Holyfield appeals his championship loss. Heavyweight boxer Evander Holyfield says he was robbed. The 46-year-old slugger is appealing last weekend’s 12-round loss to champion Nikolay Valuev to the World Boxing Association, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports. Many observers agree that the former champ clearly won the bout. But according to the observers who really matter – two of the three official WBA judges – Holyfield was outscored by the Russian giant. Although Guillermo Perez Pineda saw things even at 114-114, Mikael Hook and Pierluigi Poppi, saw 7-foot Valuev the winner by scores of 115-114 and 116-112, respectively. An angry Holyfield told the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “I don’t know why the judges did that, but it’s an injustice. We’re filing a protest that basically says, ‘We want you to overturn this.’ I just want what’s rightfully mine. I didn’t lose. I won.”

Tampa Rays fall in extended championship match-up. The Philadelphia Phillies are World Series champs for the second time in the team’s 125-year existence. Philadelphia clinched the title after a 4-3 win on Wednesday versus the Rays. It was a victory delayed by rain showers that poured onto the field during the first scheduled contest Monday night, resulting in two re-scheduled dates for more cooperative weather. In the end, the Phillies tilted the series four games to one, bringing home the city’s first title in any pro sport since 1984.

Greg Oden goes down again, but for how long? A year-long delay of his NBA debut was barely long enough for Greg Oden to go down again with a new injury. The Portland Trailblazers center, who sat out the 2007 season after knee surgery, suffered a foot sprain just two and a half minutes into Portland’s game versus the Lakers. The player says he landed on Laker Derek Fisher’s foot after coming down from a rebound attempt. Oden was set to undergo an MRI Wednesday to determine the seriousness of the injury. “It happens,” Oden said Tuesday night. “You’re out there, you’re playing, you’re battling. It happens.”

Barry Bonds’ ball brings big bucks.

Matt Murphy has a new apartment, stock investments and plans to go into the sneaker biz, all thanks to a $752,000 net from the sale of Barry Bonds’ home run ball. Murphy, 22, was at the San Francisco Giants game last summer when Bonds hit homer No. 756 to break legend Hank Aaron’s long-standing career record. Along with his other plans, Murphy and two friends are opening a Manhattan restaurant this week. Meanwhile, Bonds, who showed up this past weekend at the Giants’ anniversary ceremony, says he’s not retired, despite having no contract to play this season.

Braylon Edwards receives foot stitches. A star Cleveland Browns receiver is recovering from a weird pre-season injury following a race in which he wore only socks. Braylon Edwards was sprinting recently against teammate Donté Stallworth, who opened the back of Edwards’ foot with his cleats, creating a gash that required stitches. No explanation was given for why Edwards didn’t wear shoes during the race. But the injury happened after Saturday’s practice, so Edwards may have been jokingly showboating. The injury isn’t thought to be serious, but the receiver spent a night in the hospital as a precaution.