Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 Mayweather ready to hang up gloves as ‘the best ever’ LOS ANGELES: Floyd Mayweather Jr. plans “My health is more important. Anything number of times, this will be his last fight,” nents while building his impressive resume. to go out unbeaten and on his own terms, as can happen (in boxing). I am not really wor- Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Asked what he regarded as the greatest ‘The Best Ever’, when he ends his boxing ried about losing. You can make a lot of Promotions, said on Wednesday’s confer- achievement of his career, he replied: “Every career in Las Vegas next week with his wel- money but you still won’t be able to talk, ence call. “Why can’t a man go out when he fight played a major key ... and number 49 is terweight title defence against fellow walk and have a sharp mind. has had an illustrious career, accomplished going to be important also. But my career’s American Andre Berto. “Of course, it’s always about self-preser- everything that he needed to accomplish not over yet.” Berto, a twice former welter- Should Mayweather win, as is widely vation. I come first but I appreciate the fans. I and be done? And he has done it his way. weight world champion, will step into the expected, he would match the 49-0 record of do. The only thing I can do is believe in “Over the last week, I have received three ring as a heavy underdog after losing three former heavyweight great Rocky Marciano myself. I’m going to be TBE (The Best Ever) major movie offers. We fully expect Floyd to of his last six fights but Mayweather is wary but says he would not be tempted to come until the day I die.” Many pundits have be heavily, heavily involved in the entertain- of underestimating his opponent. out of retirement for a 50th fight. doubted Mayweather’s claim that he will end ment industry because this is what he does “When you’ve got a guy that’s put in a sit- “Forty-nine is my last fight,” the five-divi- his career after the Sept. 12 bout, pointing to right now ... that is going to occupy a lot of uation with nothing to lose, it makes him sion world champion, aged 38, told reporters the American’s U-turn when he came back his time.” Mayweather, whose 48-0 record work that much harder,” said Mayweather. on a conference call on Wednesday before from a 21-month retirement to fight Mexican includes 26 knockouts, is renowned for his “He has a chance to be one of the top guys in saying that self-preservation in the ring had Juan Manuel Marquez in September 2009. brilliant defence in the ring though he has the sport when I am through. You never always been a top priority. “Like I have said and Floyd has said a often been criticized for selecting easy oppo- overlook anyone.” — Reuters France hopes to retain title with Tony Parker back in team FRANKFURT: Tony Parker is back and France will be looking to retain the title at the European Basketball Championship that starts over the weekend in four cities across the continent. Originally scheduled to be held in Ukraine, the competition was moved because of the unrest in the east European country and will be spread around before the medal round in France. Group stages will be held in Montpellier, France; Berlin; Zagreb, Croatia; and Riga, Latvia, with the opening round on Saturday. Four teams from each of the six-team groups will advance to the knockout stage in Lille, France, which will host the final on Sept. 20. The finalists will qualify for next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Here is a look at the four groups: Group A, in Montpellier: While France is the overwhelming favorite, it will be a close bat- tle for the other teams in the group - Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Finland, Poland and Israel. France can also count on the NBA experience of Nicolas Batum, Nando de Colo, Boris Diaw and Mickael Gelabale. Russia is rebuild- ing, while Bosnia is without its Phoenix Suns shooter Mirza Teletovic and Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic. Omri Casspi of the Sacramento Kings leads a balanced Israeli team. Veteran Petteri Koponen and shooter Sasu Salin pace Finland, while center Marcit Gortan of the Washington Wizards is the key player for Poland. Group B, in Berlin: Easily the toughest group, with the excep- tion of underdog Iceland. Nowitzki is 37 and wants to go to Rio. HONG KONG: (L to R) Dart players Isen Veljic, Royden Lam, Wes Newton, Phil Taylor, Andy Hamilton and Stephen Dennis Schroeder of the Atlanta Hawks may be the playmaker Bunting pose during a press conference ahead of the dart masters competition in Hong Kong yesterday. The Hong Kong Germany has been looking for. Darts Masters 2015 final will place September 5, 2015. Darts legend Phil “The Power” Taylor has promised “never” to Gasol leads an experienced Spain team that opens its campaign stop playing as he gains a new lease of life from spearheading the pub sport’s ambitious push into Asia. — AFP against unpredictable Serbia, which unexpectedly finished as run- ner-up to the United States at the World Cup last year. The versatile Nemanja Bjelica, newly signed by Minnesota Timberwolves, is the Legend Taylor gets new player to watch. Pau Gasol’s brother Mark and Ricky Rubio are absent. Danilo Gallinari of the Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets cen- ter Andrea Bargnani and Marco Belinelli of the Sacramento Kings, plus former Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics player Luigi Datome, ‘Power’ from Asian push headline a powerful Italy squad. Forward Ersan Ilyasova of the Milwaukee Bucks may not be enough to get Turkey into the knock- out stage. HONG KONG: Darts legend Phil “The ranked players and three local players in a don’t just want to sit in a bar and eat and Group C, in Zagreb: Greece guard Vassilis Spanoulis is consid- Power” Taylor has promised “never” to stop marquee erected on the city’s harbourfront drink, they want to play games. Darts fills ered as one of the top players in Europe despite a quiet stint in the playing as he gains a new lease of life from on Friday and Saturday. that niche perfectly.” NBA. He and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks spearheading the pub sport’s ambitious Organisers are hoping to sell out 1,250 In “soft-tipped” darts, players can be should guarantee Greece a place in the top four of the group. push into Asia. tickets each night and Taylor was sure there linked over the Internet, meaning a player Croatia has one of the most talented teams in years. Dario Saric, The 16-time world champion is at the would be great crowds in a sport renowned in Hong Kong can have a game against drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers, and Mario Hezonja, headed to forefront of the fast-expanding World for raucous fans and a party atmosphere. someone in another country. the Orlando Magic, plus Bojan Bogdanovic of the Brooklyn Nets, Series of Darts, which has broken new “Most people coming will know about Taylor said it was a fantastic innovation make Croatia a medal contender. Without its American-born guard ground this year with top players travelling darts,” said Taylor, adding that he had been for the sport. “I did an exhibition last night,” Bo McCalebb, Macedonia will find it hard to advance. Georgia relies to Yokohama, Perth, Sydney and Auckland. pleasantly surprised by the response of fans he said. “I loved it.” “You press a button and on the Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia, while the Netherlands And the 55-year-old told AFP that taking in Asia. “We weren’t too sure about Japan, play somebody in another bar. You’re is an unknown quantity. Slovenia could run into problems without darts to new frontiers is a huge motivation but they were probably one of the best there, you’re waving to them on camera. Miami Heat shooter Goran Dragic. ahead of the inaugural Hong Kong Darts crowds we’ve ever had. They all got They could be in Germany, France, Group D, in Riga: The Toronto Raptors center Jonas Masters which, if successful on debut, will involved,” said Taylor. Thailand, wherever-honest to God it’s bril- Valanciunas is the star of Lithuania, which has a well-balanced join the World Series next year. liant. “I did a nine-darter as well,” added squad that could be another medal contender. The group is also a contest for Baltic bragging rights since Latvia and Estonia are in the “I love very minute of it. I’ll never stop. Bullseye Taylor, referring to the minimum number same bracket. But they don’t have Lithuania’s depth. Never,” said Taylor. “At my age I don’t get Hong Kong’s Scott Mackenzie, who has darts in which a player can complete a tra- Ukraine’s biggest worry, apart from the situation at home, could excited much any more but I am actually played in three PDC world championships, ditional game starting on 501 and finishing be the loss of American coach Mike Fratello and the bulk of the excited. I’ve been away from home for four agreed with Taylor. on a double. team that reached the quarterfinals two years ago. Recently natu- weeks now and I’ve loved every minute of “Darts is booming in Asia,” said the 43- “In the early days we could never have ralized American-born point guard Jerome Randle will be leading it.