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SPORTS Friday 31 May 2019

In this Feb. 15, 2018, file photo, Finland goalie Noora Raty
watches the action during a preliminary round women’s hockey
game against Russia at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung,
South Korea.
Associated Press
NWHL cancels British boxer Anthony Joshua, left, and Andy Ruiz pose for photographers during a press
conference ahead of their heavyweight bout, Thursday, May 30, 2019, in New York. Joshua
expansion plans, open will defend his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles. Associated Press

to talk of new league 30-1 odds on Ruiz

By The Associated Press Minnesota Whitecaps. The against Joshua say it all
The National Women’s league says whether more
Hockey League is cancel- teams are added for this
ing plans to add a pair of season will remain an op- By BARRY WILNER one of the great upsets co, got him into the gym
Canadian teams for the tion for a few more weeks. AP Sports Writer in sports history when he when he was 6 and had
2019-20 season for now Kim Pegula and Pegula NEW YORK (AP) — The knocked out Mike Tyson his son in bouts a year
and making clear it is open Sports gave back owner- odds of 30-1 say it all. in 1990. When Douglas’ later, knows how his life
to doing what’s best for ship of the Beauts to the Andy Ruiz barely was on name was mentioned to would change with a win.
women’s hockey. NWHL earlier this month. anyone’s heavyweight Ruiz, he smiled. Boxing, in fact, changed
Even if that means a new The NWHL announced last radar when he was sum- “If he looks past me,” Ruiz his outlook on life.
league. week increased salaries moned as a replacement said of Joshua (22-0, 21 “Boxing kept me away
The NWHL made clear in and a 50-50 split of spon- to fight champion Antho- KOs), “I think he should be from big trouble,” he said,
a post on its website Thurs- sor-related revenues and ny Joshua. On Saturday, focused on this fight first.” noting he hung around
day titled “We’ll Always Do improved benefits in an massive underdog Ruiz Joshua is. Sort of. He with the wrong crowd
What’s Best for the Game” agreement reached with promises he could be the claimed the overview of and saw friends wind up
that league officials would its players’ union. next Buster Douglas. the heavyweight division, in jail or on drugs in Im-
be happy to talk. Once the Canadian Wom- “I’ve been an under- particularly unifying all perial, California. “Then I
“If any individuals or groups en’s Hockey League an- dog all my life,” Ruiz said the titles, remains on his joined the Mexican Olym-
come forward and declare nounced it would be ceas- Thursday in the final news mind. But not ahead of his pic team when I was 16,
they are ready to start and ing operations May 1 due conference before the American debut Saturday and started getting seri-
invest in a new league to financial issues, NWHL fight that will be four-belt night in the fight for the ous about boxing.
where women can receive Commissioner Dani Rylan champion Joshua’s Madi- WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO “When my dad (first) took
a substantial full-time salary told The Associated Press son Square Garden debut belts that will be streamed me to the gym, kids were
and medical insurance, we in April that the league’s and is close to attracting a on DAZN. beating my butt. I didn’t
would be ecstatic to have board had approved an sellout crowd. “The body “I’ve been practicing and want to go back. I end up
a conversation about a investment plan to estab- shape I have and the way am prepared for June 1,” keep doing it and a few
partnership or passing the lish teams in Toronto and I look, maybe, but once I the champion from Eng- months later I ended up
torch,” the league wrote. Montreal. get into the ring ...” land said. “But I cannot beating them up.”
More than 200 of the On Thursday, the NWHL He will take a 32-1 mark not look at the bigger pic- “My hand raised” is what
world’s top female play- says whether more teams with 21 knockouts into the ture. I am not looking past he sees. “I don’t pre-
ers announced May 2 will be added this season ring, and that’s nothing him, but I know if I beat this dict the knockout, the
that they will not play pro- remains an “open-ended to scoff at. Except that guy what’s out there for knockout comes when it
fessional hockey in North question” for a few more his range of opponents me.” That would be WBC comes. I’ll stay focused
America at all this year in a weeks. hasn’t been stellar, and champion Deontay Wild- and humble. Know why
bold attempt to establish a “To expand properly, as we in Ruiz’s biggest bout thus er at some point, though you’re here.”
single, economically viable did in Minnesota, time, co- far, he lost a very close Wilder has a rematch with He’s here as nothing more
professional league. They operation and preparation decision to Joseph Parker Luis Ortiz on his plate. It than an opponent in the
also formed a new Profes- is required,” according to for the WBO crown that also could be an all-British eyes of many, including,
sional Women’s Hockey the NWHL post. “We would Joshua now owns. fight with Tyson Fury, who obviously, the bookmak-
Players Association earlier love to have more teams He’s also stepping in after drew with Wilder last year ers. Joshua, who knows
this month. in 2019-20 and will make it fighting on April 20, when and likely would mean a Ruiz from the amateur
The NWHL says the next happen if there is a spirit of he stopped Alexander huge purse. ranks, credits him as a
season will start in October partnership from all sides. Dimitrenko. Jarrell Miller’s Still, in heavyweight box- “top professional,” but
with five returning teams in Unless there is a change of failed drug tests sent the ing, anyone who steps soon after saying that is
the Boston Pride, Connecti- heart soon, we will revisit trash-talking New Yorker into the ring has a punch- busy talking about po-
cut Whale, Buffalo Beauts, expansion for the 2020-21 to the sidelines. er’s chance. Ruiz, whose tential fights with Fury and
Metropolitan Riveters and season.”q Still, Douglas pulled off father, a native of Mexi- Wilder.q