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LOS ANGELES -- Bermane Stiverne completed his long journey to a heavyweight title with one more punishing victory. Blake Bortles Elite Jersey Womens . Stiverne stopped Chris Arreola in the sixth round Saturday night, claiming the WBC heavyweight title belt vacated by Vitali Klitschko. Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), who was born in Haiti but grew up in Montreal, dropped Arreola twice in the sixth, and he was punishing Arreola again when referee Jack Reiss stopped the fight with 58 seconds left in the round. The Klitschko brothers had held every major heavyweight title for the past six years. Vitalis retirement into Ukrainian politics in December opened the WBC belt for the 35-year-old Stiverne, a late bloomer who hasnt lost in 13 consecutive fights. After beating Arreola by decision last year, Stiverne hadnt fought in nearly 13 months while waiting for Klitschkos decision to retire. The wait was worth it. "I studied and studied," Stiverne said. "I watched my opponent. I knew I could knock him out. ... I was patient. The plan was to let him get comfortable, and he soon as he gets real comfortable, then crack him. And thats what I did." Stiverne dropped Arreola (36-4) for the first time with a sweeping right hand to Arreolas left temple, sending Arreola wobbling and crashing to the canvas. Arreola rose and kept fighting, but Stiverne put him headfirst into the ropes moments later with another combination. After Reiss stopped the fight, Stiverne wept with the WBCs green belt around his shoulder while promoter Don King celebrated at the Galen Center on USCs downtown campus. "I knew it was a wrap," Stiverne said. "The way I trained, I knew I could knock him out because Ive got the power." Stiverne won a lop-sided decision over Arreola last April, breaking Arreolas nose in the third round. Arreola, who acknowledged training poorly for that fight, felt he lost the rematch when he got hit by the same punch that finished the first fight. "He has a tremendous right hand, thats exactly what it was," Arreola said. "I felt like I was winning the fight. He just got me with the same right hand. Couldnt get away from it, and after that, its all she wrote." The well-travelled Stiverne, who fought for Canada as an amateur boxer and trained in Florida earlier in his pro career, worked out of Floyd Mayweathers gym in Las Vegas for this bout. He is the first heavyweight champion of Haitian descent and the first champ not named Klitschko since Samuel Peter, who was stopped by Vitali Klitschko in 2008. Wladimir Klitschko, who holds the other three major heavyweight titles, is eager to claim all four belts by fighting the winner. But before that lucrative bout, Stiverne must fight unbeaten Deontay Wilder, the U.S. Olympic bronze medallist and the WBCs mandatory challenger. "With all due respect, I dont give a damn about Wilder or Klitschko right now," Stiverne said. "Right now, its about what I won." Arreola has lost both of his shots at the WBC heavyweight title, getting pounded by Vitali Klitschko in 2009 just up the street at Staples Center. The Los Angeles-area native was attempting to become the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent. "I could have got back up plenty of times," Arreola said. "Was the fight stopped a little early? I believe so. But then again, the referee is there to protect me from myself. But I felt like I was winning the fight." Both fighters took advantage of the small 17-by-17-foot ring at the Galen Center, which was hosting its first boxing card. Stiverne landed the biggest shots in the opening round, but Arreola dominated the second and third rounds with a withering series of combinations, trapping Stiverne against the ropes. Stiverne laughed off the punishment and allowed Arreola to keep moving forward, content to counterpunch. "I wasnt hurt," Stiverne said. "He actually punched me, my mouth was open, and he busted my lip. I was trying to find out if there was food or something in my teeth, but it was my lip. He didnt hurt me in the head." Stiverne hasnt lost since July 2007, when he was stopped by Demetrice King. He fought to a majority draw with Charles Davis in 2009, but has stopped five of his last seven opponents. Custom Jacksonville Jaguars Jersey . Bergmann, who came ninth in Bad Gastein a year ago for his only previous top-10 result, defeated Andreas Prommegger of Austria in the final of the single-run format. Aaron March of Italy finished third by beating Sebastian Kislinger of Austria. Toby Gerhart Elite Jersey Womens . -- Brian Dawkins biggest contribution Sunday in the AFC wild card playoffs will be with his talking and not his tackling.MINNEAPOLIS -- Rudy Gay had 19 points and eight rebounds, lifting the Memphis Grizzlies to a 90-86 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night in their first game since learning Zach Randolph would be out for six to eight weeks. O.J. Mayo scored 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter and Mike Conley had 12 points and eight assists for Memphis. Kevin Love had 27 points and 14 rebounds and Ricky Rubio added 12 points, 10 assists and four rebounds for the Timberwolves, who missed a chance for their first three-game winning streak since February 2010. Love became the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975 to record 20 points and 12 rebounds in his teams first six games. But it wasnt enough against the hard-nosed Grizzlies, who scored 23 points off 17 turnovers and held the Wolves to 40 per cent shooting to grind out the kind of victory that would make Randolph proud. Memphis used a 13-0 run to take a 76-68 lead with 3:37 to go, then held on as the Wolves tried to rally. Love, Luke Ridnour and Rubio hit threes, the last from the Spaniard with 16.5 seconds to play to make it 84-83. But Conley and Mayo knocked down free throws to hold them off. Tony Allen added 20 points for Memphis. The Grizzlies found out earlier Wednesday that they will be missing Randolph, their emotional leader and best player, for the next six to eight weeks because of a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. It was Randoolph who instilled the swagger and toughness in this young team last year, carrying them to within one win of the Western Conference finals. Allen Hurns Jersey. Memphis traded a second-round pick to Philadelphia and sent guard Xavier Henry to New Orleans as part of a three-team trade that landed them Philly big man Marreese Speights, but most of the onus will be put on Gay and Gasol to fill the void. Memphis trailed 68-63 with 7:45 to play, but ripped off a 13-0 run to take control. Mayo, who was a Timberwolf for about an hour on draft night in 2008 before being traded for Love, hit a three-pointer, a three-point play and a free throw in the spurt for a 76-68 lead. The Timberwolves were sluggish for most of the night, but Rubio energized them at the start of the fourth quarter with a nice flurry. He ended the third with a stutter-step score on a drive, then opened the fourth with a 28-foot lob pass to Derrick Williams. Rubio added a jumper from just inside the three-point line and drew a charge on the other end as the Wolves took a 64-61 lead. NOTES: The Timberwolves played without JJ Barea (strained right hamstring) for the third time in four games. Adelman said they wanted to play it cautious and make sure he was full healthy before they brought him back. ... Conley made his first start since spraining his ankle three games ago. ... Wolves F Anthony Tolliver took a nasty fall under the basket in the fourth but was able to finish it out. ' ' ' |
