WBA: No to Foreman-Schulz

The World Boxing Assn.’s championship committee on Friday unanimously denied George Foreman’s request to fight Axel Schulz and threatened to strip him of the world heavyweight championship if he doesn’t reconsider.

Foreman, 46, won the WBA and International Boxing Federation portions of the championship last Nov. 5 with a 10th-round knockout of Michael Moorer. He is scheduled to fight Schulz, a German, in Las Vegas on April 22, and promoter Bob Arum says the fight will take place.

A WBA rule states that if an unranked contender, which Foreman was, wins the championship, he has 120 days to fight the No. 1 contender, in this case Tony Tucker. That gives him until March 5, although WBA attorney Jimmy Binns said extensions usually are granted if additional time is required to promote the fight.

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Alexis Arguello, 42, said he may still return to the ring after he recovers from two broken bones in his left hand, suffered during his fight against Scott Walker.

Baseball

A day after President Clinton ordered baseball players and owners to resume talks, union head Donald Fehr was summoned to the White House to brief a presidential aide on the strike.

Fehr met with deputy White House counsel Bruce Lindsay for an hour. Neither would say what was discussed, and Fehr said he couldn’t guess what will happen when baseball negotiations resume Wednesday in Washington.

Management counsel Chuck O’Connor said the owners would present a new proposal during the talks. O’Connor wouldn’t give specifics but said it would feature new wrinkles on familiar themes, meaning a salary cap or payroll tax remains.

The Chicago White Sox said they wouldn’t ask Michael Jordan to be a replacement player because of his “high profile,” General Manager Ron Schueler said.

In a related issue, Baltimore Councilman Joseph DiBlasi said he will introduce legislation Monday that would make it illegal for replacement players to participate in games at Camden Yards. The measure would fine major league baseball $1,000 for each game played with strikebreakers at the facility.

Jurisprudence

Misdemeanor charges in an assault case against Nebraska sophomore running back Lawrence Phillips were dismissed after he paid a student $400.

Phillips, of West Covina, was accused of assaulting a 21-year-old Doane College student on March 11, 1994, and had pleaded innocent to charges of assault, disturbing the peace and two counts of vandalism. The student told police that Phillips damaged his vehicle and his necklace during a confrontation on a city street.

Former Washington Redskin running back Timmy Smith has been ordered by a New Mexico court to make good on $73,000 in back child support payments.

Track and Field

Olympic champion Mark McKoy set a European record in the 50-meter hurdles at the Nike-Seldom World Class competition in Moscow.

McKoy, who competed in the Olympics for Canada but last year received Austrian citizenship, was timed in 6.39 seconds. The previous record was 6.41, by Igor Kovac of Czechoslovakia in 1992.

Sergei Bubka of Ukraine, the only pole vaulter ever to clear 20 feet, indoors or outdoors, made his first appearance in Moscow of the post-Soviet era. He won at 19-0 1/4, then missed at 19-8 1/2.

Miscellany

Paul Pierce, a 6-foot-7 guard from Inglewood High and considered to be one of the nation’s top prep basketball prospects, said he plans to attend Kansas next fall. . . . Paul Brand, athletic director at Alabama Huntsville for 11 years, died after a struggle with cancer. He was 60. . . . World Cup and former Olympic moguls champion Donna Weinbrecht of Killington, Vt., won her second competition of the season and Russian Sergei Shupletsov stayed unbeaten with his fifth victory at the KeyCorp Freestyle International at Lake Placid, N.Y.

Micky Arison, son of Carnival Cruise Lines founder Ted Arison, said his family will buy out partners Billy Cunningham and Lewis Schaffel to gain full ownership of the NBA’s Miami Heat. Waste management executive Whit Hudson, who failed in his bid to purchase the team for $60 million, will drop his lawsuit against the Arisons when the deal closes. He had accused the family of sabotaging his attempt to buy the team. . . . Greg McMakin, defensive coordinator at the University of Miami last season, will join the Seattle Seahawks’ coaching staff in the same position. New Coach Dennis Erickson also retained Dave Brown, a Seahawks assistant. . . . The Southern California Sports Broadcasters Assn. awards luncheon Wednesday at Lakeside Golf Club is sold out.