Chris Givens
Stories by Chris
Uppercut for education
posted: 05/13/2009 1:32 a.m. Discuss
Ray Rodgers is far more than just an amateur boxing coach to those who know him.
FROCH VS. TAYLOR: Hindsight leads to 2nd guessing
posted: 04/27/2009 5:20 a.m.
Lou DiBella, Jermain Taylor's promoter, got a call from Showtime senior vice president Ken Hershman in the moments after the frenzied and shocking end to Taylor's world title fight with Carl Froch on Saturday night.
Froch's flurry floors Taylor
posted: 04/26/2009 2:43 a.m.
Jermain Taylor was 14 seconds away from a second world championship.
Taylor-Froch fight night report
posted: 04/26/2009 2:37 a.m.
It was a boxing clinic that was missing only one component - the knockout.
Taylor: Dislike of Froch will fuel knockout
posted: 04/25/2009 2:37 a.m.
The last time Jermain Taylor knocked someone out was Feb. 19, 2005, when in the third round he pummeled Daniel Edouard into a corner until the referee stopped the fight.
Weight no worry to Taylor
posted: 04/25/2009 1:27 a.m.
Jermain Taylor woke up Friday morning, the day of the weigh-in for his super middleweight championship fight with Carl Froch, and ate a good breakfast.
Froch has confidence of champion
posted: 04/24/2009 1:49 a.m.
Carl Froch was chatting with a reporter in the back of a crowded restaurant when Little Rock's Jermain Taylor walked in the door.
Taylor soaking up familiar experience
posted: 04/23/2009 3:06 a.m.
Gallagher's Steak House in midtown Manhattan. A private dining room packed to capacity with reporters, cameras and bright lights.
Jermain Taylor training camp report
posted: 04/19/2009 2:28 a.m.
Taylor goes 16 in camp Jermain Taylor doesn't want his fight with Carl Froch to even go the maximum 12 rounds - he wants to knock out Froch far earlier. Still, for Taylor, it's nice to know he can go 16 rounds if necessary.
Arkansas boxers win regional titles
posted: 04/12/2009 2:30 a.m.
Maybe there is something to home-ring advantage.
MID-SOUTH GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT: Region's boxers fight for national berths
posted: 04/09/2009 3:15 a.m.
From the smallest to the biggest, expect the boxers at the this week's Mid-South Golden Gloves Championship Tournament to put on a show.
Taylor's opponent confident
posted: 04/01/2009 1:28 a.m.
Jermain Taylor definitely knows who Carl Froch is now.
Taylor:"Let's go get that belt back"
posted: 03/27/2009 1:58 a.m.
Jermain Taylor says he has the intensity back. He has the desire back. He has the proper motivation again.
FINISH LINES
posted: 03/16/2009 4:01 a.m.
Doctor's in The medical staff at the finish line and on the course was on heightened alert. Thankfully, there was little need for its services.
CLASS 1A BOYS: Thunderbirds earn fourth title
posted: 03/14/2009 4:28 a.m.
Mount Vernon-Enola won the season series.
CLASS 2A BOYS: St. Joseph lets coach enjoy rings
posted: 03/14/2009 3:57 a.m.
Conway St. Joseph Coach Brent Bruich should feel safe to start wearing his state championship ring again. Along with his new one.
Tournament report
posted: 03/08/2009 1:23 a.m.
Former Morrilton star Shekinna Stricklen didn't save her best for last, but she did make a positive impression in her first trip to the SEC Women's Tournament.
Fired-up Vandy fends off Georgia
posted: 03/07/2009 3:47 a.m.
Vanderbilt Coach Melanie Balcomb knew when she had an empty locker room that her team was ready to go.
Hot shooting brings Georgia back
posted: 03/06/2009 2:16 a.m.
Georgia Coach Andy Landers sat down. Then his team stepped it up.
Taylor to fight April 25
posted: 02/28/2009 5:35 a.m.
The Jermain Taylor-Carl Froch world title fight finally has a home.
Taylor gets shot at belt vs. Froch
posted: 02/04/2009 3:58 a.m.
Jermain Taylor is training for another title shot.
Taylor's team considering possibilities for next fight
posted: 01/17/2009 3:40 a.m.
Jermain Taylor got a head start on training for his next fight Friday night.
In the Lane
posted: 01/15/2009 1:24 a.m.
OXFORD, Miss. - Arkansas guard Jason Henry had a simple explanation for why he had his best game of the season in Wednesday's 74-65 loss to Mississippi.
Fortson provides bright spot for Hogs
posted: 01/15/2009 1:23 a.m.
OXFORD, Miss. - Five players were on the floor for Arkansas for all 40 minutes Wednesday night.
Second thoughts
posted: 12/18/2008 4:35 a.m.
Stay away from O.J.'s juice maker Bill Simmons of ESPN.com was recently scouring the Internet for sports-related gifts, and instead came up with a list of the worst gifts a sports fan can give.
Pelphrey: Room to overachieve
posted: 12/09/2008 4:08 a.m.
Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey was speaking to a crowd at the Downtown Tip-Off Club's season-opening meeting, but he might as well have been giving a locker room speech to his players, a young, inexperienced group who comprise a Razorbacks team that was picked to finish last in the SEC West.
Inside the matchups
posted: 11/29/2008 5:12 a.m.
QUARTERBACKS It was an ending Disney writers could have scripted. Coming in off the bench in the second half in his final collegiate game, Casey Dick played possibly his best half of football in his career.
Miles 'sick' over defensive lapses
posted: 11/29/2008 5:09 a.m.
LSU Coach Les Miles had no problem describing what happened on Arkansas' gamewinning touchdown pass from Casey Dick to London Crawford, the one that gave the Razorbacks their improbable 31-30 victory Friday in Little Rock.
Dixon puts it all together, powers Bulldogs
posted: 11/23/2008 2:50 a.m.
STARKVILLE, Miss. - It took most of a wasted season, but Anthony Dixon finally got the perfect game he's been waiting on his entire career.
Instant replay
posted: 11/23/2008 2:49 a.m.
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Arkansas broke a nine-year streak Saturday, but Razorbacks players and coaches were much more concerned about the twoyear streak that also ended in Starkville.
Taylor jockeying to fight Calzaghe
posted: 11/17/2008 3:59 a.m.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The HBO broadcast of Saturday's Jermain Taylor-Jeff Lacy fight was available in Wales.
It's unanimous: Taylor's back
posted: 11/16/2008 2:47 a.m.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Jermain Taylor proclaimed his return to boxing relevance with the resounding victory that he, and his career, so desperately needed.
Nelson delivers punishing payback
posted: 11/16/2008 2:42 a.m.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Once the headgear came off, Jonathan Nelson got his revenge in a big way.
Fight night report
posted: 11/16/2008 2:42 a.m.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Deontay Wilder's professional debut went exactly as everyone thought it would - except for Wilder.
TAYLOR VS. LACY: "ALL OR NOTHING" Old friends fight for relevance
posted: 11/15/2008 5:47 a.m.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Jermain Taylor and Jeff Lacy were sitting in their barracks-style room in the athlete's housing building in Sydney, Australia, reminiscing over a long friendship, but with their eyes focused directly to the future.
Weird weigh-in has academic ambiance
posted: 11/15/2008 5:44 a.m.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The scale used to weigh the fighters was placed in a closet just big enough for two people.
Lacy ready to prove loss a fluke
posted: 11/15/2008 4:24 a.m.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Jeff Lacy saw the headlines in newspapers and on boxing Web sites around the country.
Taylor takes no-frills approach
posted: 11/14/2008 3 a.m.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The lemonade machine bubbled in the background as the promoters and fighters raised their voices to be heard above the clanking of silverware in the buffet line.
Nashville feels right to Taylor
posted: 11/13/2008 2:44 a.m.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A casual, relaxed Jermain Taylor leaned back in his chair, put his feet up and looked around the lobby while excitedly remarking that his hotel was full of country stars in town for that night's CMA Awards.
Doing the Spurrier shuffle
posted: 11/09/2008 2:46 a.m.
COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina quarterbacks Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia got their extra running in during the game.
Inside the matchups
posted: 11/09/2008 2:45 a.m.
QUARTERBACKS Three Casey Dick interceptions doomed the Razorbacks. Two interceptions led to South Carolina touchdowns, including a third-quarter interception that killed the last of Arkansas' second-half momentum.
Clay's big day close to home
posted: 11/02/2008 2:07 a.m.
FAYETTEVILLE - Charles Clay's jaw was clenched tight in agony, but he refused to cry out.
Jermain Taylor training camp report
posted: 10/26/2008 3:40 a.m.
Jermain Taylor, by his own admission, does not watch a lot of boxing on television.
A real nail-biter
posted: 10/26/2008 3:35 a.m.
FAYETTEVILLE - The action in the stands was as hot as it was on the field Saturday night as the final seconds counted down in Mississippi's 23-21 victory over Arkansas.
Inside the matchups
posted: 10/19/2008 3:30 a.m.
Ugly quarterbacking from both teams early, but only one team late. Kentucky's Mike Hartline made the two throws he had to in order to win the game.
Embattled QB takes charge of the Wildcats
posted: 10/19/2008 3:30 a.m.
LEXINGTON - Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline walked to the sideline with 2:21 to go in the game Saturday night, ripped off his helmet and thrust it into the air toward Kentucky fans who were wildly cheering his game-winning touchdown pass moments earlier.
Auburn's offense remains ugly after coordinator fired
posted: 10/12/2008 4:58 a.m.
AUBURN, Ala. - There was no offensive epiphany for the Auburn Tigers on Saturday night.
Inside the matchups
posted: 10/12/2008 4:45 a.m.
Film from this game will not be used at a quarterback clinic, but Casey Dick did lead his team to victory. Dick threw two interceptions that led directly to Auburn points.
Offering glimpses of greatness
posted: 10/05/2008 2:55 a.m.
FAYETTEVILLE - Tim Tebow walked defiantly to the Florida sideline early in the fourth quarter of the Gators' 38-7 victory Saturday after directing a drive in which he looked every bit the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
Taylor, Lacy put all on line
posted: 10/03/2008 2:42 a.m.
Jermain Taylor and Jeff Lacy wanted to talk about how much they respect each other and how they have been longtime friends and former Olympic teammates.
