started 0-2 before a win against Loyola Mary

LAS VEGAS -- Sergey Kovalev was knocking out everyone put in front of him when his handlers went to HBO a few years back asking for a coveted spot on one of the networks boxing shows.Not so fast, the network said.You got two problems with this guy, promoter Kathy Duva remembers an HBO executive saying. One, hes a light heavyweight. Two, hes a Russian.Two problems, indeed. The combination isnt particularly attractive to boxing fans, or the network that buys many of the biggest fights.But on Saturday, it doesnt matter that Kovalev is a champion at light heavyweight, a division that historically has gotten little respect. Not when hes got unbeaten Andre Ward in front of him in a classic slugger vs. boxer matchup that is perhaps the most anticipated fight of the year.And the Russian part? Well, it helps that Kovalev now lives most of the year in Los Angeles and has quickly picked up the English language.I learned English only with reporters, he said this week, displaying a gift for gab in his new language with a small group of boxing scribes.Seven years after coming to the United States to seek fame and fortune, Kovalev is on the brink of both. A devastating puncher who has not lost in 31 fights, he will try to do what no one has done in 20 years -- win a fight against Ward, the last American man to win boxing gold in the Olympics.If the fight isnt compelling enough, Kovalevs story should be enough for some to pony up the $64.95 to watch it at home. His Russian fans will get the fight free, with the nations Channel 1 lined up to broadcast the bout live in his home country.America gave me opportunity. Its two great countries for me, Kovalev said. I love both countries, which is why I have two houses, in Russia and America.Kovalev comes from a fighting family, though he is the only one to actually put on gloves and do it in the ring. His mother, he says, used to beat up people as a child in Chelyabinsk, a factory town, where she works in a liquid metals plant.My mother fought a lot of times on the street growing up, even with boys, he said. She grew up in poor area.Kovalev grew up poor, too, with the family of five living in two rooms of a three-room apartment they shared with an unrelated elderly woman. He fought in the amateurs, though he never got a shot at making the Russian Olympic boxing team, before deciding to come to the U.S. and turn pro.Hooking up with Egis Klimas, a Lithuanian immigrant who now manages a number of Russian and Eastern European fighters, he fought for a few dollars here and there in tiny places he describes as garages.Kovalev was undefeated in 17 fights but still a relative unknown when he returned home to face Roman Simakov in a fight that turned tragic. Kovalev stopped Simakov in the seventh round of the December 2011 fight, and Simakov fell into a coma and later died.The death devastated Kovalev, and it might have unraveled his career like it has other fighters who have killed men in the ring. He would later reach out to try to take care of Simakovs family, but the pain still lingers to a point he rarely will talk about the fateful night.Kovalevs big break came when he was signed by Duvas Main Events promotional company. Duva would get the HBO dates she sought in that first meeting, and it didnt take long for the boxer they call Krusher to become a regular on the network.He dominated the ancient but still crafty Bernard Hopkins in 2014, forcing him into retirement, at least temporarily. And two knockout wins over Canadas Jean Pascal in Montreal cemented his status as the best 175-pounder in the world.Now he takes on Ward, the former 168-pound champion who has fought only three times in the last three years. Bookies in this gambling town make Ward, a defensive specialist and extraordinary boxer, a slight favorite, but Kovalev believes he will prevail.He doesnt have a punch like Mike Tyson, but hes very smart and has good defense, Kovalev says. Its not dangerous, but hes a tough target. He does very smart things in the ring.Kovalev has been doing some smart things, too. Perhaps none smarter than taking a chance and coming to the U.S. with nothing in his pocket and only his dreams.I love this country, he said. Im very comfortable with the people and the boxing in America.---Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlbeg(at)ap.org or http://twitter.com/timdahlbergAdidas Nmd Dame Udsalg .com) - Christian Ponder will get another chance to prove himself for the Minnesota Vikings, with head coach Leslie Frazier announcing Wednesday that the struggling quarterback will start this weekends game against the Green Bay Packers. Adidas Nmd r2 Dame . -- On the field, it was business as usual for Jameis Winston and No. http://www.dknmdskotilbud.com/ . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Adidas Nmd r1 Herre Danmark .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. Yeezy Powerphase Fake . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday.The 33rd Maui Invitational tips off Monday and will feature another field loaded with basketball powers.This years field --?Oregon, Tennessee, Georgetown, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State, UConn, North Carolina and host Chaminade -- consists of teams that have a combined 14 NCAA championships, 40 Final Four appearances and 192 NCAA tournament appearances.?The winner in Maui has gone on to win the national title four times, with UConn in 2010-11 the most recent. North Carolina has won the Maui title three times.UConn and Oklahoma State play in a quarterfinal at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU and WatchESPN. The winner will play either No. 5 North Carolina or Chaminade on Tuesday.?UConn is making its fourth overall appearance in the Maui Invitational, and has twice won the event. The Huskies are 8-1 all-time in Maui. The last time they won the tournament was during the 2010-11 season when they were led by Kemba Walker, who averaged 30 points per game in the toourney.dddddddddddd?The Huskies, which started 0-2 before a win against Loyola Marymount, had not lost their first two games to open the season since 1968. Their defense remains a mainstay as they are holding teams to 37.6 percent shooting in three games.But the problem resides on offense, as UConn is shooting 38.9 percent, including 60.8 percent from the free-throw line, and is averaging only 61.3 points per game. The Huskies led the nation in free-throw shooting at 79.3 percent last year.?The Huskies, who are likely without freshman guard Alterique Gilbert (shoulder) for the tournament, are led by transfer Terry Larrier and his 16.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Sophomore Jalen Adams is averaging 11 points, while senior Rodney Purvis has struggled scoring 5.7 points on 28 percent shooting.?-- John Silver ' ' '