April 7, 2000

BOXING OFFICIAL'S TRIAL OPENS WITHOUT FBI VIDEOTAPES
Robert Rudolph, Newark Star-Ledger

A federal judge yesterday delivered a potentially devastating blow to the government's corruption case against International Boxing Federation president Bob Lee, barring prosecutors from introducing two explosive videotapes that prosecutors say show Lee chatting about manipulating the rankings of fighters and taking bundles of cash payoffs.

The ruling -- issued less than 24 hours before prosecutors were set to open the case in Newark this morning -- bans federal officials from using what they had described as "the single most important piece of evidence in the case."................

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HEARNS' FOE NO FALL GUY
Michael Katz, Detroit News

DETROIT -- Uriah Grant said he has not been hand-picked to be the fall guy for Thomas Hearns' farewell fight Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena. "I've come here to fight and to win," said Grant, who will challenge for Hearns' International Boxing Organization cruiserweight title in a scheduled 12-round bout. Hearns said he will retire after the fight, ending a 23-year career in which he won seven world titles in six weight classes.

"I've been working hard," Grant said. "There is nothing I'd like better than to put (Hearns) away."........

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Middleweight Brian Barbosa, who on Wednesday was dropped from a world title bout on HBO with champion Bernard Hopkins because of facial cuts received in a March 25 bout in Tunica, Miss., yesterday attempted to prove himself able to fight. Barbosa's camp provided a letter from a Miami doctor stating that Barbosa "should be able to participate" in the May 13 bout. Martin S. Hiriart wrote that he had removed five stitches from a cut above Barbosa's eye and that there were no stitches in a cut below the eye. He said Barbosa probably could begin sparring in two weeks.................

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Cruiserweight king Johnny Nelson is hunting bigger game - a big-money, big-profile fight with Mike Tyson.

With promoter Frank Warren in his corner, the World Boxing Organisation champion, who is live on Sky Sports 1 on Saturday, refuses to relinquish his dream................

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