41.   Oscar De La Hoya fidgeted incessantly as others spoke at a news conference to promote his title defense here tonight, obviously dying to take care of pending business.

42.   One year later, after three title defenses, he met Schmeling again.

43.   Puerto Rican welterweight Felix Trinidad and San Diego junior-middleweight Terry Norris continued on their collision course with successful title defenses in separate bouts.

44.   She withdrew from the Ericsson Open last week, two days before she was scheduled to begin her title defense.

45.   So it was that Green was in Miami when the Lakers began their NBA title defense.

46.   So much for the drama of title defense.

47.   So after previously spurning corrective shoulder surgery in part because it would have cost her the opportunity for the title defense she craved, Seles is out anyway.

48.   That appeared to be the case after Ayala eschewed the opportunity to take batting practice on an unqualified opponent in his first title defense after beating Tapia.

49.   That undercard will have title defenses by Keith Mullings, the WBC junior-middleweight champion, and Erik Morales, the WBC super bantamweight champion.

50.   The champion must fight in his first title defense as if it is his last bout, Gorman said.