Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson stands on the field before an NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sept. 24, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)

Tyson sounds

alarm on boxing

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mike Tyson said boxing in the United States is fading, and he wants to help revive it by building stronger amateur competition. On Friday, he pointed to shrinking grassroots boxing clubs and fewer places for young fighters to test themselves.

He is helping launch the Mike Tyson Invitational in Las Vegas on March 12-14 to bring top amateurs together. Tyson also worries about boxing’s shaky Olympic status, even after the IOC included it in the 2028 Los Angeles Games. He praised the UFC model for tight control and entertainment standards.

Tyson said exciting fights and full seats fuel greatness.

NBA’s Paul

retires

(AP) — Chris Paul has announced he is retiring from the NBA after a 21-season career that stacks up as Hall of Fame worthy. He shared the news Friday during All-Star weekend at the Clippers’ arena in Inglewood.

Paul finished the year in a strange way. The Clippers sent him home in December. They traded him to Toronto earlier this month, even though he never planned to play there.

Paul said he wants to “show up for others.” He leaves as a 12-time All-Star and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He also ranks near the top in assists and steals.

James remains

in spotlight

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — For two solid decades, LeBron James was a main attraction at every NBA All-Star weekend. He was a 20-year-old starter in his All-Star debut back in 2005, and he became the youngest MVP of the game just one year later.

Never begging off due to injury or exhaustion while his less-accomplished teammates enjoyed their breaks from the season’s grind, James dutifully appeared in every midseason showcase until 2025. Now 41, James is back this weekend for the All-Star Game at Intuit Dome south of central Los Angeles, spending another Sunday in February under the spotlight while extending his records for the most All-Star selections and All-Star appearances.

US routs

Italy 6-0

MILAN (AP) — Kendall Coyne Schofield scored twice and top-seeded United States routed Olympic host Italy 6-0 in a lopsided, festive and sometimes chippy women’s hockey quarterfinal at the Milan Cortina Games.

Megan Keller, Laila Edwards, Hannah Bilka and Britta Curl-Salemme also scored in an outing the U.S. erupted for five goals in the second period. Gwyneth Philips finished with six saves as the Americans posted their fourth straight shutout. The Americans advanced to the semifinal round on Monday.

Italian goalie Gabriella Durante stopped 19 of 20 shots through the opening period and 45 overall.

US curling

beats Canada

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — The U.S. women’s curling team was surprised to learn that their defeat of Canada on Friday marked an Olympic first.

“If that’s true,” caveated Minneapolis native Taylor Anderson-Heide said after the 9-8 nailbiter, “I think we just played a really good game. They’re No. 1 in the world.”

Until Friday, the American women had never beaten Canada — a perennial favorite that has medaled in every Winter Games since curling was added to the Olympics in 1998. The U.S. men beat the Canadians for the first time in the 2018 round-robin and again in the semifinals en route to their gold medal victory in Pyeongchang.