Holmes Says He Won Bout Despite Detached Retina

-- BOXING

Larry Holmes earned a shot at the heavyweight championship by fighting with a detached retina.

"I got a detached retina in my right eye three weeks before I fought Ray Mercer," the former champion said yesterday. "I kept it quiet. I could see partially out of the right eye."

Holmes, 43, scored a 12-round decision over Mercer in February in a bout in New Jersey, earning a title shot against Evander Holyfield.

"I went into the hospital immediately after the Mercer fight and had an operation," Holmes disclosed.

Actually, it was a couple of days after the Mercer fight that Holmes entered the hospital in Bethlehem, Pa., early one morning, registered under the name of Charles Jones. He left at 5 a.m. the next day.

"We whisked him in and out under the cover of darkness," said Dick Lovell, a Holmes aide.

Holmes fought Holyfield in June in Las Vegas, losing a one-sided decision. He plans to fight Everett "Big Foot" Martin Tuesday night in Biloxi, Miss.

-- Mike Tyson has reached an out-of-court settlement with a former Miss Black America, Rosie Jones, who accused him of fondling her buttocks and making lewd comments during a photo session at the Indiana Black Expo in July 1991.

-- HONORS

Ten Olympic gold-medal winners, including swimmers Mike Barrowman, Pablo Morales and Summer Sanders, were selected by the Amateur Athletic Union as finalists for the 1992 Sullivan Award.

Other finalists for the award, which will be announced March 8, are wrestler Bruce Baumgartner, speedskater Bonnie Blair, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, boxer Oscar de la Hoya, sprinter Gail Devers, diver Mark Lenzi and hurdler Kevin Young.

-- HOCKEY

Twin brothers Chris and Peter Ferraro combined for seven points as the United States routed Japan 12-2 for its first victory in the world junior championships in Gavle, Sweden. Meanwhile, Canada improved its record to 4-0 with a 3-2 triumph over Finland.

-- Scott Gruhl, 33, a left wing for the Fort Wayne Komets, became the International Hockey League's all-time leading goal scorer when he netted his 551st and 552nd in a 7-4 loss to the San Diego Gulls.

-- COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Ed Sweeney, 43, former coach at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, was named new coach at Colgate today.

-- COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Michigan freshman Tannisha Stevens was discharged from a Miami hospital, three days after her right eye was seriously injured when a van window shattered in her face. She was injured Saturday and underwent surgery Sunday morning to remove glass from the eye.