The first boxer in Nevada history to test positive for methamphetamine after a fight was suspended for nine months and fined $18,750 by Nevada regulators yesterday in Las Vegas.

The ruling means Omar Nino-Romero won't be able to fight in the United States during the term of the suspension.

Nino-Romero's fine of 25 percent of his $75,000 purse came after his Nov. 18 majority draw with Waipahu's Brian Viloria that initially allowed Nino-Romero to retain the WBC light flyweight title. The Nevada Athletic Commission also voided the majority draw and called the bout a no-decision.

Nino-Romero, a 30-year-old Mexican, denied he had used the banned drug, which was detected by urinalysis after his bout. Methamphetamine can help fighters lose weight and acts as a stimulant in the ring.

After the hearing Nino-Romero expressed disappointment.

"I'm very, very sad at the decision, at what I went through," the boxer said in Spanish through his co-trainer.

The boxer's camp presented a clean hair sample test from a UCLA lab taken Jan. 31, but the commission ruled the hair was too short to be of use and would not have covered the time of the bout.

"I completely disregard and don't give any weight to the Jan. 31 negative result," commission member John Bailey said.

Earlier this month, the WBC stripped Nino-Romero of the title, but said he would be the challenger for whoever is the new champion. Viloria, currently ranked first in the 108-pound class, will fight second-ranked Edgar Sosa of Mexico for the title.

Nino-Romero (24-2-2) first won the title with a unanimous decision over Viloria in August in Las Vegas.

IDITAROD

FOUR-TIME CHAMP SWINGLEY HURT, QUITS

Four-time champion Doug Swingley withdrew from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race yesterday after injuring himself in a fall.

The 53-year-old Swingley, from Lincoln, Mont., may have broken ribs and possibly dislocated a thumb in the hard fall on a slick and icy hill a few miles from the Rainy Pass, Alaska, checkpoint, Iditarod spokesman Chas St. George said.

Swingley's dogs escaped injury in the accident.

Lance Mackey, 36, of Fairbanks, was leading the race yesterday. Mackey, who just got his third consecutive win in the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, was the first team into the Rohn checkpoint, 272 miles into the race.

Cim Smyth of Big Lake was second, followed by Aliy Zirkle of Two Rivers, Tim Osmar of Kasilof and Cim's brother, Ramey Smyth.

POKER

WORLD SERIES NO. 2 WINS HEADS-UP TITLE

Paul Wasicka, the second-place finisher in last year's World Series of Poker, beat a field of 64 competitors to win the NBC National Heads-Up Championship on Sunday night in Las Vegas and win $500,000.

The 26-year-old Boulder, Colo., native said his only previous live one-on-one poker game was last year against World Series of Poker winner Jamie Gold, who was eliminated by pro Phil Gordon in the second round of the Heads-Up tournament.

NBC is to air the program on consecutive Sundays starting April 8.