Boxing

Former champ Dokes dies

Michael Dokes, a former World Boxing Association heavyweight champion, died Saturday in Akron, Ohio. He was 54.

The Akron Beacon Journal reported Dokes died in a hospice from liver cancer.

Dokes won the heavyweight title at 24 in December 1982, when referee Joey Curtis made a controversial decision to stop his fight against champion Mike Weaver. Dokes dominated the first round over Weaver, prompting Curtis' decision.

An admitted problem with cocaine was a factor as Dokes lost the WBA title nine months later to Gerrie Coetzee. Dokes never held the heavyweight crown again.

Known as "Dynamite" Dokes because he packed a powerful punch, he had a career record of 53-6-2.

Dokes returned for one last shot at the big time, getting a February 1993 opportunity at the heavyweight title against Riddick Bowe in New York. He earned $750,000 but didn't last long, getting knocked out by Bowe in the first round at Madison Square Garden.

Dokes last fought in November 1997, when he weighed 280 pounds.

In 1986, Dokes was arrested in Las Vegas for cocaine trafficking and served two years' probation.

In 2000, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail after pleading guilty to attempted murder, second-degree kidnapping and intent to commit sexual assault against his girlfriend. She was held against her will for six hours in the home they shared.

He was released in 2008.

NHL

Talks to resume Tuesday

The NHL Players' Association will present its vision for a new collective-bargaining agreement to league officials when labor talks resume Tuesday.

Just don't call it a counterproposal.

NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said the union's proposal will offer a "different kind of an approach" and an "alternate view."

The presentation will come a month after the NHL made its first proposal, which included a reduction of players' share of revenues and limitations to free agency.

League commissioner Gary Bettman said he is interested to see what the union has to offer, but declined to speculate what might be included.

Pacioretty signs extension

Montreal forward Max Pacioretty, who scored 33 goals last season, signed a six-year contract extension with the Canadiens reportedly worth $27 million. The 23-year-old had a team-high 65 points last season.

Flyers' Lilja has surgery

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Andreas Lilja, 37, had left-hip surgery last month and is expected back in late October or early November.

NBA

Lakers re-sign Ebanks

The Los Angeles Lakers re-signed forward Devin Ebanks and added guard Jodie Meeks.

Ebanks, 22, has career averages of 3.6 points and 1.8 rebounds.

Meeks, 24, appeared in 66 games last season with the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 8.4 points in 24.9 minutes.

Mixed martial arts

Police: Fighter found naked

Fighter Jason "Mayhem" Miller was in jail on suspicion of burglary after deputies responding to reports of a break-in said they found him naked inside a church in Mission Viejo, Calif.

Miller was being held on $20,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, Orange County jail records showed.

The pastor at Mission Hills Church called authorities when he found evidence of a break-in, sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino said.

Deputies arrived and said they found Miller naked on a couch.

"When they asked him his name, he responded, 'Mayhem,' " Amormino said.

WNBA

Phoenix mayor breaks nose

A photo opportunity left Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton with a broken nose.

Stanton practiced with the Phoenix Mercury and ran drills with its practice squad. In one of the drills, Stanton went up for a rebound against the Mercury's Nakia Sanford and came down with a broken nose.

He was taken to a hospital for a CT scan and it was determined his nose is fractured in two places.

Elsewhere

• American Serena Williams arrived at the Western & Southern Open with an Olympic gold medal and a chance to win another tennis tournament she had not won before.

Really, Serena, you haven't won in Mason, Ohio, before.

During a pretournament news conference, Williams said, "I did win this tournament, didn't I? Maybe I didn't. I can't keep up. I don't think I did. OK. Whoops."

She has played in the event three times, her best showing a semifinal loss in 2006.

• Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic beat Li Na of China 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 in the Rogers Cup tennis final in Montreal.

Seattle Times news services