Title Fight

Riverside's Josesito Lopez will fight Mexico's star super-welterweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez Sept. 15 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, promoter Richard Schaefer announced Wednesday. Lopez is the fourth scheduled opponent for Alvarez (40-0-1, 29 knockouts) in a World Boxing Council title bout that has shrunk from pay-per-view status to being broadcast by cable network Showtime. Lopez will be a greatly undersized opponent matched against the 154-pound champion. "I can't let this opportunity pass me by," Lopez said a telephone interview.

Writers from around the Tribune Co.will discuss Timothy Bradley's controversial split decision victory over Manny Pacquiao in the WBO welterweight title fight Saturday night. Check back throughout the day for their responses and join the conversation by voting in the poll and leaving a comment of your own. POLL: Should there be an investigation of the Manny Pacquiao fight? Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times The best case that promoter Bob Arum makes in seeking answers regarding the judging of Duane Ford and C.J. Ross is that the same type of officiating accountability exists in major sports.

Former welterweight boxing champion Victor Ortiz has a June 23 main event at Staples Center scheduled against Riverside's scrappy Josesito Lopez, but should Ortiz win as expected he has landed a Sept. 15 pay-per-view date against Mexico's star fighter Saul "Canelo" Alvarez at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Golden Boy Promotions Chief Executive Richard Schaefer and Oscar De La Hoyaannounced Alvarez-Ortiz on Tuesday, titling the third version of the event as "Knockout Kings," and with a nod to Saturday's disputed Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley fight, Schaefer said, "Judges, leave your scorecards at home.

LAS VEGAS -- Minutes after Manny Pacquiao entered a post-fight news conference with an unmarked face, his injured opponent Timothy Bradley was wheeled into the same room. "There were three judges, and two of them thought I won," Palm Springs' Bradley said of his victory over Pacquiao. "What do you want me to do?" Bradley made it through the 12-round bout despite suffering a fractured left foot and a twisted right ankle during the fight, according to his manager Cameron Dunkin.

Times sports writer Kevin Baxter recounts the action Round 1: At the bell both fighters charge to the center of the ring. Bradley throws the first punch but misses. Pacquiao throws a wild combination then, after Bradley connects, Pacquiao lands a pair. Bradley may be throwing fewer punches but he's landing more. Judges: Jerry Roth, C.J. Ross 10-9 for Pacquiao; Duane Ford 10-9 for Bradley Round 2: Bradley continues as the aggressor, but 30 seconds in, the patient Pacquiao lands a couple of shots.

LAS VEGAS — Less than 24 hours before the doors were scheduled to open for Manny Pacquiao's world title fight against unbeaten Timothy Bradley on Saturday, Las Vegas ticket brokers said they were having trouble unloading seats for the eight-bout card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. "It's weak. Really weak," complained one ticket seller, who blamed the lagging economy. But overexposure may be playing a role too. Eight of Pacquiao's last 10 fights have been in Las Vegas.

In a stunning slight to punch statistics - and the naked eyes of most everyone else - two Nevada judges Saturday scored that Timothy Bradley upset Manny Pacquiao. Judges C.J. Ross and Duane Ford gave Bradley a 115-113 edge in the WBO welterweight title fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena, while judge Jerry Roth scored the bout 115-113 for Pacquiao. Pacquiao, who relied on his power and speed to repeatedly back up Bradley while fighting with an obvious sense that Bradley could not hurt him, said he will invoke his right for a rematch in November.

LAS VEGAS -- Three times in a 30-minute sit-down with reporters Wednesday, Manny Pacquiao assured the media he is not underestimating Timothy Bradley before their world welterweight title fight Saturday night. "I know what Timothy is feeling now, how he's trained hard, thinking this is his big break," Pacquiao said. The unsettling fact for the 33-year-old Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 knockouts) as he finalizes preparations for his 60th professional fight is that the underdog spirit he relates to helped push him to breakthrough victories years ago, over Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and Oscar De La Hoya.

Antonio Tarver promised to teach undefeated cruiserweight Lateef Kayode some tricks Saturday night and that he did putting on a strong performance. And in the end it was somewhat of a victory for the 43-year-old even though he came out with a draw against 29-year-old Kayode. The main event was played out before a two-thirds-filled tennis center at Home Depot Center mostly cheering for Tarver. Judges Max Deluca had it 115-113 for Kayode, while David Denkin saw it 115-113 for Tarver.

Illinois sophomore Thomas Pieters shot a final-round 71 to win the men's NCAA Division I golf championship Thursday at Riviera Country Club. Pieters finished at five-under 208, three shots better than Julien Brun of Texas Christian and Florida's Tyler McCumber . Alabama went wire to wire in stroke play to grab the No. 1 seeding going into Friday's match play. The Crimson Tide finished with a three-day total of seven-over-par 859. UCLA finished second, two shots behind.