Sports briefs for March 11, 2005

Friday, March 11, 2005 | 11:51 a.m.

A proposed fight between WBC super lightweight champion Arturo Gatti and undefeated challenger Floyd Mayweather Jr. is back on -- two weeks later than originally planned.

Promoters said Thursday that Gatti will defend his 140-pound title against Mayweather on June 25 in Atlantic City. The announcement comes less than a week after promoter Main Events Inc. said the fight was off.

Main Events canceled the original bout after claiming Mayweather didn't meet a deadline to sign the deal to fight Gatti. But negotiations resumed for the fight at a later date so that Gatti could have enough training time.

"All the parties were very flexible rearranging dates and sites," said Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, Gatti's promotional firm.

Mayweather, a former lightweight champion who moved up in weight, lashed out at Gatti for canceling the fight last week, saying he would eventually make him pay for it in the ring.

Gatti (39-6, 29 knockouts) is the champion, but Mayweather will likely be the favorite. He is undefeated in 33 fights with 22 knockouts, but his life outside the ring has been troubled.

Mayweather avoided a possible three-month jail sentence last month after pleading no contest to misdemeanor assault and battery stemming from a bar fight in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Gatti, meanwhile, is huge in Atlantic City, drawing sellout crowds every time he fights.

The fight will be at the Boardwalk Hall, and will be televised by HBO pay-per-view.

Karatantcheva wins

Sesil Karatantcheva advanced to the second round of the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells, Calif., with a 6-7 (5), 6-0, 6-2 victory against German Marlene Weingartner. Karatantcheva will next face top-ranked and top-seeded Lindsay Davenport. Also advancing were Daja Bedanova of the Czech Republic, Emilie Loit of France and Americans Angela Haynes, Lindsay Lee-Waters and Jessica Kirkland.

Canucks sale OK

Francesco Aquilini's purchase of 50 percent of the Vancouver Canucks has been completed. Last week the NHL's board of governors approved the deal, which was first announced in November. Aquilini, a local businessman who has been a Canucks season-ticket holder for 15 years, is buying half the team from Seattle businessman John McCaw.

Auriemma cleared

Connecticut women's coach Geno Auriemma was cleared by the Big East Conference of any wrongdoing in events that led Rutgers guard Cappie Pondexter to confront him after the conference title game Tuesday.

Hamm judges bounced

Three judges were suspended by the sport's governing body today in Moutier, Switzerland, for errors that ignited a two-month controversy over American Paul Hamm's all-around victory at the Athens Olympics.

Former Redskin dies

Former Redskins kick returner Ozzie Clay died at a Washington hospital from complications of a stroke. He was 62.

Seve out of Masters

Two-time champion Seve Ballesteros withdrew today from the 2005 Masters because of a knee injury.