Bowe’s $5-Million Purse Being Held

Riddick Bowe’s $5-million paycheck from his near loss to unheralded Andrew Golota will remain in state custody until the Bowe camp reveals who in his entourage ignited a melee in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Four members of the Bowe entourage, including his nephew Stephen, have been charged in connection with Thursday night’s 30-minute brawl, which started after members of Bowe’s camp stormed the ring and which spread to the stands.

One of them, Jason Harris, 22, of Washington, scrambled across the ring to bash Golota in the head with a walkie-talkie and has been charged with assault.

In all, 17 people were arrested in connection with the brawl, which left 14 spectators and eight police officers with minor injuries.

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Wayne McCullough (19-0) retained his World Boxing Council bantamweight championship belt in Denver by beating Julio Cesar Cardona, a late substitute from Mexico. Fighting on 48 hours notice, Cardona made a strong showing as the replacement for challenger Duke McKenzie, who had to return to England because of visa problems.

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Germany’s Ralf Rocchigiani successfully defended his World Boxing Organization cruiserweight title for the fourth time, winning a unanimous decision over Nigeria’s Bash Ali at Essen, Germany.

Tennis

Monica Seles won her second match in two days, defeating Kimiko Date, 6-0, 6-2, today to give the United States a 3-0 lead over Japan and clinch its Fed Cup semifinal series in Nagoya.

The United States, regardless of the outcome of a singles and a doubles match to be contested later today, advances to the Fed Cup finals in September, taking on the winner of France and Spain, who were tied after the first two singles matches.

In singles matches played Saturday in Japan, Seles trounced Ai Sugiyama, 6-2, 6-2, and Lindsay Davenport routed Date, 6-2, 6-1.

Stefan Edberg’s hopes of winning the Swedish Open ended in disappointment when he was beaten by fellow Swede Magnus Gustafsson, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), in the semifinals in Bastad. Edberg also pulled a groin muscle and defaulted in the doubles.

Gustafsson will face Andrei Medvedev in the final.

Alberto Costa beat top-seeded defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the semifinals of the Swiss Open in Gstaad and will play fellow Spaniard and longtime friend Felix Mantilla for the title.

The Hall of Fame Championship semifinals--Leander Paes-Nicolas Pereira and Daniel Nestor-Grant Stafford--in Newport, R.I., were postponed because of rain and will be played today, followed by the finals.

Auto Racing

Formula One rivals Damon Hill of England and Germany’s Michael Schumacher condemned an incident of anti-German crowd violence reported at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone in which about 30 English fans reportedly attacked the campsite of the Schumacher fan club, threw stones and tore down German flags.

The flareup follows large outbreaks of violence last month in London directed at German fans after their soccer team defeated England in a semifinal of the European Championship.

Hill clocked a 130.613-mph lap in a Williams-Renault for the pole position, and his teammate, Jacques Villeneuve, will be alongside on the front row. Schumacher is third.

Andre Ribeiro’s fast lap of 110.616 mph from Friday stood up under a Saturday assault in the rain by his opponents and earned him the pole position for today’s Toronto Molson-Indy race on a 1.784-mile, 11-turn temporary course.

Football

Offensive tackle William Roaf’s new eight-year contract is the biggest in New Orleans Saint history and makes him the best-paid NFL offensive lineman ever, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The paper reported that Roaf will get $27.4 million, including a $5.5-million signing bonus.

Ray Lewis, a former University of Miami linebacker selected 26th overall in the NFL draft, has agreed to a five-year, $5-million deal with the Baltimore Ravens.

New York Jet linebacker Marvin Jones was arrested in Miami on charges of driving drunk, according to broadcast and print reports. Jones, 24, who was freed on bond, could be fined $20,000 by the NFL if he pleads guilty or is convicted, the Miami Herald said.

Miscellany

Mary Gain, 66, the wife of former Cleveland Brown defensive tackle Bob Gain, has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in Painesville, Ohio, after shooting him in the chest seven months ago. Gain has recovered.

Hot Lead, a gelding who races with green goggles to keep him calm, took the lead in the stretch and held off three challengers to win the $1-million Meadowlands Pace at East Rutherford, N.J.