IN BRIEF
OMAHA, Neb. — WBO lightweight champion Terence Crawford strengthened his bid for Fighter of the Year with a unanimous decision over top-ranked contender Ray Beltran on Saturday night.
Crawford won his third fight of 2014 and announced afterward he would move up to the 140-pound division.
Crawford was in control throughout the 12-round fight, using his jab to keep Beltran from getting inside and landing some timely big shots to remain unbeaten.
After the final bell, Crawford raised his hands in victory as his hometown crowd of more than 11,000 cheered him.
The 27-year-old Crawford is 25-0. Beltran is 29-7-1.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Hamilton star Brandon Banks' 90-yard punt return for an apparent go-ahead touchdown with 35 seconds left was wiped out by an illegal block, and the Calgary Stampeders held off the Tiger-Cats 20-16 on Sunday night in the Grey Cup.Calgary won its seventh Canadian Football League title and first since 2008.Banks stormed out of the Hamilton locker room as the media waited to get in. Several reporters tried to get a comment, but he kept moving. The former Washington Redskins speedster just looked back and said: “I ain't talking to nobody.”Hamilton linebacker Taylor Reed was penalized for the block.The historic trophy was damaged as the Stampeders celebrated, with the top coming loose from the base.
SYDNEY — Jordan Spieth played the best round of an already impressive career with an 8-under 63 on Sunday to win the Australian Open by six strokes, making his first trip Down Under a successful one.Spieth's 72-hole total of 13-under 271 on the tough, windy Australian Golf Club made him the first American to win the Australian Open since Brad Faxon in 1993, when the 21-year-old Spieth was four months old.Spieth birdied four holes on the front nine — three of them in a row — to lead by three strokes after nine holes, then made light of the challenging, windy conditions by adding four more on the back nine, never threatening to lose his lead.Spieth's score was a record for the revamped Jack Nicklaus-designed layout which was being played as a par 71 for the first time.