.

Continue Reading: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1081413-wwe-news-major-update-on-the-future-of-the-kings-of-wrestling-in-wwe

Possible Plans for Divas Match at WrestleMania 28 Revealed

The WWE Divas (aside from No. 1 hoeski Eve Torres) didn’t get any TV time on last week’s episode of Raw or Smackdown, and that’s probably not a good sign.

WrestleMania 28 is right around the corner, and the WWE should be building toward some sort of major Divas feud, particularly for current Divas Champion Beth Phoenix.

Since there was no Divas match or promo whatsoever last week, many are taking this as a sign that we won’t even see the Divas at the biggest pay-per-view of the year.

While that’s probably a smart way of thinking, there were once at least tentative plans in place for the Divas at WrestleMania 28.

I have two realistic Divas bouts—and two bouts only—that I’d want to see in Miami. Kharma vs. Beth or Beth vs. Natalya.

These three are far and away the most talented Divas currently in the WWE, and given the right booking and adequate time, I legitimately think that either of those bouts could be in the running for the greatest Divas match of all time.

With Kharma yet to return to TV on full time basis, however, I think the WWE would be wise to go with Beth vs. Natalya after somehow splitting the two up at some point on this week’s set of TV tapings.

Continue Reading: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1081353-wwe-news-possible-plans-for-divas-match-at-wrestlemania-28-revealed

John Cena's Raw Promo Was the Best of His Career

John Cena is usually the PG era’s poster child, a corny and campy WWE spokesman who makes unfunny poop jokes and generally fails in his attempts at comedy.

That’s the Cena I hate. That’s the Cena a lot of people hate.

Cena’s goofy promos come across as rehearsed and unrealistic, and instead of fans getting into them, they drowned him in boos despite the fact that he’s the top baby face in the WWE. That’s not how it's supposed to be.

He’s supposed to be showered with cheers, not drowned with boos.

More often than not, though, Cena gets the reception of a heel because we’re tired of him calling Sheamus “a human jar of mayonnaise.” Every once in a while, however, Cena stops with his not-so-funny comedy and delivers a gem that turns those boos back into cheers.

That’s what he did on last week’s episode of Monday Night Raw.

For the first time since I can remember, Cena didn’t grab a mic and try to be a stand-up comic. Instead, what he did was the same thing that made CM Punk the star of 2011: he cut a worked shoot.

It was a far cry from the weak comedy we usually get from Cena. He spoke from the heart, he meant what he said and we could see that in his facial expressions, his mannerisms, the tone of his voice, everything.

Cena was able to rip The Rock apart in epic fashion and as someone who was firmly behind The Rock before this promo, I’m now considering a switch from Team Bring it to the Cenation.

Why? Because this was a rare occasion when Cena wasn’t being a corporate yes man who toes the company line and does exactly what Vince McMahon wants him to do.

Continue Reading: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1081190-wwe-john-cenas-raw-promo-was-the-best-of-his-career

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon top list of NASCAR’s highest-paid drivers

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National
Guard Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona
International Speedway on Feb. 19, 2012.

Danica Patrick was a lightning rod for attention while she was racing in the IndyCar series, where she was the most popular driver the past six years. She was Yahoo!’s most searched-for athlete (male or female) last year. The attention has been good for Patrick’s bank account, helping her earn $12 million in 2011, by our estimation.

She moves over to NASCAR full-time this season with a big-money sponsor in Go Daddy. She is racing on the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports. She’ll also run 10 races for Stewart-Haas in Sprint Cup starting with the 54th running of the Daytona 500, and will race a full schedule of Cup races in 2013.

The move to the more lucrative racing series will add millions to Patrick’s annual earnings, and should put her among the sport’s top earners despite her limited racing resume (Patrick won one IndyCar race). Her $12 million income last year ranks eighth among NASCAR drivers.

Even with the added millions, Patrick will still be looking up at Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is NASCAR’s highest-paid driver for the fourth straight year. Earnhardt earned $28 million in 2011 thanks to the highest licensing income in the sport and a host of personal endorsements with the likes of Wrangler, Chevrolet and Dollar General. Earnhardt is also Patrick’s part-time boss as the co-owner of JR Motorsports. Our earnings figures include driving salaries and personal endorsements, as well as drivers’ share of race winnings and licensing income.

Earnhardt has not had the success that had been expected since moving to the wealthy Hendrick Motorsports operation for the 2008 season. He captured one Cup win his first season, but is currently riding a 129-race winless streak. He still has a legion of ardent followers who voted him NASCAR’s most popular driver for the ninth straight time last year.

Earnhardt made progress in 2011 by making the season-ending Chase for the first time since 2008. He finished seventh in the final standings. It was his best showing since a fifth-place finish in 2005 when he raced for the outfit his father founded, Dale Earnhardt Inc. Earnhardt extended his driving contract with Hendrick, worth roughly $10 million annually, in September. The new deal keeps Earnhardt part of the Hendrick stable through 2017.

The second-highest-paid driver in NASCAR is Earnhardt teammate Jeff Gordon, who banked $24 million last year. Gordon captured three wins in the No. 24 car, including his 85th career win, which moved him to third on NASCAR’s all-time win list behind only Richard Petty and David Pearson. Gordon also benefits from his ownership stake in the car of five-time Sprint Cup champ Jimmie Johnson.

Johnson didn’t win the title last year for the first time since 2005, but he still earned $21 million – good for fourth among all drivers. All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers – Earnhardt, Gordon, Johnson and Kasey Kahne – were among the top 10 drivers in earnings. Kahne, who joins Hendrick this year in the No. 5 car, earned $11 million in 2011.

Continue Reading: http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AjTQO5Io7F.x8VTMuMya28rov7YF?slug=ys-forbes-earnhardt_highest_paid_nascar_drivers_022212

Daytona 500, Danica Patrick’s debut on hold

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Blessed of late by exciting action, an infusion of star power and a plethora of enticing storylines, NASCAR rolled toward its 54th Daytona 500 prepared to fully shake off some recent struggles.

And then the rain came.

Danica Patrick waves to the crowd during
driver introductions for the Daytona 500.

For the first time in history, NASCAR had to postpone its signature, start-of-the-season event until Monday at noon ET (weather permitting, of course).

“It’s one of those days here in Daytona,” NASCAR president Mike Helton said.

Monday could be one of those days, also, as the forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms throughout the day.

You can’t mess with Mother Nature, except for decades NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. did. The race had never even started late and while it has been cut short due to rain, it’s never been pushed to Monday before.

Now, at a rather inopportune time and ironically in the middle of a severe Central Florida drought, the rain struck back.

This year’s edition has been highly anticipated and appeared poised to draw significant television ratings. The arrival of Danica Patrick has produced new fans, a heavy push of media coverage and the new/old debate on how she’d do against the boys in NASCAR’s grandest event.

It comes on the heels of last year’s Great American Race that produced 74 lead changes, 22 different leaders (more than half the 43-car field) and 16 cautions – all Daytona 500 records.

Twelve cars had a legitimate shot to win in the final, furious laps only to see a fresh-faced 20-year old rookie named Trevor Bayne take the checkers. He was so surprised he missed the turn to victory lane.

The 2011 season was highlighted by a remarkable Chase for the Cup, NASCAR’s often-criticized playoff system, producing a finale in Homestead, Fla., that saw Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart – 1-2 in points going in – go 1-2 on the final lap. In the end, Stewart won by delivering an electric performance to win via a tie-breaker.

Speedweeks here – the seven-day run-up to the main event – did nothing to dampen enthusiasm.

Last Saturday’s Budweiser Shootout saw the return of the 43-car pack racing and produced a photo finish won by Kyle Busch. Then there was Patrick’s debut. Her first Sprint Cup start came in the Duel 150 qualifying race, which ended in a vicious crash. Twenty-four hours later, she claimed the pole for Saturday’s Nationwide race, which again ended in a crash for the 29-year-old former IndyCar driver.

Patrick’s presence has spiked Web traffic, television ratings and other tangible measurements. And with her around, everything just felt bigger, with throngs of race fans crowding beach bars and infield parties here all week. Race officials expected a crowd of at least 150,000.

Continue Reading: http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AkP93i293ipCzc4JutL4Wabov7YF?slug=dw-wetzel-daytona-500-rain-delay-022612

NFL teams now clamoring to move up for Robert Griffin III

We can only assume that Robert Griffin III's mega-impressive performance at the podium during the scouting combine was repeated when the Baylor quarterback interviewed with NFL teams this week. And if that's the case, teams would then go back and watch tape of a player who completed over 72 percent of his passes and led the nation in yards per pass in 2011. Given those speculations, it's no surprise that the drumbeat is getting louder every day from teams looking to package a huge purse of draft picks together and move up to the #2 spot -- currently owned by the St. Louis Rams -- for the services of the quarterback everybody believes will be the pick right after Andrew Luck.

According to Mike Freeman of CBS Sports, at least three teams -- the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, and Seattle Seahawks -- are seriously considering moving up to pluck RGIII out of the draft pool in late April.

The Redskins' interest was made public by defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, who spilled the beans to a fan, who then posted the news on the excellent Redskins blog, Hogs Haven. If you were somehow able to combine the skills of Rex Grossman and John Beck, the resulting Frankenstein quarterback would still not match the talents of Griffin. The need is set.

The Dolphins could still be looking very seriously at Green Bay's Matt Flynn -- Flynn is about to hit the open market and new head coach Joe Philbin was on Green Bay's staff for a good, long time -- and they could also be in the hunt for Peyton Manning if the future Hall-of-Famer can play after a series of neck surgeries and the recovery of the nerve impingements in his right arm. But a team that has built a lot of the pieces around a quarterback could do a lot worse than trade up for Griffin.

That's also the case for the Seahawks. General manager John Schneider said this week that he's far more interested in quarterbacks who have been athletic through their careers, and the guys who go to all the passing camps make him a little nervous. Since Manning actually runs his own passing academy, and Schneider also said that he's wary of throwing a lot of guaranteed money at a quarterback who makes you unsure, we'll assume that the Seahawks aren't in the hunt for #18. The Seahawks put their future in the hands of Tarvaris Jackson in 2011, and though Jackson performed reasonably well in the face of a rebuilding offense and his own injuries, Griffin's quite a few floors up in terms of talent, skill set, and potential.

Continue Reading: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/nfl-teams-now-clamoring-move-robert-griffin-iii-120152411.html;_ylt=AhPagA5YGgi2Clsl4Iy9Iw1DubYF

Durant says winning All-Star MVP a childhood dream

Kevin Durant cringes a little whenever he hears his name next to words like elite or superstar.

But after winning his first All-Star MVP award with a scoring display that ranked among the best in the game’s history, even Durant might have to acknowledge his own NBA stardom.

The Oklahoma City Thunder forward scored 36 points and grabbed seven rebounds Sunday night to help the West hold off a late charge from the East in a 152-149 victory.

“It’s just exciting to be named (an) All-Star, but to step it up another level and become MVP, it’s only something as a kid you dream about,” Durant said. “Coming from where I come from, I didn’t think I would be here. Everything is just a blessing to me.”

His performance was a small piece of All-Star redemption for Durant after he came up just short against Minnesota’s Kevin Love in Saturday night’s 3-point Shootout.

Durant dazzled with a scoring barrage that included jump shots, slashing layups and dunks to help the West open a 21-point lead. He even eclipsed West teammate Kobe Bryant, who scored 27 points and passed Michael Jordan to become the top career scorer in All-Star game history.

Durant said there was no special method to how he approached the game, but said he and West coach Scott Brooks did have a discussion back in Oklahoma City in which Durant let him know he didn’t mind logging a high number of All-Star minutes.

Durant finished the night playing a game-high 37.

“I’m always like that,” Durant said. “You know, every game I play in I try to be aggressive and be myself. It made it easier having my coaches over there, as well. … People just sacrificed shots, and that’s what you like to see from superstars.”

Miami’s Dwyane Wade said Durant will be a player to watch in future games.

“That record (Kobe) got, with KD in the league, I don’t know how long it’s going to last,” Wade said.

Continue Reading: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Ao9lKNwbEpAiLTBTYCdIk9i8vLYF?slug=ap-all-star-mvp

‘Rampage’ weight flop costs him; Bader puts him on his back to roll to victory at UFC 144

Bader scores another takedown against Rampage
(Photo by Tracy Lee)

Quinton Jackson didn't come to Japan ready to fight and it cost him in what he hoped would be a triumphant return. The former PRIDE legend and UFC light heavyweight champ didn't make weight on Friday. When it came time to show his stamina and athleticism, "Rampage" just didn't have it.

Behind a solid clinch game and wrestling, Ryan Bader pulled what turned out to be a mild upset, via unanimous decision, 30-27 on all three cards.

Jackson was a minus-250 favorite in the lead up to the fight. When he showed up at the weigh-in looking soft and tipping the scales at 211 pounds, bettors pounded the Bader side. They were right. Jackson explained that his weight miss was due to an injury during training camp that "kept him from doing his roadwork." Jackson did have a noticeable limp after the fight.

The 33-year-old wound up forfeiting 20 percent of his salary, which was likely around $250,000. That money goes straight to Bader.

This was a huge win for the former Arizona State All-American wrestler. Bader (14-2, 7-2 UFC) has been on the cusp of big things, but was dominated in early 2011 by the future division champ Jon Jones and upset later in the year by Tito Ortiz.

Read Full Story: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/rampage-weight-flop-costs-him-bader-puts-him-055552931.html;_ylt=Am3w9vzp4_Bnlb07rrgk7.U9Eo14

Dana White rich with options in lightweight division after Benson Henderson’s win at UFC 144

Benson Henderson (right) landed a plethora
of knees and kicks on Frankie Edgar at UFC 144.

Dana White has a problem, but of the myriad of woes that confront the UFC president each day, this is one he is happy to have.

Benson Henderson won the UFC lightweight title via unanimous decision after a rousing battle with Frankie Edgar in the main event of UFC 144 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. It was a back-and-forth brawl that had a little bit of everything that makes mixed martial arts great.

It was up, it was down. There were kicks, punches and knees, takedowns and submissions. It was fought at an extremely quick pace and they were going as hard in the final minute of the bout as they were in the initial minute.

The judges gave it to Henderson, 49-46 twice and 48-47. Yahoo! Sports also scored it 48-47 for Henderson, but the fight was so close. Edgar had a 5-1 edge in takedowns according to Fight Metric, but Henderson had an 87-68 edge in significant strikes; that it wouldn’t be unreasonable for the decision to have gone the other way.

If White decided to give Edgar an immediate rematch, all he’d have to do is show 45 seconds of highlights from Saturday’s bout and he’d have a pay-per-view winner on his hands.

But earlier on the card, Anthony Pettis scored a spectacular first-round knockout over Joe Lauzon. Pettis landed a kick to the head that ended the fight just 81 seconds after the opening bell.

Read Full Story: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AnizdqtkD3IcXG0geug8lZU9Eo14?slug=ki-iole_benson_henderson_lightweight_division_ufc_022612

UFC 144 comeback: Boetsch pulls off miracle against Okami; Shields gets by ‘Sexyama’

Boetsch rages in victory (Photo by Tracy Lee)

With some guts, power and toughness, Tim Boetsch turned a trip back down the middleweight ladder into an opportunity to legitimately call out top-five fighters at 185 pounds.

After getting schooled for two rounds in every aspect of the game, Boetsch landed some huge shots to finish Yushin Okami at the 0:54 mark of the third round at UFC 144 in Tokyo, Japan.

Boetsch got picked apart in the first by Okami's boxing. The Japanese veteran then turned to his vaunted ground-and-pound game in the second. Okami outlanded Boetsch 47-26 over the first two rounds. With Boetsch down 2-0 and his face busted up, the American had to go for broke.

He came out looking for the home run shot landing some effective kicks early before grabbing Okami's head and blasting him with an uppercut. Okami stumbled backward and took a deep breath, but Boetsch didn't allow him to collect himself. He followed Okami around the cage and landed another good combination. The completely stunned Okami was out on his feet. That's when Boetsch grabbed his head again and dug in deep to land three more uppercuts. Okami went down in a heap after the third and referee Leon Roberts had to jump in to save him.

"It still hasn't settled in yet. The first two rounds weren't good, but I won the third round and that's what counts. Yushin hit me harder than I expected, but I was standing at the end of his range so it was kind of my fault. I knew I had to move forward, but the upper cuts were a spur of the moment thing. Awesome night overall," said Boetsch.

After racing out to a 10-2 start with the UFC, Okami has now dropped two straight. Boetsch (15-4, 4-1 UFC) is a perfect 3-0 at middleweight.

Continue Reading: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-144-comeback-tim-boetsch-shocks-japanese-crowd-042844026.html;_ylt=Ah8ULRExyhUg0rB_BiBI.949Eo14

UFC 144 upset: ‘Kid’ Yamamoto falls again; Gomi posts nice comeback

Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto is snake bitten or maybe it's simply that the division has caught and passed him by. The Japanese legend was shocked by Vaughan Lee in a submission defeat at 4:29 of the first round at UFC 144 in Tokyo, Japan.

Yamamoto's caught in Lee's clutches (Photo by Tracy Lee)

Yamamoto, a huge knockout artist with good wrestling, was controlling the fight. With 1:04 left in the round, Kid got into a mix up with Lee. The Brit threw a bevy of right hand uppercuts and two body shots. Then came a right hook that landed on the Kid's chin. The Japanese legend stepped back and his right leg was like jello. Vaughn charged forward to attack but Yamamoto scored a takedown.

Still, he was in a no-win situation. Yamamoto was trying to slow the fight down, but he went into the guard of an excellent submission fighter. Lee (12-7-1, 1-1 UFC) quickly threw his legs up. He slapped on a triangle choke and eventually switched to an armbar. Yamamoto held out for a few seconds before tapping.

When he was freed from the hold, Yamamoto punched the canvas in frustration.

It's been a tough run for Yamamoto (18-6-1), who's now 0-3 in the UFC. Keep in the mind, this was a guy who went 14-0 from 2002-2007. Between injuries and the competition getting better, Yamamoto looks like he may be headed back to the minors. He's lost 5-of-6 overall.

Continue Reading: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-144-upset-kid-yamamoto-falls-again-022925420.html;_ylt=AoER1.w6cR1l0o9DKrnXmAk9Eo14

ALEXANDER SILENCES THE CRITICS; WINS WIDE DECISION OVER MAIDANA

Going in to tonight’s fight against the hard punching Argentine Marcos Maidana, Alexander had a lot of questions to answer. He was coming of a string of unimpressive performances against Andriy Kotelnyk, Tim Bradley, and Lucas Matthysse. Tonight he was looking to prove to the public that he is better than what he showed in those fights, and he did just that.

Alexander claimed that his struggle to make the junior welterweight was the main reason he’s looked subpar in the previous fights. Tonight he looked like a new man at welterweight. His body looked much fuller, and he appeared to be stronger as well.

In the first two rounds of the fight, Alexander was able to consistently beat the slower Maidana to the punch. In round three Maidana came out more aggressively than the first two and started to get inside and force Alexander backward. He was able to open a cut over Alexander’s right eye toward the end of the round.

In rounds four and five Alexander seemed to get in a rhythm and was able to time Maidana as he bull rushed forward and caught him with sharp counter shots.

In the final minute of the sixth round Alexander really hurt Maidana with a body shot and appeared to have scored a knockdown, but it was ruled a slip by referee Steve Smoger. Alexander continued going to the body in the seventh when Maidana got close and started to become the aggressor in the fight, as he backed him up. Maidana came out strong in the eighth but midway through the round Alexander took control again after landing a big straight left to the body of Maidana.

Continue Reading: http://www.proboxing-fans.com/5-reasons-why-pacquiao-vs-bradley-will-be-a-great-fight_022612/

EVANS WIN SLAM DUNK CONTEST IN NBA ALL-STAR

Jeremy Evans of Utah Jazz won the Slam Dunk Contest, one of the highlights of the 2012 All-Star Weekend at Orlando, Florida. Evans came as a replacement for the injured Iman Shumpert of the New York Knicks.

It was the first time ever that the Slam Dunk result was judged by text and online voting by fans all over the world. Out of the more than 3 million votes cats, Evans got 29 percent.

Evans edged out Chase Budinger of the Houston Rockets, Paul George of the Indiana Pacers and Derrick Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He dunked with a camera on his head and dunked with two basketballs simultaneously handed over by an assistant sitting on a chair whom he jumped over.

In his final dunk, he wore a Karl Malone Jazz jersey supposedly handed by comedian Kevin Hart, dressed as a mailman, whom he dunked over.

There were three rounds of dunks with the four competitors limited to two minutes per round to finish a dunk.

In the Three-Point Contest, Kevin Love, a power forward, outgunned Ryan Anderson of the Orlando Magic, James Jones of the Miami Heat, Anthony Morrow of the New Jersey Nets, and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, to win the shootout crown.

Love is an inside guy and according to him “he is not doing his job if he does not draw enough blood.” But over the weekend he showed the fans that he can shoot those booming triples beating the much established pure shooters in the league.

San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker won the Skills Competition. He was the only competitor out of the six participants to break 30 seconds in the first round at 29.2 seconds. In the final run on the obstacle course he edged out Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics and Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets.

In the Rising Stars Challenge, it was Kyrie Irving who shone brightly in leading the Charles Barkley team over the Shaquille O’ Neal team, 146-133. Irving shot a perfect eight-for-eight on 3-pointers, and missed only one 2-pointer, and came out with a total of 34 points to emerge as Most Valuable Player.

Continue Reading: PhilBoxing.com

Rattled Haye fled at dawn after shameful brawl with Chisora

Take that: David Haye punches Dereck Chisora
while seemingly holding a drinks bottle

This is the moment when Dereck Chisora believed David Haye glassed him during their disgraceful brawl in the early hours of Sunday morning. Haye, with a glass bottle in his right hand, punched Chisora. Drink spilled on to Chisora’s shirt and the end of the bottle appeared to catch his chin. Women screamed as more members of both camps joined the fray involving the two British heavyweight boxers, and huge men lurched around the room, scattering bottles, tables and chairs.

A camera tripod was raised by Haye in a scene captured by Sportsmail photographer Graham Chadwick, who was caught up in the melee. Police raced to Munich’s Olympiahalle after Chisora’s world heavyweight title defeat by Vitali Klitschko was followed by the bloody eruption at the post-fight media conference. Chisora and Haye face being banned from boxing. Hours later, Chisora was arrested at Munich airport. He was released without charge after questioning. Haye’s flight to London had taken off minutes earlier and the boxer has now gone into hiding.

German police issued a statement saying they are still anxious to quiz former champion Haye about his part in the melee in which Chisora, his trainer Don Charles and Haye’s manager/trainer Adam Booth were left bleeding from the head and face after an angry shouting match erupted into a frenzy of flying fists. After the fracas, Haye and Booth rushed to their five-star hotel in Munich, threw their belongings into bags and set off for the airport before 4.30am. Haye returned briefly to his home in Bexleyheath and then left for a secret location, believed to be a country club. He could not be contacted while Booth refused to comment.

British Boxing Board of Control general secretary Robert Smith told Sportsmail: ‘My first reaction was to wonder what on earth their mums must think of them. ‘It was extremely disappointing and disgusting. There will be a hearing. I’ve seen the footage and it doesn’t do the sport any good, or Britain. It was like “Brits abroad”. The first thing we need to do is find out the facts. I will be contacting the German authorities and the police to get the facts. I can’t say much more at this stage.’ The question now is not if Chisora and Haye will fight in the ring, but how long it will be before they are allowed to fight again, if ever.

Haye, 30, surrendered his boxing licence when he announced his retirement after losing the WBA world title to Wladimir Klitschko. Even if Vitali were to agree to fight him — which has to be even more unlikely now — there is no certainty that the British board would renew his permit. Chisora, 28, was already in trouble following his unprovoked face- slapping of Klitschko at Friday’s weigh-in. The WBC, whose belt was at stake on Saturday night, warned him to expect a $50,000 (£32,000) fine and asked the German boxing federation to withhold at least that much of his $300,000-plus purse (around £200,000). Come fight night there were arguments in the dressing room when Wladimir Klitschko complained about the style in which Chisora’s hands had been wrapped. This dispute kept worldwide television waiting almost a quarter of an hour for a delayed start.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-2103465/Dereck-Chisora-David-Haye-brawl.html#ixzz1muCFjYMn

Jeremy Lin: From Harvard to NBA stardom

WITH a degree of economics from Harvard University, Jeremy Lin has all the tools to help save the world from financial armaggedon.

But the world sometimes makes a mysteriously unexpected turn. And such is the life of Jeremy Lin, who is currently pouring all his energy and passion saving the New York Knicks.

Five games ago, the Knicks barely had a pulse, sinking fast down the NBA abyss with an 8-15 record. Their offense looked dead and dreadful, their defense lethargic. And with franchise player Carmelo Anthony battling injuries, the future promises despair, not hope.

All that gloom changed last February 4 in the Big Apple. On that Saturday night at the Madison Square Garden, in front of 19, 763 fans, a star was born.

Peeled off the deepest end of the bench, Jeremy Lin sprang to action and led the Knicks past the visiting New Jersey Nets, 99-92. Lin shot 10 of 19 field goals, dished 7 assists, grabbed 5 rebounds and stole the ball twice.

It was a performance worthy of applause and ovation, a brilliance that was just beginning.

Four games later, this time as the team's starting point guard, Lin guided New York to four more consecutive victories, including Saturday night's 100-98 nail-biter over the Timberwolves in Minnesota, where Lin sank the go-ahead free throw with 4.6 seconds remaining.

JUST like that, the Knicks are relevant again, creeping to within two games of a .500 record at 13-15.

And just like that, Lin is heralded as the savior. "Lin-sanity," New Yorkers call it. Others tag it as "All-Lin" and "Lin-pressive." Whatever the label, though, this simply is an amazing story to watch unfold.

Even Kobe Bryant, whose Lakers Lin torched for 38 points in a Knicks triumph Friday night at the Garden, took notice. "It's a great story. It's a testament to perseverance and hardwork. A great example to kids everywhere," said Kobe.

What a fairy tale, indeed.

Lin, 23, was born in Los Angeles and raised in Palo Alto, California. His parents ---- who emigrated from Taiwan in the mid 70s -- both stand at only 5-foot-6 inches tall, but Jeremy somehow skyrockted to 6-foot-3 with 200 pounds of muscle and bone.

He went to college at Harvard, an institution that has produced eight U.S. presidents, including the incumbent, Barack Obama. Students enrol at Harvard not to become NBA athletes, they go to Harvard harboring dreams of becoming lawyers or civic leaders, which makes Lin's journey even more compelling.

Undrafted, Lin was signed by for the Golden State Warriors for a partially guaranteed contract worth under $500,000 last season. He appeared in 29 games, averaged a meek 2.6 points and 1.1 assists in just 9.8 minutes of play per game and was released.

And so here he is now, a discarded piece turning into a New York treasure.

Read More: PhilBoxing.com

"Old" Celtics derail rampaging Bulls

CHICAGO - With Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce getting up there in age, the Boston Celtics have often been dismissed this season as old and ravaged, and running on toxic fumes.

Injuries to key players, including point guard Rajon Rondo, who has missed 9 games due to a litany of woes, have done little to silence the murmurs that the Celtics are no longer a championship contender and that the glory days have passed them by.

But on Sunday afternoon at the TD Garden in Boston, the 2008 NBA champions proved that they might have enough left in the tank for one more run at the Larry O'Brien trophy as the Celtics beat the streaking Chicago Bulls, 95-91.

It was a healthy Rondo who led the way. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound guard registered his 9th career triple-double with 32 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds. The 25-year old Rondo shot 11-of-22 from the field and 10 of 13 from the free throw line.

Boston's once-vaunted Big 3 also made an impact as 35-year old Kevin Garnett had 13 points and 12 rebounds while 36-year old Ray Allen drilled 11 points. Paul Pierce, 34, chipped in 9.

Chicago played without reigning MVP Derrick Rose, who missed his second consectuive game due to painful back spasms. Without him, the Bulls didn't have the sync, the stride, and the firepower to beat a veteran Celtics team that still plays defense at an elite level.

The Bulls have been on a tear lately, winning 6 of 8 away from home, including an NBA record four straight road games by 20 points or more. But they couldn't weave such magic on Sunday.

Against the Celtics, the Bulls made just 34 of 88 field goals (38.6 percent), 6 of 20 triples (30 percent) and 17 of 24 free throws (70.8 percent).

Boston converted only 3 of their 13 three-points and 18 of 26 free throws, but the Celtics sank 37 of their 75 field goals for a high 49.3 percent clip. The Celtics also outrebounded the Bulls, 44-42, and had more assists, 23-18.

Trailing for most of the game and down by 14 in the fourth quarter, the never-say-die Bulls fought back and came to within 91-88 with 1:23 left to play. But after Paul Pierce turned the ball over, CJ Watson missed a 3-point attempt, forcing the Bulls to foul Rondo, who sank the insurance free throws.

Watson paced the Bulls with 23 points and 6 assists. Carlos Boozer also had 22 with 7 rebounds while Joakim Noah had 16 and 9 boards. Luol Deng chipped in 10 points.

The Celtics improved their record to 15-12. Despite the hiccup, the Bulls kept the best record in the East with a 23-7 won-lost slate.

Read More: PhilBoxing.com