IN BRIEF

BOXING

WBC champion Peter, Vitali Klitschko to fight

Samuel Peter will defend his WBC heavyweight title in the fall against unretired former champion Vitali Klitschko after the fighters' camps finally reached a financial agreement. Neither a site nor a date has been determined.

Dino Duva, Peter's promoter, and Klitschko adviser Shelly Finkel reached the deal in Mexico City on Thursday, hours before the fight was scheduled to go to a purse bid, in which any promoter could have paid for the right to stage the WBC-mandated bout.

Klitschko (35-2, 34 knockouts), the older brother of IBF and WBO heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko, was entitled to a fight with Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) because the WBC named him its "interim champion" nearly four years ago when he first left the sport with a series of injuries.

Also: Mike Arnaoutis (19-2-2) retained his USBA junior welterweight title with a unanimous decision over Lanard Tyner (19-1) in a 12-round bout in Atlantic City.

TENNIS

Federer falls again for sixth defeat this year

Roger Federer lost to 27th-ranked Radek Stepanek 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) on Friday in the Rome Masters quarterfinals.

The loss was Federer's sixth this year. The top-ranked Swiss lost nine matches in 2007.

Stepanek will face Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic. In the other semifinal, American Andy Roddick will meet Stanislas Wawrinka, who rallied past James Blake, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-1. Roddick defeated Tommy Robredo, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4).

Also: Serena Williams' 17-match winning streak ended with a 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5) loss to Dinara Safina in the German Open quarterfinals in Berlin.

MISCELLANEOUS

Hey Byrn, Icabad Crane join field for Preakness

Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown could face 12 other 3-year-olds in the May 17 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore.

Big Brown and Recapturetheglory, who finished fifth in the Derby, are the only horses entered in the Preakness who ran in Kentucky.

Hey Byrn and Icabad Crane were the latest confirmed starters, joining Behindatthebar, Giant Moon, Kentucky Bear, Racecar Rhapsody, Riley Tucker, Stevil, Tres Borrachos and Yankee Bravo. Harlem Rocker remained a possible starter.

Also: Joel Quenneville was fired as coach of the Avalanche after three seasons, a week after Colorado was swept out of the playoffs by the Detroit Red Wings. He went 131-92-23 in Denver but 2-2 in playoff series.

Goaltender Olie Kolzig confirmed that he won't be back with the Washington Capitals next season. Kolzig, 38, played for the Capitals his entire career after being drafted in the first round in 1989.

Sean Minderman of Spokane, Wash., caught a five-bass limit weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces to widen his lead to 2 pounds, 8 ounces in the $1 million National Guard Western Division tournament on Lake Mead. He has a three-day catch of 15 bass weighing 32-0.

The Green Bay Packers released Koren Robinson, the latest setback for the veteran wide receiver trying to resurrect his career after serving an NFL suspension and jail time in 2006.

New England Patriots defensive back Willie Andrews entered a plea to a marijuana possession charge in Lowell, Mass., but won't face any prison time. Andrews, 24, admitted in court there was enough evidence to convict him at trial but did not plead guilty.