Sports briefs for August 9, 2004

Monday, Aug. 9, 2004 | 9:34 a.m.

Williams wants bout with Klitschko next

Danny Williams would fight Mike Tyson again but prefers a title bout against WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko.

Tyson, once the most feared boxer of his era, was knocked out in the fourth round by Williams in Louisville, Ky., on July 30. Williams spent the next week making TV appearances in the United States.

"I want to fight Klitschko and become WBC champion of the world," Williams said today on his return to London. "That has always been my dream since I was 8 years old. It's the one (Muhammad) Ali had, and it's the one I want."

"I have beaten Tyson," he added. "So I believe Klitschko would be a pushover."

Williams was considered a journeyman before the Tyson bout. He had a record of 31-3 but never fought a prominent opponent. He lost to Julius Francis, a British fighter Tyson knocked out in the second round a few years ago.

There's no shortage of confidence now.

"I was fighting one of the all-time greats, and I was a massive underdog, but I was able to stop him in four rounds," Williams said. "I'm capable of beating anyone, and well."

Mauresmo wins

Amelie Mauresmo won the Rogers Cup for the second time, routing Elena Likhovtseva 6-1, 6-0 to end the unseeded Russian's string of upsets. Mauresmo, seeded second, combined power and precision in the 51-minute match. She is projected to move up to a career-high No. 2 in the WTA Tour rankings.

Lion Heart roars

Lion Heart, who finished second to Smarty Jones in the Kentucky Derby and fourth behind him in the Preakness Stakes, handled a moderate group of competitors in winning in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. About an hour earlier, Purge, who had finished behind Smarty Jones three times, won the $500,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga.

Duncan leads U.S.

Tim Duncan scored 16 points as the U.S. Olympic basketball team held on to defeat Turkey 79-67 in a tuneup for the Olympics. The U.S. saw its 14-point fourth-quarter lead trimmed to 68- 65 with 3 1/2 minutes remaining in Istanbul, Turkey, as the home team went on a 19-8 run in front of about 10,000 spectators. Turkey could score only two points the rest of the way.

Japan rules Asia

Defending champion Japan beat host nation China 3-1 in the Asian Cup final at Beijing to claim the title for a third time in four tournaments.