Hopkins retains his IBF, WBA, and WBC world Middleweight titles, while adding the WBO one, knocking out Oscar De La Hoya in nine rounds Science Las Vegas, Nevada. It is de la Hoya's first career knockout loss. Golf: After the second day's play in the 2004 Ryder Cup, Europe leads the United States 11–5. The U.S. took the morning's fourballs 2½ to 1½, and Europe won the afternoon's foursomes 3–1. Europe needs just three points from Sunday's twelve singles matches to retain the trophy. (BBC) Cricket, ICC Champions Trophy: In pool D, England beat Sri Lanka by 49 runs on the Duckworth–Lewis method after rain caused the match to be abandoned before Sri Lanka's innings was complete. England now qualify for the semi-finals. The pool B match between South Africa and the West Indies is also interrupted by rain and will conclude tomorrow. (BBC) September 17, 2004 (Friday) 2004 Summer Paralympics: The opening ceremony takes place in Athens, Greece. Golf: Europe leads the United States 6½ to 1½ at the end of the first day of the 35th Ryder Cup Matches at Oakland Hills Country Club in suburban Detroit. Europe led the morning's fourball matches 3½ to ½ and extended the lead by taking the afternoon foursome 3 matches to 1. (BBC) (BBC) Cricket, ICC Champions Trophy: In pool D, the match between England and Sri Lanka is interrupted by rain with England on 118–3 after 31 overs. The match will resume tomorrow. (BBC) Baseball: Nippon Professional Baseball players announce they will go on strike for the first time in Japan's history. The strike is made in protest of a proposed merger between the Orix BlueWave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes. (ESPN.com) Baseball: Barry Bonds hits the 700th home run of his career in a game against the San Diego Padres. (ESPN.com) Baseball: Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners breaks the major league baseball record for most singles in a season by hitting his 199th of the year, breaking the record of 198 set by Lloyd Waner in 1927. (Canada.Com) Baseball: Frank Francisco of the Texas Rangers gets suspended for the rest of the season, stemming from an altercation where he hit a woman on her nose with a chair in a game against the Oakland A's. September 16, 2004 (Thursday) Football (soccer): UEFA announce that their disciplinary panel will meet on 21 September to determine AS Roma's punishment for the