Big Fight

Saturday's welterweight showdown between Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley at Staples Center will be the richest fight in California history. In terms of quality, it is the type of event that can make this state competitive with Nevada, New York and New Jersey for the big boxing shows. In terms of quantity, it's already no contest. For the last decade, California has staged more boxing shows annually than any other state.

Ah, the fickle heart of Taylor Swift: The singer and One Direction boy-bander Harry Styles are a couple no more, according to reports out Monday. The relationship - which has been public for only a month or so, though the pair were spotted flirting backstage at "The X Factor" in mid-November - came to an end last week with Swift, 23, flying home alone only three days into their vacation in the British Virgin Islands. The two reportedly met in March at the Kids' Choice Awards.

Ah, the fickle heart of Taylor Swift: The singer and One Direction boy-bander Harry Styles are a couple no more, according to reports out Monday. The relationship - which has been public for only a month or so, though the pair were spotted flirting backstage at "The X Factor" in mid-November - came to an end last week with Swift, 23, flying home alone only three days into their vacation in the British Virgin Islands. The two reportedly met in March at the Kids' Choice Awards.

For physicians and public health researchers, guns are not unlike cars, swimming pools, bicycles, alcohol and prescription drugs: They are a common cause of injury to their patients and to the population at large; but with knowledge, physicians and public health experts believe, that injury can be limited or mitigated. It's a perspective that the firearms industry and advocates of gun ownership roundly reject. And, as detailed in three leading medical journals, the gun lobby has been remarkably effective in their efforts to snuff out the notion that when it comes to guns, knowledge can reduce harm.

Abner Mares has admired Robert Guerrero's courage in standing up to his promoters for the title shot he wants. World Boxing Council super-bantamweight champion Mares started to do the same Tuesday, making it clear that if he achieves his plan to break through the tight defense of Panama's Anselmo Moreno on Nov. 10 at Staples Center, he wants Nonito Donaire next. Mares is promoted by Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions, and International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization champion Donaire (29-1, 18 knockouts)

Jim was all heart and no ego. I was forever amazed when I first started meeting him. You know how players all run away from us now. If Jim was standing by the batting cage or the golf tee, players would always come over and say hello to him. At first, I thought it was a West Cost thing--these athletes who grew up reading him every day. But then I saw it happen on the East Coast. It was a no-coast thing. He was a treasure, and the athletes knew it.

Israel Vazquez has proven himself as a world champion fighter. Vazquez became a fan favorite in 25 rounds of a stirring trilogy against Mexico's Rafael Marquez. Vazquez starred in a 12th round for the ages in March 2008 when he unleashed an onslaught of blows that finally knocked down Marquez in the final three seconds, giving Vazquez the deciding point he needed in a split-decision triumph. The toll from those battles was great for Vazquez (43-4, 31 KOs), the bantamweight world champion.

Riverside's Josesito Lopez landed the richest payday of his career as a replacement foe against the larger and more powerful Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in September. Lopez lost the fight, but the determination it took to take the bout is at play again in a civic battle. A Washington, D.C.-based group advocating the separation of church and state has threatened to sue the city of Riverside should it continue to own land on Mt. Rubidoux, where a large cross stands. An online petition campaign is underway urging the city not to sell the small parcel of land where the cross stands.

I'm amused by the disgust that swept the country when Mike Tyson took a bite out of Evander Holyfield's ear. Even Bill Clinton was horrified. White House disapproval was followed by talk show expressions of repugnance, aversion, repulsion and loathing. I received telephone calls from people who said it made them sick and who viewed with alarm the violence displayed that night in Las Vegas. It made me wonder: Where in the hell have they all been? It's a violent world, folks.

"My Brother Sam Is Dead" James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier Tories were people who were loyal to the king of England during the American Revolution. In this story, Sam, the oldest son, comes from a family of Tories. He decides he wants to be a Patriot. After he has a big fight with his father, Sam runs off because he wants to join the army of Patriots. When Sam is gone, the family goes on with its usual life. But before Sam comes home, unusual things happen. Will Sam survive?

Riverside's Josesito Lopez landed the richest payday of his career as a replacement foe against the larger and more powerful Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in September. Lopez lost the fight, but the determination it took to take the bout is at play again in a civic battle. A Washington, D.C.-based group advocating the separation of church and state has threatened to sue the city of Riverside should it continue to own land on Mt. Rubidoux, where a large cross stands. An online petition campaign is underway urging the city not to sell the small parcel of land where the cross stands.

Boxing is a haven for fluid situations. Injuries, upsets and personal vendettas can change the course of an anticipated matchup. With that disclaimer, the sport's current landscape bodes well for Robert Guerrero and Andre Berto, welterweight opponents Saturday in Ontario, to position themselves for a spring date against Floyd Mayweather Jr. "Absolutely a possibility," said Oscar De La Hoya, who is promoting the HBO-televised Guerrero-Berto fight...

Abner Mares has admired Robert Guerrero's courage in standing up to his promoters for the title shot he wants. World Boxing Council super-bantamweight champion Mares started to do the same Tuesday, making it clear that if he achieves his plan to break through the tight defense of Panama's Anselmo Moreno on Nov. 10 at Staples Center, he wants Nonito Donaire next. Mares is promoted by Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions, and International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization champion Donaire (29-1, 18 knockouts)

LAS VEGAS - On a big fight night in the biggest fight city, Mexican star Saul "Canelo" Alvarez will get a portion of the spotlight Saturday when he takes on newcomer Josesito Lopez of Riverside. They will fight for a title belt at 154 pounds in the main event at the MGM Grand Garden. A mile or so down the road, at Thomas & Mack Center, another major fight card will take place and be headlined by Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. against Sergio Martinez, fighting for a middleweight title belt.

It's personal, it's business, it's boxing. Saturday night, the two most popular Mexican fighters will headline opposing cards in Las Vegas as rival promoters Top Rank and Golden Boy continue to duke it out. Top Rank's world middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-0-1) will have his greatest test, meeting Argentina's former champion and 2010 fighter of the year Sergio Martinez at Thomas & Mack Center. Down Tropicana Avenue at MGM Grand, Golden Boy's super-welterweight champion, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (40-0-1)

LAS VEGAS -- In the bowels of the abandoned Pontiac (Mich.) Silverdome in January 2011, boxing manager Cameron Dunkin steamed. Dunkin had just reviewed a financial breakdown of undefeated fighter Timothy Bradley's bout against  unbeaten Devon Alexander and took note that Bradley promoter Gary Shaw was pocketing $600,000 while Bradley would receive his guaranteed $1.1 million. "Don King wouldn't even do this!" Dunkin barked. For Bradley, it was the final straw in his relationship with Shaw and co-promoter Ken Thompson, who had previously directed Bradley's career through bouts at a Corona lumber yard and the Ontario DoubleTree hotel ballroom.

LAS VEGAS - On a big fight night in the biggest fight city, Mexican star Saul "Canelo" Alvarez will get a portion of the spotlight Saturday when he takes on newcomer Josesito Lopez of Riverside. They will fight for a title belt at 154 pounds in the main event at the MGM Grand Garden. A mile or so down the road, at Thomas & Mack Center, another major fight card will take place and be headlined by Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. against Sergio Martinez, fighting for a middleweight title belt.

The question sounded like a bloody corner. "So, Lennox, ya gonna knock him out early?" The answer sounded like a tea party. "If the opportunity presents itself." If the opportunity presents itself? * It has been nearly 45 years since a heavyweight title fight last spit its mouthpiece here, so maybe things have changed. But shouldn't goliaths behave like, I don't know, Goliath?

LAS VEGAS -- Dana White was upset and wanted to make something clear. Last Friday night, as White attempted to lounge inside his office building where cable network FX films live fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship's reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter," he wanted to return to the topic of mixed-martial-arts journalism. As president and chief promoter of the UFC, White seeks as much attention as possible for his organization, but occasionally — if not often — he is chafed by the accuracy of online reporting by MMA writers.

Opponents of the Ohio law that would limit public employee unions' collective bargaining power out-raised and out-spent the law's supporters more than three times over, according to campaign finance records filed Thursday. We are Ohio, a union coalition that has been leading the repeal effort, by ballot initiative, of the law that passed the Ohio Legislature in March,  has raised more than $30 million in contributions and other assistance, drawing largely on national union organizations.