SPORTS DIGEST/Boxing: Mike Tyson is hoping his fight with England's Danny Williams next month will help clear debts of around €33million.
The former world heavyweight champion's settlement of a €90m lawsuit against former promoter Don King is only part of his plan to pay off the money he owes to creditors, the Internal Revenue Service and his ex-wife Monica.
The other part is for him to fight seven times over the next three years - the first of those against Williams - to pay back the vast sum he now owes. The first fight, against Williams, takes place on July 30th in Louisville.
SWIMMING: Top US swimming coach Jay Fitzgerald is to make a special plea to the Olympic Council of Ireland for the inclusion of 21-year-old Dubliner Stephen Manley in the Swim Ireland team for the Athens Olympics, writes Pat Roche.
The leading coach at Pine Crest High School reckons that Manley fully deserves Olympic recognition. The closing date for Irish swimmers to make "A" qualifying times expired yesterday but freestyler Manley, who is only marginally off the mark with a "B" standard, is determined to continue training out of the University of Kentucky. Manley trimmed the Irish record once more for 200 metres freestyle at a Florida meet last weekend. At present he is a mere 1.7 seconds away from the 200 "A" mark. "
HOCKEY: Irish caretaker coach David Scott has been able to recall to his squad, for the three-match series against Belgium later this month, four of the players unavailable to him for the Celtic Cup. Amongst the returnees are Justin Sheriff, who will win his 50th cap in Brussels, and Church of Ireland's Mark Black, his first call-up since recovering from a cruciate ligament injury.
Gordon Elliott and Jason Black also return while Corinthian's Charlie Henderson will hope for a chance to add to his two senior caps. Timothy Cockram, Ronan Gormley, Mark Gleghorne and Iain Lewers were not considered because of their preparations for the European under-21 Championships later in the month.
IRISH SENIOR MEN'S SQUAD: J Quigley, D Robb (both Annadale), A Barbour (Cookstown), C Henderson (Corinthian), M Black, P Smith (both Cork C of I), W Bateman, J Black, D Eakins, S Nicholson (all Cork Harlequins), P Brown, M Irwin (both Instonians), B Waring (Lisnagarvey), G Elliott, N Henderson, J Sherriff (all Pembroke Wanderers), S Butler, G Shaw, J Brennan (all Royal Dragons).
IRISH UNDER-21 WOMEN'S SQUAD: E Harte (Bandon), C McGowan (Corinthian), K Hales (Cork Church of Ireland), C Murphy (Galway), C Quinlan (Hermes), S Cooney, N Keegan, J Lynch (all Loreto), J Deacon (Newtown School), S Frey (Old Alexandra), K McCollum, K Simpson, S Martin (capt), S Wilkinson (all Pegasus), A Lappin (Randalstown), S Connery (UCC), R Keegan, C Sullivan (both UCD). Reserve: E Stewart (Armagh).
CYCLING: Cycling Ireland yesterday officially announced that Mark Scanlon and Ciarán Power will represent Ireland in the Olympic road race in Athens on August 14th.
David O'Loughlin has been listed as first reserve for the Games, with David McCann next in line. The Olympic road race is on August 14th while the mountainbike events take place on August 27th and 28th.
TENNIS: The fancied players kept rolling on in the Danone Irish championships at Donnybrook last evening. A three-setter between Cork entries Elsa O'Riain, the number three seed, and Emma Murphy was something of a highlight. O'Riain dropped the middle set in a tie that saw all three sets won with reasonable ease.
Top seed Yvonne Doyle took her time to get into control against Lisa Lawlor but once she found her cruising speed she pocketed the second set to love. Number two seed Karen Nugent, also went through quite comfortably.
