Boxing

America Presents has filed suit against HBO, accusing the pay-cable television network of blocking a David Reid-Felix Trinidad fight so it could pursue a Trinidad-Oscar De La Hoya rematch.

“HBO is trying to use a purse negotiation last-refusal that doesn’t apply to a Reid-Trinidad fight to block that fight and force the fight that it wants,” said Jethro Eisenstein, attorney for America Presents, Reid’s promoter.

De La Hoya will fight Derrell Coley Feb. 26 at Madison Square Garden on HBO, and at a New York news conference to promote the fight, De La Hoya said he would like to fight Trinidad in June and would take less money than the IBF-WBC welterweight champion.

If, however, the fight doesn’t happen, he said he could fight Shane Mosley, a former lightweight champion; Ike Quartey, a former welterweight champion, or Vernon Forrest.

Michael Moorer’s grandfather, Henry Smith, 79, is suing the former heavyweight champion for up to $6.9 million, claiming he didn’t get what he deserved for guiding the boxer’s amateur career as a trainer.

America’s Cup

The French team sealed its place in the semifinals of the challenger series with a victory over an absent opponent off Auckland, New Zealand, ensuring that Young America would not advance.

Le Defi Francais sailed the race course alone because America True, which had already qualified, forfeited. The nine points for the victory clinched the last berth for Le Defi Francais. That also meant that even after a forfeit win over Young Australia--which also withdrew from its race--the New York Yacht Club’s Young America had been eliminated from the competition.

The six to advance to the semifinals were Italy’s Prada, America True and AmericaOne, both from San Francisco, Japan’s Nippon, San Diego’s Stars and Stripes and Le Defi Francais. The semifinal series starts Jan. 2.

Baseball

The hearing on a grievance by 22 umpires trying to regain their jobs was postponed until next month because the mother of arbitrator Alan Symonette is ill. The Major League Umpires Assn. began presenting its case in Philadelphia on Monday.

Because of the postponement, there may not be a decision in the case before the start of spring training in mid-February.

Names in the News

Tennis great Don Budge, 84, broke his leg and was critically injured when his car hit trees after skidding off a wet road in the Pocono Mountains near Budge’s home in Milford, Pa. Budge had to be cut him from the wreckage and was airlifted to a hospital in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. . . . Robert Wagenhoffer, a world professional figure skating champion and silver medalist in the 1982 U.S. nationals, died Monday at 39 of AIDS at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, said his manager, Michael Rosenberg. . . . Clint Conque, offensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech, has been hired as football coach at Central Arkansas. He replaces Mike Isom, who resigned.