Toney Victorious After Long Layoff

James Toney, in his first fight in nearly a year, scored a unanimous 12-round decision over Rydell Booker and won the International Boxing Assn. heavy- weight title Thursday night in front of 3,000 in Temecula.

After Toney’s 117-110, 118-108, 120-107 victory, he challenged International Boxing Federation champion Chris Byrd to a fight on the dais.

Then, on his way out of the Pechanga Resort and Casino ballroom, Toney (68-4-2) saw Vassiliy Jirov, the former IBF cruiserweight champ, whom Toney beat in April 2003. The two exchanged words.

“Don King is a great promoter for his fighters,” Toney said of King-promoted heavyweight titlists Byrd, John Ruiz (World Boxing Assn.) and Lamon Brewster (World Boxing Organization).

“And you know why? Because he’s like the penitentiary; they’re in protective custody.”

Booker is 22-1.

-- Paul Gutierrez

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Former champion Ricardo Mayorga, who was arrested Sept. 9 in Managua, Nicaragua, on a rape charge, missed a case hearing because he is in the United States training for his Oct. 2 middleweight bout against Felix Trinidad. A new hearing was scheduled for Oct. 6.

Golf

Vijay Singh shot an eight-under-par 64 for a three-shot lead after the first round of the 84 Lumber Classic at Farmington, Pa.

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Christina Kim shot a seven-under 64 for a one-stroke lead over Rachel Teske after the first round of the LPGA Longs Drugs Challenge at Auburn, Calif.

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Graeme McDowell, Jose Manuel Lara and Nick O’Hern shot 67s to share the lead after the first round of the Heritage at Woburn, England.

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Masters champion Phil Mickelson withdrew from next week’s American Express Championship in Ireland for personal reasons, the PGA Tour said.

Pro Basketball

In a bid to resurrect his career, Dennis Rodman, the 43-year-old former NBA rebounding champion, participated in a pickup game at the Denver Nuggets’ facility earlier this week but had to cut short the workout because of ingrown toenails.

General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe told Rodman he was welcome to return once his injuries healed.

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Ron Rothstein, who was fired as coach of the Miami Heat after the 1990-91 season, rejoined the club as an assistant. He spent last season as an assistant with the Indiana Pacers.

Miscellany

Rutgers signed men’s basketball Coach Gary Waters, 53, to a contract that will pay him $525,000 a season through 2010.

Rutgers basketball player Shalicia Hurns was suspended from the team after pleading guilty to punching and tying up her roommate during a dispute over painkilling drugs.

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A new round was added to baseball’s qualifying tournament for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Qualification also would be based on the results over an entire tournament, with single-elimination games no longer part of the format.

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Justin Gatlin followed his victory at the Athens Olympics by winning the 100 meters in 9.97 seconds at the Yokohama Super Track and Field meet in Yokohama, Japan. Former world-record holder Maurice Greene finished fifth.

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U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova struggled against Chinese qualifier Li Na before winning, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (3), to advance to the China Open quarterfinals in Beijing.

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Manchester United captain Roy Keane, 33, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, causing criminal damage and using threatening or abusive behavior over an alleged confrontation with a 16-year-old boy.

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Champ Car has canceled an Oct. 17 race in South Korea, leaving only events in Las Vegas, Australia and Mexico City to settle a tight battle for the season championship.