Boxing

Former junior-welterweight champion Zab Judah was fined $75,000 and suspended six months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for throwing a stool and putting a glove to a referee’s chin after losing a match last month.

The 24-year-old fighter apologized for putting a glove to the chin of referee Jay Nady and throwing a stool in anger after Nady stopped his fight with Kostya Tszyu at the end of the second round Nov. 3 in Las Vegas.

The $75,000 fine will be deducted from Judah’s $885,000 paycheck, which had been withheld pending commission action.

Golf

Defending champion Ernie Els shot a six-under-par 66 to maintain a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City, South Africa. The South African star had an 11-under 133 total. England’s Lee Westwood was second after a 65, and Canada’s Mike Weir and Germany’s Bernhard Langer were two back at 135.

Pat Perez broke the course record at Bear Lakes with a nine-under 63 and took a two-stroke lead at the halfway point of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament at West Palm Beach, Fla.

Se Ri Pak has withdrawn from the Hyundai Team Matches Dec. 7-9 at Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point to be with her ailing father in South Korea, tournament officials said.

Miscellany

Cedric Pioline and Fabrice Santoro foiled Australia’s gamble, beating late substitutions Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt in doubles, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-1, to give France a 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup final today at Melbourne.

Rafter and Hewitt must win in Sunday’s reverse singles against a rested Nicolas Escude and Sebastien Grosjean.

The attorney representing world champion hurdler Anjanette Kirkland in a civil suit against coach John Smith and Hudson Smith International has been ordered to attend a hearing Dec. 11 at Los Angeles Superior Court to prove a summons was served and explain his failure to appear at a Nov. 20 status conference.

Eric Bates, Kirkland’s attorney, filed a $1-million suit against HSI and Smith on Aug. 3, claiming assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress against Kirkland, her mother and her sister as the result of a fracas in a hotel bar June 24 in Eugene, Ore.

Smith contended the women attacked and scratched him. The complaint was later amended by Bates.

Italy’s Isolde Kostner kept up her dominance at Lake Louise, Canada, with her second skiing victory in as many days.

Kostner won in 1 minute 38.13 seconds. American Picabo Street finished sixth in 1:38.46.

Michael Phelps backed up his U.S. swimmer-of-the-year award by setting a U.S. Open meet record in the 400-meter individual medley at East Meadow, N.Y. Phelps, 16, won the race in 4:11.95.

American Angela Nikodinov landed all her jumps smoothly to finish first in the women’s short program at the NHK Trophy figure skating competition in Kumamoto, Japan.

Kelly Askew had his second hat trick of the season to lead the Ice Dogs to a 6-4 victory against Bakersfield at Long Beach.