Next Time, Boxer Will Have to Do It Himself

Tony Wilson gets to count the victory on his record, but he is going to have to beat Steve McCarthy again without help from his mother if he wants a shot at Britain’s light-heavyweight boxing title.

McCarthy and Wilson fought in Southampton, England, Sept. 21. In the third round, McCarthy landed a punch that sent Wilson to the canvas for an eight-count.

Wilson’s 62-year-old mother, Minna, became so upset that she climbed into the ring and started beating McCarthy over the head with the business end of a high-heeled shoe. McCarthy suffered a head wound and told the referee he could not continue.

The British Boxing Board of Control has ruled that it had no choice but to uphold the victory. But it ordered that a rematch be staged at a different site by a different promoter under different security measures. And Minna Wilson will not be present.

A test of willpower: Can Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda pass up all that banquet food and stay on his diet while on his annual Good Will Ambassador speaking tour?

--On Oct. 6, he served as grand marshal of the Columbus Day Parade in Newark, N.J.

--The next night, he and his wife, Jo, were President Bush’s guests at the White House at a state dinner for Francesco Cossiga, the president of Italy.

--Friday, he was at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., to address the cadets. Lasorda recently joined the academy’s board of directors.

--Today, he will be back in Washington to attend an Italian-American Foundation dinner saluting, among others, Joe DiMaggio.

--And Sunday, he will be in Philadelphia to appear on cable television’s Home Show and also attend Lee Iacocca’s birthday party.

A’s in six? A World Series prediction, from Tim Kurkjian of the Baltimore Sun: “The A’s still are ticked about losing to an inferior Dodger team in the World Series last year. After acquiring Rickey Henderson from the New York Yankees during the season, they’ve become a lot better than they were last season. Their pitching is better, too, after signing Mike Moore. Never count out Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell and the Giants’ desire, but their pitching is a little short. Plus, their hitters in the 6-9 slots can be dominated. Athletics in six.”

Add Kurkjian: “Giant Manager Roger Craig said he would start Candy Maldonado in right field in Game 1 tonight. He hit .217 in 1989.

“ ‘But he had a hell of an at-bat Monday,’ said Craig, referring to the two-out walk Maldonado drew in the eighth inning. “He’s struggled all year . . . It might be his time to come through.’ ”

Trivia time: What five major league teams did not win a division title in the 1980s?

Fitchburg State preview: Football statistician David Rothman of Hawthorne insists that despite their 36 consecutive losses, the Fitchburg State Falcons are not the worst college team in the land. Rothman ranks the Falcons, who play Southeastern Massachusetts today, 670th--ahead of, in order: Western New England, St. Paul Bible College, Assumption and Trinity Bible.

Crying wolf II: Lou Holtz, coach of top-ranked Notre Dame: “I still haven’t seen us execute both offensively and defensively for 60 minutes the way we’re going to have to before the season is over.”

Trivia answer: The Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians.

Quotebook: Iowa State Coach Jim Walden, on today’s game in Ames, Iowa, against third-ranked Colorado: “You hear that thumping? That’s Godzilla coming.”