LOCAL

LOCAL
Pair of KOs
COLUMBUS -- Etianne "E.T." Whitaker and Chris "Special K" Koval, both managed by Pat Nelson, scored first-round knockouts as part of a seven-bout pro boxing card at the Promo West Pavilion Saturday night.
A left hook for a first knockdown and a straight right to the temple for a final knockdown had Whitaker, from Warren, stopping Carlos "Psycho" Bates of Indianapolis, at 2:04 of the first round of a scheduled light-heavyweight eight-rounder.
Whitaker's next fight will be June 21 in Butler, Pa., a six-round bout with Tucker Lambert (8-11-1, 2 KOs) from Morgantown, W.Va.
Koval, the young heavyweight from Austintown, remained undefeated (6-0) as he finished Cleveland's Walter Donlow (1-4), at 1:51 of the first round for his fifth knockout.
A series of vicious body punches sent Donlow to the canvas both times in the scheduled four-rounder.
Koval will next meet Charles Judge (1-4) from Chicago June 12 at Mountaineer Race Track and Resort.
John Vicarel namedto all-star game
YOUNGSTOWN -- John Vicarel has been selected to officiate at the North-South high school all-star football game June 21 at Crew Stadium in Columbus.
Vicarel will be the linesman. It is the second time he has been selected for the game.
Vicarel has been an official for 28 years.
Tri-City rained out
FRANKLIN, Pa. -- Tri-City Speedway lost its first show of the 2003 season as heavy rains invaded the track during the heat races.
Rain checks from the show will be good for the next two weeks.
The upcoming schedule will be shuffled to run the York Triathlon Super Sprint Series and the Victim's Resource Center Ladies Modified Tour charity event at later dates.
The Victim's Resource Center Ladies Modified Tour event is rescheduled for June 29.
NATION
Holmes party
EASTON, Pa. -- Friends of Larry Holmes held a surprise party for him to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his 1978 heavyweight championship fight.
"The drinks are on me," Holmes said at Sunday night's gathering at a restaurant he owns. "I'm just a lucky man."
Today is the anniversary of Holmes' 15-round split decision victory over Ken Norton in Las Vegas for the World Boxing Council heavyweight championship.
Among the speakers at the party was Earnie Shavers, whose sledgehammer right made him a dangerous opponent for Holmes less than three months before the Norton fight. Holmes' victory over Shavers convinced him and his followers that he was ready to pursue the heavyweight belt.
Holmes and Shavers, who now lives in England, have become close.
"I came over for a boxing Hall of Fame function," Shavers said, "but I would've come over for Larry anyway. Larry is a good friend."
May, Walsh capture third straight title
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. -- Undefeated Misty May and Kerri Walsh won their third straight Association of Volleyball Professionals title at the $150,000 Hermosa Beach Open on Sunday, while Scott Ayakatubby and Brian Lewis picked up their first men's title since 1997.
May and Walsh defeated the team of Elaine Youngs and Holly McPeak, 21-15, 18-21, 16-14. May and Walsh, who now have a 15-0 match record, were facing match point before rallying with four straight points to win.
Ayakatubby and Lewis beat Matt Fuerbringer and Casey Jennings, 21-18, 16-21, 22-20, in a match that featured a total of seven match points in the third game.
Ayakatubby and Lewis eliminated three-time Olympic gold medalist Karch Kiraly and partner Brent Doble, 21-15, 16-21, 15-13, in the semifinals earlier in the day.
WORLD
New 800 record
TULA, Russia -- Russia's Natalya Khrushcheleva ran the second fastest women's 800 meters in the world Sunday, winning the rainy Znamensky Brothers Memorial in 1 minute, 58.05 seconds.
Vindicator staff/wire reports