USA Boxing Chooses Points Over Computerized Scoring

USA Boxing is switching from the controversial computerized scoring system in favor of a more-traditional points format.

The federation voted to shelve the computer scoring system in favor of the 20-point must format, even though the computer system is used by AIBA, boxing’s international federation, at all international events.

The computers still will be used at the Olympics and world championships. But for now, the three major U.S. boxing championships--this week’s U.S. Boxing Championships, the junior nationals and Junior Olympics--will revert to the old 20-point must manual scoring by five judges at ringside.

Lyle Aklestad, USA Boxing’s chief of officials at the time the vote was taken last September, said the decision was overwhelming.

But many USA Boxing members, including president Gary Toney, are worried that eliminating computer scoring will put the United States out of step with the rest of the world.

“I’m very opposed to the rule that was passed,” Toney said. “It hurts our boxers. It hurts our officials. You’ve got to train to box the computer. It just hurts the program,”

Aklestad said the weakness of computerized scoring is how the system counts “scoring blows.”

Tennis

Boris Becker reportedly will be out of tennis with a lingering wrist injury longer than anticipated and probably will miss next week’s Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Fla.

The Bild newspaper said Becker hasn’t been able to practice since he dropped out of the quarterfinals in Dubai on Feb. 13.

The Copenhagen Open lost its top-seeded player for the second time when Arnaud Boetsch of France withdrew because of flu. Magnus Gustafsson of Sweden pulled out shortly before the tournament because of an injury, making Boetsch the No. 1-seeded player.

In the tournament, the day’s big surprise was by Fredrik Fetterlein, a Danish wild card who beat No. 8-seeded Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-7 (7-3), 6-2.

Jurisprudence

The shoplifting trial of former Wright State basketball coach Ralph Underhill began in Fairborn, Ohio, with a police officer testifying that Underhill told him he had made a mistake.

Underhill, 55, of suburban Washington Township, is accused of shoplifting vitamins from a store near campus on Nov. 11. Police said Underhill paid for one bottle of vitamins but concealed five other bottles.

The University of Texas says the two female athletes arrested on robbery and assault charges are “model citizens” and their status with their teams will be evaluated.

Sabrina Kelly, an All-American track star from St. Petersburg, Fla., and Angela Brown of Fulton, Mo., are accused of beating a woman and stealing her purse outside an Austin nightclub last month, police said.

Both were arrested Tuesday on second-degree felony charges after they turned themselves in. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.

They were released on personal recognizance bonds after bail was set at $3,500. David Berst, who heads the enforcement division of the NCAA, said he didn’t know if this was the first time female college athletes had been charged with a crime.

Pro Football

Mike McCormack retired as president of the Carolina Panthers. He was hired by owner Jerry Richardson eight years ago to help bring an NFL franchise to the Carolinas. Richardson said there are no immediate plans to fill the position.

The Charlotte Observer and the (Columbia, S.C.) State reported that the most likely successor to McCormack is the franchise owner’s son and director of business operations, Mark Richardson.

The Denver Broncos have reached agreement on a four-year contract with Carolina wide receiver Willie Green, the Denver Post reported.

The Post quoted an NFL source as saying the contract is worth $4.3 million over the four years and includes an $800,000 signing bonus.

Names in the News

A woman who reportedly was the oldest active female bowler in the United States has died. She was 106. Maude Mildred McIntyre, who died last Thursday in Fresno, was sanctioned as the oldest active female bowler by the Women’s International Bowling Congress in 1993 when she turned 103.

Ed Furgol, who had five PGA victories and six second-place finishes despite a left arm that was 10 inches shorter than his right, died, two weeks after he was found to have cancer. He was 79.