Boxing: Neil Sinclair will face Vladimir Borovski of the Ukraine for the vacant WBU welterweight title at Belfast's Odyssey Arena on February 1st.
Borovski replaces South Africa's Jan Bergman, who has been stripped of the title by the World Boxing Union for refusing to fight the 28-year-old British welterweight champion.
"We know nothing about this guy and that's always a danger. I don't think we will be able to even get a tape of him fighting," said Sinclair's manager and coach, John Breen. "The Eastern European fighters are improving all the time and are always tough."
The card will also feature Margate's Takaloo, who will fight Dublin's Jim Rock for the vacant WBU light-middleweight title.
Former Commonwealth light-welterweight champion Eamonn Magee, who is chasing a rematch with WBU champion
Ricky Hatton, is off the card after breaking a thumb in sparring with Rock.
Swimming: Swim Ireland is banking on a new recruit to enhance the overall performance of its four-strong team selected to compete later this month in the World Cup series in Paris, writes Pat Roche.
Dubliner Kevin O'Nolan of Trojan is hoping that he can vindicate the selectors' faith in him by doing well in the 400 metres, 1,500 metres freestyle and butterfly events in the January 18th-19th event.
The occasion would appear to present an excellent opportunity for O'Nolan to launch his international career. The series was central to Michelle Smith's breakthrough in the world rankings. It is indeed encouraging to see renewed interest in the event by the Irish body after lapsing last year.
Also included in the team are Ulster's Judy Douglas, Munster's Lee Kelleher and Leinster's Donal O'Neill.
Rallying: Reigning champion Hiroshi Masuoka won yesterday's fifth stage of the Dakar Rally in Tunisia to snatch the overall lead of the event from Stephane Peterhansel.
The Japanese driver completed the 285-kilometre special stage in two hours 31 minutes 59 seconds to haul in fellow Mitsubishi driver Peterhansel and establish a lead of 55 seconds.
Peterhansel clocked the second quickest time of the day, just over two minutes adrift of Masuoka, as the two pacesetters blazed a trail in the desert, with Kenjiro Shinozuka a massive eight minutes off the pace.
Today sees another long stage as competitors travel from El Borma to Ghadames, crossing the border from Tunisia to Libya in the process.
Tennis: Spain's world number four Juan Carlos Ferrero dropped a set before beating Australia's world ranked 217 Jaymon Crabb in the Sydney International yesterday.
Ferrero, the second seed, won their first round match 5-7 7-5 6-3 in an uneven start to his preparations for the Australian Open which begins in Melbourne next week.
In the women's event, Elina Bovina won the battle of the Russians against world number 11 Anastasia Myskina 6-3 7-5 to oust the tournament's fifth seed.
