PAISLEY, Scotland -- Billy Joe Saunders enjoyed a successful first defense of his WBO middleweight title against Artur Akavov on Saturday night, with the British boxer starting slowly but finishing the 12-rounder strongly.The three judges called it 116-113, 116-112 and 115-113 in favor of Saunders (24-0) at the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley.With former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury at ringside supporting Saunders, the champion was determined to retain the title he won against Irelands Andy Lee last December.Akavov, previously beaten once in 17 fights but never stopped, looked impressive in the early stages.Saunders started to move forward with more purpose, perhaps sensing the Russian was beginning to feel the effects of his earlier work, and took the eighth and ninth rounds.Akavov came back at the start of the 10th, but Saunders had gained control and soon had his man on the run, imposing himself in the final rounds to take the contest. Jack Marin Jersey . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. Wes Unseld Jersey . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. https://www.cheapwizardsonline.com/509k-elvin-hayes-jersey-wizards.html . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Bob Ferry Jersey . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. Otto Porter Jr. Jersey .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. STOCKHOLM -- U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo says shes received offers to play overseas and could even continue her career in Sweden, where fans were enraged when she described their national team as cowards.In a talk show aired late Friday on Swedish television network SVT, Solo said she was still reeling from being kicked out by the U.S. Soccer Federation, and suggested it was partly due to her advocacy for womens rights.I dont really know where Im going with my life right now, she said. It is still very painful. But to be honest, the past 30-plus days Ive had the opportunity to be home. And not travel as much. And to enjoy my family, my dogs, and my husband.Solo, who announced her departure from the Seattle Reign of the National Womens Soccer League at the end of August, insisted she hasnt retired.I have had a lot of offers to play overseas. So maybe Sweden will welcome me back, she said, without elaborating.She apologized for saying Sweden played like a bunch of cowards after they eliminated the U.S. in the quarterfinals of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, saying she wasnt talking about the players or the coach, but their style of play.It wasnt very Olympic-spirited, Solo said.The USSF suspended Solo for six months and terminated her contract, saying it was the result of missteps.There are more layers to it that I dont think everybody quite understands, SSolo said in the interview, which was pre-recorded in New York on Sept.dddddddddddd22. I believe the federation used my comment, saying the word `cowards, to terminate me.When talk show host Fredrik Skavlan asked if she meant there were other reasons for it, Solo said: Ive been the lead voice behind the push for equal pay. In fact, in all the court documents, it says Hope Solo vs. United States Soccer Federation.Solo and four other U.S. players accused the USSF of wage discrimination in an action filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in April.This is a fight worth fighting, and Im going to be on the right side of history at the end of all of this, Solo said in the interview.She has had plenty of run-ins with teammates and coaches over the years. She still faces a possible trial on misdemeanor domestic violence charges after a 2014 incident at her sisters home. She served a monthlong suspension last year for being in a team van when her husband was arrested on drunken-driving charges.Solo became the first goalkeeper with 100 international shutouts just before the Olympics when the United States defeated South Africa 1-0 in Chicago. The 35-year-old Solo has 153 career victories and 102 clean sheets. ' ' '