Caesars Palace

LAS VEGAS -- The morning after one of the strangest nights in sports history, the only certainty was that the heavyweight championship again had changed hands when gritty, determined Evander Holyfield regained the title from Riddick Bowe.Their electrifying rematch Saturday night at Caesars Palace was upstaged by a sky diver who made an unscheduled landing on the ring apron 1:10 into the seventh round, resulting in several minor injuries to ring-siders and a 21-minute delay before the fight was resumed in the cool desert air.But Holyfield was able to survive a final rally by Bowe to win the 12-round decision by a total of three points on the cards of judges Jerry Roth (115-113)

You may want to check out all that jazz on ABC tonight."Roots: The Gift" (1 p.m.-3 p.m., WBAL, Channel 11) -- LeVar Burton and Louis Gossett Jr. are reunited in a "Roots" off-shoot, as Kunta Kinte and Fiddler are asked to help runaway slaves escape to freedom on Christmas Eve."Caesar's Palace 30th Anniversary Celebration" (8 p.m.-10 p.m., WMAR, Channel 2) -- A gaggle of ABC stars, including Drew Carey, Craig T. Nelson, Suzanne Somers, Joely Fisher and Craig T. Nelson, serve as hosts of this tribute to the Las Vegas showplace that's seen everything from heavyweight fights to joint performances by Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett to Evel Knievel unsuccessfully trying to jump his motorcycle over a fountain.

Celine Dion speaks of her epiphany. Not the recent birth of her first child or the career rocket of the Titanic soundtrack in 1999. The epiphany arrived two years ago as she sat in a Las Vegas casino. "It changed my life and my entire way of thinking about performances on stage." And, it turns out, the moment may also reshape the life of the evolving entertainment scene in the high-rolling desert city. Dion, who stepped away from the public concert stage on New Year's Eve 1999 to begin the role of new mother, has agreed to an unprecedented pact that will see her perform five nights a week for 40 weeks a year over three years at Caesar's Palace.

A Las Vegas-based casino company says it has long had a deal to run a slot machine operation at Maryland's Rosecroft Raceway should state legislators decide to legalize such gambling, according to court papers. The claim is at the heart of a lawsuit that the company, Park Place Entertainment, has filed against the owners of Rosecroft for allegedly trying to renege on the agreement. The suit, which seeks $100 million in damages, illustrates the keen interest in getting the right to open a slots emporium at Rosecroft.

LAS VEGAS -- Evander Holyfield, feeling and acting invincible, says life is considerably better the second time around as heavyweight champion of the world.2 Promoters: Main Events Inc. and Caesars Palace

Who: Riddick Bowe (34-0, 29 KOs), Fort Washington, Md., vs. Evander Holyfield (29-1, 22 KOs), AtlantaWhat: For Bowe's International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association heavyweight titlesWhere: Caesars Palace, Las VegasWhen: Tomorrow. The main event will start approximately 11 p.m. EDT.Distance: 12 roundsPromoters: Spencer Promotions and Main Events, Inc., in conjunction with Caesars PalaceTV: Pay per view begins at 9 p.m. Fight also can be seen at about 1,000 closed-circuit venues.

Who: Oscar De La Hoya (17-0, 15 KOs), Los Angeles, vs. Rafael Ruelas (43-1, 34 KOs), Sylmar, Calif.What: 12 rounds, for De La Hoya's World Boxing Organization lightweight title and Ruelas' International Boxing Federation lightweight title.When: Tonight, approximately 11:30 p.m.Where: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.TV: Pay per view.Undercard: Gabriel Ruelas vs. Jimmy Garcia, for Ruelas' WBC super featherweight title; Johnny Tapia vs. Ricardo Vargas, for Tapia's WBO junior bantamweight title.

The tale of the tape for tomorrow night's heavyweight title fight between Evander Holyfield and IBF and WBA champion Riddick Bowe at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas:.. .. .. ..Holyfield.. .. .. ..BoweAge .. .. ..31 .. .. .. .. .. 26Weight .. ..217 .. .. .. .. ..246Height .. ..6-2 1/2 .. .. .. .. .6-5Reach .. .. 77 1/2 .. .. .. .. ..81Chest (normal) .. 43 .. .. ..46Chest (expanded)..45 .. .. ..50Biceps .. .. .. ..16 .. .. ..17Forearm .. .. .. 12 1/2 .. .. ..12 1/2Waist .. .. .. ..32 .. .. .. 38Thigh .. .. ... 32 .. .. .. 26 1/2Calf .. .. .. .. 13 .. .. .. 16 1/2Neck .. .. .. ..19 1/2 .. .. .. 17 1/2Wrist .. .. .. ..7 1/2 .. .. .. ..8Fist .. .. .. ..12 1/2 .. .. .. 13 1/2

A Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield heavyweight rematch at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Nov. 5 is nearly set, Bowe's manager said yesterday.Negotiations are nearly complete, with Bowe's manager, Rock Newman, and promoter Dan Duva near a settlement on Duva's 28 percent interest in three of Bowe's future championship bouts, Newman said."

Anne Arundel County accountant Steve Dannenmann, who finished second at the World Series of Poker in July, won $100,000 yesterday when he finished fifth at the Tournament of Champions at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The Tournament of Champions, with a prize pool of $2 million, started Sunday with a field of 114 players including the highest point-earners from a national poker circuit sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment. The field included former World Series main event champions Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth and Johnnie Chan.