
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 2, 1994                    TAG: 9406020742 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: D5    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: NORFOLK 
DATELINE: 940602                                 LENGTH: Short

BOXER DROPS SUIT

{LEAD} A Virginia Beach boxer has dropped a $1 million libel suit against Sports Illustrated, six months after it was filed.

Boxer Ron Humes claimed that Sports Illustrated libeled him in a two-paragraph account of his 1992 fight against David Tua, an Olympic bronze medalist. Humes lost that fight in 38 seconds. He was knocked out and suffered a fractured ankle.

{REST} Humes claimed the magazine mocked him and suggested that ``he was devoid of any boxing abilities and an unfit opponent for any professional boxer.'' The magazine incorrectly reported that Humes had suffered a broken nose.

The lawsuit was filed Dec. 13 in Virginia Beach Circuit Court. In January, at the request of Time Inc., which publishes Sports Illustrated, the lawsuit was moved to federal court in Norfolk.

On Tuesday, Humes withdrew the suit. He said he did not have enough money to pursue the case.

by CNB