Morales, Barrera to Meet Again

Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales each have a disputed victory over the other and the Mexican rivals will meet for a third time, on Nov. 27 in a 130-pound bout, Top Rank President Bob Arum announced Thursday in Big Bear.

The site is yet to be determined -- the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas and Staples Center are the finalists -- though Golden Boy Promotions Chief Executive Richard Schaefer said, “The MGM has first right of refusal.”

Morales (47-1, 34 knockouts) is the reigning World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation super-featherweight champion. His loss came to Barrera at 126 pounds in a unanimous decision on June 22, 2002.

Barrera (58-4, 41) recovered from last November’s surprising TKO loss to Manny Pacquiao with a 10th-round stoppage of Paulie Ayala on June 19. Morales won the first fight with Barrera, at 121 pounds, with a split decision.

Paul Gutierrez

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Pro Football

Duce Staley rushed for 37 yards and one touchdown against his former team to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 27-21 exhibition victory at Philadelphia. Reserve Willie Parker ran for 106 yards and one score for the Steelers.

Reno Mahe ran for a score and L.J. Smith and Greg Lewis had touchdown catches for the Eagles, who lost two starters -- linebacker Nate Wayne and left guard Jermane Mayberry -- to injuries.

Benny Friedman and Fritz Pollard, who played in the 1920s and 1930s, were chosen by a panel of Hall of Fame voters as the senior candidates to join 13 modern-era finalists for selection to the hall’s class of 2005.

From three to six nominees will be chosen from that group in voting to be held in Jacksonville on Feb. 5, the day before the Super Bowl.

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed 14-year veteran placekicker Steve Christie to battle rookie Josh Scobee, a fifth-round draft pick, for the starting job.... The Dallas Cowboys Channel, a 24-hour cable network, will launch Sept. 8 and be available to more than 1.3 million Comcast subscribers in Texas and adjoining states. The network will offer original programming, including broadcasts of Coach Bill Parcells’ news conferences, a nightly news show from practice, call-in shows and “Owners Desk,” a weekly report from team owner Jerry Jones.

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College Football

Justin Zwick will start at quarterback for No. 9 Ohio State in its opener Sept. 4 against Cincinnati after the former heralded recruit beat out fellow sophomore Troy Smith.

Wisconsin running back Dwayne Smith, who rushed for 857 yards last season after taking over for injured starter Anthony Davis, will not play for the Badgers again because of a recently discovered heart disorder. Smith, who also faces a sexual assault charge, has a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

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Golf

Corey Pavin matched his career low with an eight-under-par 62 and has a three-stroke lead at the Buick Championship at TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. Bob Burns and Matt Weibring are second at 65 in the tournament previously known as the Greater Hartford Open.

Laura Diaz had five consecutive birdies and was tied for the lead with Jill McGill and Hilary Lunke at six-under 66 after the opening round of the Wachovia LPGA Classic at Berkleigh Country Club in Kutztown, Pa.... Jose Maria Canizares birdied his last hole to complete a five-under 67 and share the first-round lead with Bruce Summerhays and Vicente Fernandez at the Tradition at soggy Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in Aloha, Ore.... Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen shot a six-under 66 for the first-round lead at the BMW Open at Munich Nord-Eichenried Golf Club, and Colin Montgomerie was a stroke behind in an effort to bolster his chances of making the Ryder Cup team.

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Tennis

Former star Roscoe Tanner was arrested in Laguna Niguel for allegedly failing to pay child support, an Orange County sheriff’s official said.

The 52-year-old Tanner, a finalist at Wimbledon in 1979, was taken into custody on a fugitive warrant from Somerset County, N.J., for allegedly owing more than $80,000 in child support.

Former Wimbledon and U.S. Open winner Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the quarterfinals of the TD Waterhouse Cup in Commack, N.Y., with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Michael Llorda.... Defending Pilot Pen champion Jennifer Capriati was upset by eighth-seeded Nathalie Dechy, 6-4, 7-5, in the quarterfinals at New Haven, Conn.... Kirsten Flipkens, a wild card from Belgium, upset second-seeded Emilie Loit, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, to move into the semifinals of the Forest Hills Women’s Classic at the West Side Tennis Club in New York.... James Blake pulled out of the U.S. Open, citing an unspecified illness, the third consecutive Grand Slam tournament he’ll miss.

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Hockey

Goaltender Kevin Weekes signed with the New York Rangers, who expect the unrestricted free agent to compete for the No. 1 job with Mike Dunham.... The Phoenix Coyotes signed center Petr Nedved and traded center Daymond Langkow to the Calgary Flames for defenseman Denis Gauthier and left wing Oleg Saprykin.... Toronto Maple Leaf goaltender Ed Belfour had surgery to repair a bulging disk and is expected to make a complete recovery, General Manager John Ferguson said.

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Miscellany

Detroit Piston center Ben Wallace underwent surgery Wednesday night for acute appendicitis at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond, Va. Team doctor Ben Paolucci said Wallace was doing well and should be discharged today or Saturday.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. turned in an event-record 126.570 mph qualifying lap to win the pole for the NASCAR Busch Series Food City 250 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Tony Raines was second-fastest at 126.537 mph.