Chavez to Fight Gamache at the Pond Next Month

Oscar De La Hoya’s injured shoulder was bad news for Southland boxing fans who planned to go to Las Vegas, but it turned into good news for fans who want to see Julio Cesar Chavez fight in person.

Chavez’s bout against Joey Gamache, which was scheduled to be on the undercard of De La Hoya’s Oct. 12 fight against Miguel Angel Gonzalez, will headline a card at the Pond of Anaheim on that date.

Gonzalez, the top-rated World Boxing Council super-lightweight contender, will also fight on the card, against an opponent to be announced. Michael Carbajal will defend his International Boxing Federation light-flyweight championship against Juan Domingo Cordoba of Argentina.

Golf

Tiger Woods, who led the Quad City Classic last week before winding up fifth, was one of eight golfers two strokes off the lead after the first round of the B.C. Open at Endicott, N.Y.

Brian Claar, winless in 10 years on the PGA Tour, is the leader at five-under-par 66. Woods, playing in his fourth event since turning professional, had four birdies and a bogey to finish at 68.

Olympics

The International Baseball Assn. is holding a special congress Saturday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to vote on a change in its amateur-only rule and bring baseball into line with basketball, tennis, ice hockey and other sports with professionals in the Olympic Games.

In June 1994, the baseball federation narrowly rejected a proposal to embrace professionalism. Since then, the IBA has added more than 10 new members, and the proposal is expected to gain approval this time.

An International Olympic Committee delegation was assured by Russia’s prime minister that his government will guarantee political stability if St. Petersburg is chosen as host of the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Viktor Chernomyrdin told reporters after meeting Olympic officials that Russia’s uncertain political situation could hurt St. Petersburg’s chances of winning the games.

The U.S. Olympic Committee confirmed that USA Boxing officials misspent $2.36 million in USOC grants from 1991-95. The USOC discovered the misspending during a routine audit that began July 17.

Jurisprudence

A drunk-driving charge has been filed against sports agent Leigh Steinberg, whose blood-alcohol level tested at .20 following a minor accident Sept. 7, Deputy District Attorney Jack Sullens said.

Retired stock car star and aspiring politician Richard Petty admitted he broke traffic laws when he followed too closely behind a speeding car in Raleigh, N.C. Petty’s lawyer paid $65 in court costs. Petty is a Republican running for secretary of state in November.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Diane Wayne overruled the California Horse Racing Board’s disqualification of three horses that had tested positive for the substance scopolamine during the 1994 Santa Anita meet.

The three owners who appealed and benefited from Wayne’s decision were Glen Hill Farm, whose horse Top Rung originally finished second, earning $6,400; Robert Clay, whose horse Water Prospector won, earning $11,050; and Team Valor Inc., whose horse Lady Blessington won the Buena Vista Handicap, earning $66,300.

Tennis

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and defending champion Mary Pierce advanced to the quarterfinals of the Nichirei Ladies tennis tournament at Tokyo. . . . Stefan Edberg said he will join Sweden’s Davis Cup squad for this weekend’s semifinals against the Czech Republic at Prague.