Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Former boxing champion Antonio Cermeno kidnapped and killed

Former boxing champion Antonio Cermeno was shot and killed in his home country of Venezuela.

Cermeno and some of his relatives had been seized on Monday night near the La Urbina area of the capital Caracas.

The relatives escaped when the kidnappers stopped to refuel a car, but the ex-boxer remained a hostage, police said.His body was discovered in the central state of Miranda.

Cermeno, 44, was a WBA super bantamweight and featherweight champion in the 1990s. He retired in 2006 with a 45-7 record.

He won the super bantamweight title after defeating Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vazquez in 1995 and kept it until 1997.In 1998 he won the featherweight title and held on to it until a year later.

After he retired, he helped young sportsmen.

His murder comes after 29-year-old Monica Spear, a popular soap-opera actress and former Miss Venezuela, was killed early in January.

She and her British ex-husband Thomas Henry Berry, 39, were shot dead by robbers as they returned by car to the capital with their young daughter.

"It Girl" of the week: Kendra Lachon

The Just Sports & Just Us "It Girl" of the week is Kendra Lachon.









New York Knicks sign Earl Clark

The New York Knicks have confirmed the signing of forward Earl Clark.

Clark,26, was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers on February 20th immediately after he was acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers and became a free agent on February 22nd will be the player to provide the Knicks with the forward depth that they seek. The former number 14 overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft was averaging over 15 minutes per game this year for the Cavaliers and chipping in just over 5 points and 2 rebounds per game.

Clark can play both forward spots but will likely be used as a "stretch 4". The Knicks were desperate for frontcourt help after waiving Metta World Peace and Andrea Bargnani and Kenyon Martin on the shelf.

Clark probably won't be a difference maker but he can be productive in stretches as he proved last season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He probably would've been better off signing with a contender though.