Boxer Dies Four Days After Fight

A Peruvian boxer died Wednesday in Miami, four days after collapsing after a fight, a spokesman for the fight’s promoter said.

Luis Villalta, 35, lost consciousness in his dressing room minutes after losing the 12-round bout to Ricky Quiles on Saturday night.

Villalta’s wife and father were at the fighter’s bedside when he died, said Warrior’s Boxing spokesman Peter Kahn. They arrived from Peru on emergency visas Wednesday morning.

Villalta moved to the United States on a professional athlete visa three years ago to improve his stock as a fighter.

Villalta fought in the lightweight division and eventually won a regional title last July. He lost to Quiles in a decision.

Although Villalta was not knocked down in the fight, he did absorb heavy shots in the final two rounds.

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Tennis

After two days and two rain delays, Andy Roddick finally won his first match in the Franklin Templeton Classic at Scottsdale, Ariz.

The U.S. Open champion needed only two serves Wednesday to wrap up a 6-3, 7-5 victory over John Van Lottum in a match that started the night before but was suspended by rain.

Third-seeded Robby Ginepri had to fight off two match points to beat Wesley Moodie, 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, and fourth-seeded Vincent Spadea defeated Wayne Arthurs, 6-3, 6-2.

Top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne improved to 15-0 this year by beating Maria Vento-Kabchi, 7-5, 6-3, to reach the Qatar Open quarterfinals at Dota. Henin-Hardenne next faces Nathalie Dechy, who beat Sandrine Testud, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. Second-seeded Jennifer Capriati defeated Ting Li, 7-5, 6-1; sixth-seeded Jelena Dokic was knocked off by 77th-ranked Jie Zheng, 6-4, 6-1.

Rafael Nadal reached the Dubai Open quarterfinals by eliminating Olivier Rochus, 6-3, 7-5, at Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Eighth-seeded Sjeng Schalken moved into the quarterfinals by defeating Fabrice Santoro, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

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Miscellany

Former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams had his finger near the trigger of a shotgun when he snapped it closed and it discharged, killing a limousine driver, a one-time teammate testified.

Benoit Benjamin, testifying at Williams’ manslaughter trial in return for immunity from prosecution, was among eight friends taking a tour of Williams’ 40-room mansion in Alexandria Township, N.J., two years ago when Costas “Gus” Christofi was killed.

Benjamin said Williams took a shotgun from a gun case in the bedroom and asked the driver in an obscenity-laced sentence why he was there. Benjamin said the gun was cracked open, and he could see it was loaded.

Cal State Fullerton sophomore pitcher Dustin Miller will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder and will sit out the rest of the baseball season. Miller, a preseason All-American who went 9-2 with a 3.33 earned-run average as a freshman, did not pitch an inning after originally being diagnosed with tendinitis in the shoulder.

The Sparks have signed unrestricted free-agent center Tausha Mills and added her to their 2004 training camp roster. The 6-3, 232-pound Mills played in 29 games last season with San Antonio and averaged two points and 1.9 rebounds.

Montana Athletic Director Wayne Hogan resigned amid reports that the athletic program faces a nearly $1-million deficit due to high spending and accounting errors. Hogan’s departure came as Montana university system officials disclosed plans to launch an independent investigation into the athletic program’s financial problems.

Lance Armstrong finished in the lead pack in the opening stage of the Tour of Murcia at San Pedro Del Pinatar, Spain, a five-stage race he’s using to hone his technique in preparation for the Tour de France.