Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Dec. 18, 2003, edition 1 / Page 19
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3C SPORTS/fRe CItariotte #o«t Thursday, December 18, 2003 Junior Spinks shines in boxing upset By John Curran THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ATIANTIC CITY, N.J. - On a night with plenty of stars, it was a new one named Cory Spinks who shined the brightest. Spinks, the son of former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, used patience and superior quickness to pull off a Spinks Jinx-style upset over welterweight bad boy Ricardo Mayorga last week. In doing so, he won a title - and brought his famous dad to tears. The young Spinks, a clever lefty who doesn’t hit espe cially hard but doesn’t rattle easily either, captured the WBA crown with a majority 12-round decision in simple but sirrprising fashion. Reacting calmly to Mayorga’s flailing, unortho dox assaults, Spinks picked his spots and used radar-hke anticipation to avoid getting hit, fhistrating the fighter who has frustrated so many others. Spinks (32-2) went down at least three times, most on tangled feet as he retreated from wild-swinging Mayorga flurries. Once, Mayorga landed a solid right to Spinks’ abdomen as he backpedaled and Spinks feU down, but referee Tony Orlando ruled it no knock down. The victory brought Leon Spinks to tears in his son’s corner. Uncle Michael Spinks, another former champion in the family, was among the sellout crowd of 12,346 who watched the eight-fight card in Boardwalk Hall. “I loved it,” a beaming Leon Spinks said afterward. “I knew he could do it if he put his mind to it.” Mayorga, who was riding high off consecutive victories over Vernon Forrest, said afterward Orlando cost him the fight, between the no knockdown call and the two points he deducted from Mayorga for hitting low and hitting late. ? Spinks, meanwhile, is look ing forward to bigger things. “I don’t, mind giving Mayorga a rematch but doesn’t Shane Mosley and Spinks sound a little better?” he said. Spinks’ victoiy highlighted a night that also saw mid dleweight champion Bernard Hopkins stage his 17th successful title defense, which was another punish ing, workmanlike victoiy - this time over a game Wflliam Joppy. Joppy, a 33-year-old WBA champion, withstood a beat ing that left his cheekbones grotesquely swollen and raised a knot on his fore head, bravely going the 12- round distance. With the unanimous decision, Hopkins ran his record to 43- 2-1. Your source for community and black college sports Wtje Cljarlotte FORD’S USED TIRES New Tires Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. • Sat. 8 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. • Brake Job Front $35.00 Back $45.00 3401 Tuckaseegee Rd. Charlotte, NC 28208 (704)393-1109 • Oil Change - $21.88 Ford’s Busy Bee Mini Mart 505 Beanies Ford Rd. Charlotte, NC 28216 (704)333-8448 1222 Central Ave. Charlotte, NC 28204 (704)377-0870 NFL issues minority interviewing guide THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK - The NFL has issued 10 guidelines it hopes will strengthen its year-old pohcy that at least one minority candidate be interviewed for each head coaching vacancy. The New York Times reported. A memo sent by the league’s committee on work place diversity dated Dec. 1 and obtained by the Times lists several provisions for interviewing coaching candi dates. These include docu menting each interview that is conducted, eliminating telephone-only interviews and involving the team’s owner in interviewing final ists for the job. The memo said exceptions will be made if the team has a prior contractual agree ment with a member of its coaching staff to become the head coach and files it with the league office when it is signed. Penalties for failing to fol low the guidelines could include fines or loss of draft picks. Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who is chair man of the committee, said the guidelines will increase the number of head coaches who are minorities, and help to build relationships between owners and minori ty candidates. “We’re not doing this with the idea to satisfy a com plaint or look good,” Rooney told the newspaper. ‘This is the right thing to do and we want it to work. We’re not saying “This is the guy you have to hire’ but the relation- Withers key for 49ers Continued from page 1C That’s why Withers is the 49ers most important player because he allows the team to play small with him at center, but not lose their advantage on the boards or inside the paint on offense. Withers, a former West Charlotte High standout, continues to keep in contact with his high school coach Rusty White. “We’re real cool. (He’s) kind of like family.” Withers and White live about 5 minutes apart and they talk almost every day. A year and a half after leaving the Lion’s Den Withers is happy with the decision he made to stay at home in Charlotte. ‘Tve progressed more than I would’ve if I went to any of the other schools. Plus Tve become a lot wiser both on the court and off the court.” After Charlotte’s 6-2 start, 49ers fans are pretty happy with his decision, too. Verona reintroduces Suzuki as auto player Winfred B. Cross Test Drive Suzuki yanked most of its cars from the American mar ket a few years ago to con centrate on selling sport util ities. It wasn’t a hard deci sion because few bought the autos. But Suzuki has quietly updated its auto selection, offering some cute and much more likable vehicles. Its lat est is the very affordable and appealing Verona. The car has a somewhat checkered past. First it was a Daewoo Leganza and in Korea it still may be such. Daewoo pulled out of the U.S. with a thud last year. Suzuki liked the restyled Leganza (and aU of Daewoo’s other cars) so it sells a shght- ly restyled version. The Verona gets high marks for value. It competes with the Tbyota Camry and Honda Accord, which it absolutely trounces on price. It’s nearly the same size as both but starts at about $15,000 (four-cylinder engine). The EX model starts at $19,499. Even with the $500 destination charge it doesn’t crack $20,000. What do you get for ; $19,999? Eveiything. Your •20 grand buys climate con- - trolled interior, leather seats. power driver seat, six-speak er CD stereo, tilt, cruise, power package, leather- wrapped steering wheel, speed sensitive steering, sunroof, fog lamps, full size spare, ABS with four-wheel disc brakes and keyless entiy. You also get a six-cylinder engine. The 2.3-liter unit makes 155 horsepower with 177 poimds-feet of torque. That’s the perfect place to start mentioning the car’s faults. Yes, you get a six- cylinder, but it’s weak. There are plenty of four-bangers that make more power. It is a fairly smooth power plant, however. The seats are leather-cov ered, but rock hard. Ditto for the suspension. You will feel every bump. Steering is pro gressive, but a tad slow. Handing can be a bit dicey on wet surfaces. The dash is made from plastic that looks cheaper than the stuff General Motors uses in a lot of its cars. Now that’s cheap. lb its credit, the Verona is designed to be a value and that’s where it succeeds. It gives you just enough for the ' money. Most people looking for this kind a bargain wfll live with the car’s faults without paying them a sec ond thought. Throw in the 100,000 mile/seven-year warranty and the price of entry looks even more appealing. You pay for what you get. Suzuki gives you enough of the right things on the Verona. ship has to be there.” Attorney Cyrus Mehri, who joined Johrmie Cochran earlier this year in pushing the league to hire more minorities as coaches, called the new guidelines “a high- water mark in terms of major league sports” and said the NFL should be com mended for developing a way to enforce its policy. Jeff Nero,” certified Leasing &Sales consultant Over 28 Years ofvrofessmd Saks & Service, Visit the Rest, then see je, for the "Best" Deal in own Certified Per-Owned Lincoln-Mercury’s Special Warranties, 6 Years or 75,000 Miles • Call For Best Deal! 5201E. Independence Blvd. 704-535-7810 tAt. 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The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Dec. 18, 2003, edition 1
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