X-Ray Halts Scypion; McGuigan Beats Pedroza

Wilford Scypion, a former middleweight title contender, was refused permission to box Saturday by the British Boxing Board of Control. His scheduled London fight with Herol Graham on the card with the World Boxing Assn.’s featherweight title fight was canceled after an X-ray showed an “abnormality, “ indicating that he may have suffered some brain damage. Scypion was ordered to have the test because he did not have the proper medical clearance from the New York Boxing Commission.

In the main event, Barry McGuigan, 24, of Ireland, won the WBA featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Eusebio Pedroza, 32, of Panama, in a 15-round bout at the Queens Park Rangers soccer stadium. McGuigan, nicknamed the “Clones Cyclone” after his hometown in the Irish Republic, knocked Pedroza down in the seventh round. Pedroza had held the title since April 1978 and had successfully defended it 19 times.

Steve Cauthen rode Oh So Sharp to victory in The Oaks at Epsom, England. The American jockey’s victory in the 1 1/2-mile race for 3-year-old fillies was his third Classic victory of the season. He also rode Oh So Sharp to victory in the 1,000 Guineas and last Wednesday won The Derby at Epsom aboard Slip Anchor.

Oh So Sharp, the 6-4 favorite, rallied from inside the pack at the two-furlong mark to score a six-length victory over Tryptych, with Dubian finishing third.

Fali Time, winner of the 1983 Hollywood Futurity, died from a severe attack of colic.

“He went down with it during the night and we shipped him straight to the (Chino Valley Equine) Hospital,”trainer Gary Jones said. “But by the time he got there, they said it was too late to do anything.”

Fali Time earned $1,033,179 in 15 starts for owners James L. Mamakos and Marc Stubrin.

Master Willie, driven by Jan Nordin, won the $440,840 Yonkers Trot at Yonkers Raceway, covering the mile in 1:59 3/5 to take the first leg of trotting’s Triple Crown.

It was the second straight year the race was won by Nordin and the second consecutive year that his entry ran 1-2.

Keystone Wise, a 25-1 shot, made a move approaching the three-quarters pole but backed off, allowing Mark Six, driven by Ulf Nordin, Jan’s brother, to chase home his entrymate.

Bobby Rahal won the International Race of Champions (a race of 12 top drivers in identically prepared Chevrolet Camaros) despite making contact with Mario Andretti’s car less than two laps from the end.

Rahal was in second place and trying to pass when the right front of his car and the left side of Andretti’s came in contact between Turns 7 and 8 of the Mid-Ohio Raceway at Lexington, Ohio. Andretti did a 360-degree spin in front of Rahal, but Rahal avoided it and drove around Andretti to take the lead.

The Philadelphia 76ers are interested in Detroit Pistons Coach Chuck Daly as a replacement for retired Coach Billy Cunningham, but Philadelphia General Manger Pat Williams said that a first-round draft pick is “too steep a price.” Williams said that contract negotiations with Daly wouldn’t start until after the compensation issue was settled.

Williams said the 76ers are ready to hire assistant coach Matt Guokas if the Daly deal doesn’t come through.

Harvard University rowers broke a four-year losing streak and defeated arch-rival Yale in the 120th Yale-Harvard Regatta.

Names in the News

Brandon Richards, the nation’s leading high school pole vaulter, became the second prep ever to clear 18 feet, winning at 18-0 in the Golden West Invitational meet at Sacramento. Joe Dial holds the national prep record at 18-1.

Leroy McClendon, 52, an assistant basketball coach at Vanderbilt, died of an apparent heart attack while on vacation with his family in Tennessee.