Boxing: Mike Tyson has applied for an entry visa to return to Britain and fight Lou Savarese in Glasgow next month. The British Home Office last night confirmed they received the application last week and that the former world heavyweight champion's request to enter Britain again would be ruled on by Home Secretary Jack Straw "in the near future".
Tyson is a convicted rapist but was granted permission to fight Britain's Julius Francis in Manchester in February. A spokesman for the Home Office said: "Mr Tyson has submitted an application for entry to the United Kingdom to the British consul general in New York. That has been forwarded to the UK for consideration. The application is to be allowed entry to fight a boxing match in Scotland on June 24th. The application is being referred to minister."
Hampden Park and Parkhead are understood to be vying to stage the controversial American's bout with Savarese.
Rugby: A statement issued by the Connacht branch of the IRFU last evening confirmed that Eric Elwood (31), the highly-experienced interprovincial and international outhalf, will be staying with the province next season. The statement said: "Given the reduced resources now available to Connacht, it is a welcome boost that a player of Elwood's ability and experience has committed himself. Despite tempting offers from France, Eric's loyalty, both to his province Connacht and his club Galwegians means he will stay on for the coming season."
Cycling: Italian Cristian Moreni, riding for the Liquigas team, won the second stage of the Tour of Italy yesterday to take the overall race leader's pink jersey. Moreni won a sprint-finish in the rain following the 229 km run between Terracina and Maddaloni recording a time of 6hr 15min 18sec, edging out Italy's Matteo Tosatto and Holland's Karsten Kroon on the line by 0.05 of a second, following a breakaway, 10 km from the finish.
Athletics: Bill Hyland's role in the development of athletics at schools level was recognised in Scotland at the weekend with his appointment as vice-chairman of the Schools' International Athletics Board. Hyland, who will automatically succeed to the top job next year, is the first non-teacher to be appointed to the post, fitting testimony to the contribution of an indefatigable worker over the years.
Boxing: Three times National light-middle-weight champion Michael Roche of Sunnyside Cork, Ireland's sole qualifier for the Sydney Olympics, was stopped in the third round of his opening bout at the European Senior championships in Tampere, Finland, last evening. The Corkman had become Ireland's last chance of advancing in the competition following earlier defeats in the day for feather Darrin Campbell and light-heavy Sean O'Grady. Roche was the big disappointment, having been stopped through injury after failing to cope with the power shots of Polish opponent Miroslaw Nowosada. O'Grady was disqualified in round two against a Turk, Yildiram Tarhan, for illegal use of his head after three warnings. Campbell went out 8-5 to a Hungarian Sandor Vakherda.
