NEU » under.Former middleweight title chall

Sale slumped to a 12th successive defeat in top-flight European competition as their Champions Cup campaign suffered an immediate setback at Parc-y-Scarlets.The Sharks, without a European Cup win since they beat Cardiff Blues two years ago, were sent on their way by first-half tries from Scarlets scrum-half Gareth Davies and wing DTH van der Merwe.And Van der Merwes second touchdown after 57 minutes ended the contest, with Scarlets fly-half Rhys Patchell adding three penalties and two conversions to underpin a comfortable win before next Saturdays daunting assignment against Pool Three favourites Saracens in north London.Hooker Neil Briggs claimed a try for the visitors, with fly-half Dan Mugford adding two penalties, but in a group that also includes European heavyweights Saracens and Toulon, Sale already look as if they will be making up the numbers.The Sharks host Toulon in six days time, with the French side on the rebound following their home defeat against opening opponents Saracens, so another tough encounter beckons.Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac fielded a side containing 11 internationals, with his resources bolstered by returning trio Jonathan Davies, Jake Ball and John Barclay, while Sale showed three changes from last weeks heavy defeat against Bath as Mugford, full-back Mike Haley and prop Ross Harrison all started.Mugford kicked Sale into a third-minute lead, but the Scarlets responded with a 13-point scoring burst in six minutes as they made their presence felt.A Patchell penalty put them level, then Davies charged down Mugfords attempted clearance from just inside his own 22 and gathered the bounce to score, before Patchell converted and then kicked another penalty to leave Sale 13-3 behind.Patchell then landed a long-range penalty, leaving Sale in considerable trouble early on, but they responded from their first attack as the forwards laid an imposing platform and Briggs stormed through a gap to touch down and reduce the deficit.But the Scarlets continued to dominate territory and possession, and it came as no surprise when they extended their lead following more superb work by Wales number nine Davies.He made initial headway with a searing burst, before his half-back partner Patchell kicked brilliantly towards the right wing, and Canada international Van der Merwe gathered and finished in one movement to restore a 13-point advantage.Mugford applied the final scoring act of a lively opening period when he kicked a penalty just before the break, but the Scarlets were good value for a 21-11 interval advantage.And Sale did not help their cause when they were temporarily reduced to 14 men just eight minutes after the restart when a reckless tackle by Harrison on Scarlets skipper Ken Owens resulted in French referee Romain Poite sin-binning the prop.Van der Merwes second try sealed the deal, and Sale then collected a second yellow card, this time for substitute Andrei Ostrikov following a high tackle, which left the closing 15 minutes all about whether or not the Scarlets could claim a bonus point.It did not materialise, though, which was the only blot for them on an otherwise strong nights work that at least puts them in contention alongside Saracens and Toulon at this early stage. 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LAS VEGAS -- Unified light heavyweight titleholder Sergey Kovalev and challenger Andre Ward, the former super middleweight world champion, stood face to face and icily stared at each other, seemingly ready to fight right there moments after making weight Friday inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena.?Kovalev, set to make his ninth title defense, and Ward, in his third fight since moving up to the light heavyweight division, both weighed in at the division limit of 175 pounds.The largely pro-Ward crowd cheered wildly in anticipation of the impending fisticuffs, which will take place Saturday (HBO PPV, 9 p.m. ET) at T-Mobile Arena.The 33-year-old Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs), a Russia native living in Los Angeles, and Ward (30-0, 15 KOs), 32, of Oakland, California, are universally ranked among the top five boxers in the world pound-for-pound, and many believe the winner will be worthy of taking over the No. 1 position from junior bantamweight titlist Roman Chocolatito Gonzalez.I am very happy to be here. I will disappoint you, Kovalev said on an open mic to the Ward fans, eliciting booing. [Saturday] will be a really great fight.Nicknamed Krusher for his lights-out power, Kovalev said he did not care that he is the betting underdog in the fight, which will mark the first appearance on pay-per-view for both of them.I dont care at all, Kovalev said. [Saturday] we will find out whos the best. I will crush him. I will knock him out. Thats my goal.The fighters have sniped at each other throughout the buildup, and Kovalev promoter Main Events and Ward promoter Roc Nation Sports do not get along at all, making it a difficult promotion.Its simple. He dont like me, and I dont like him, Ward said. Hes the champion, so I respect him as a champion. Im trying to become a two-division world champion, and Im not leaving Las Vegas without those [three] belts. I believe [Saturday] night will be the best performance youve ever seen ffrom me.dddddddddddd I believe great fighters rise to the occasion, and thats what Ill do.Dallas junior welterweight Maurice Hooker (21-0-2, 16 KOs) and former lightweight titleholder Darleys Perez (33-2-1, 21 KOs), of Colombia, who meet in the co-feature, both came in under the 140-pound limit for their 10-round bout. Hooker was 139 pounds; Perez was 137.5.Former light heavyweight title challenger Isaac Chilemba (24-4-2, 10 KOs), a Malawi native who lost a decision to Kovalev in July, and 2012 Ukrainian Olympic bronze medalist Oleksandr Gvozdyk (11-0, 9 KOs) both weighed in at 174.75 pounds, a quarter-pound under the limit, for their 10-rounder.Former middleweight title challenger Curtis Stevens (28-5, 21 KOs), of Brooklyn, New York, weighed 157.5 pounds, and James De La Rosa (23-4, 13 KOs), of Harlingen, Texas, was 159.75 for their 10-round fight at the middleweight limit of 160 pounds.Super middleweight Claressa Shields, the 21-year-old from Flint, Michigan, who won her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in August at the Rio Games, weighed in at 167 pounds for her four-round pro debut against Franchon Crews, 29, of Baltimore. Crews, a standout amateur despite losing multiple times to Shields, weighed in at the division limit of 168 pounds for what also will be her professional debut.Also, the Nevada State Athletic Commission released the purses for the card. Ward will earn a career high -- by far -- of $5 million. Kovalevs minimum purse is $2 million, but he stands to make millions more because his deal with Main Events gives him a percentage of the profits from the event.Hookers purse is $75,000; Perezs $25,000. Chilemba will make $150,000; Gvozdyk $100,000. Stevens will be paid $42,500; De La Rosa will get $22,500. Shields will earn $50,000; Crews is being paid $10,000. ' ' '