Sports News Roundup: Cuba have golden punch in Pan Am boxing ring; Citi Open; Pirates-Reds brawl and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Recently retired Cullen joins Penguins front office

Three-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Cullen, who retired last month after 21 seasons in the NHL, has been hired as part of the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey operations department, the team announced Thursday. The move, announced by general manager Jim Rutherford, will be a player development position -- with Cullen working with Rutherford and head coach Mike Sullivan.

Cuba have golden punch in Pan Am boxing ring

Cuba landed the golden punch in the Pan Am Games boxing ring on Thursday, rolling out a lineup of Olympic and world champions to fight their way up the medal table. Of the five men's gold medal bouts on Thursday's card, Cuba had fighters in all of them and, led by stylish light heavyweight Julio Cesar La Cruz, grabbed four golds and a silver.

Kyrgios, Tsitsipas advance to quarter-finals at Citi Open

Australian Nick Kyrgios blasted 15 aces to blow past Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka 6-2 7-5 on Thursday and reach the quarterfinals at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. Kyrgios was dominant on serve as he enjoyed his least stressful match of the tournament thus far. He was broken on service just once by Nishioka and won 85 percent of his first serves. Playing in his first tournament since his testy second-round loss to Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon, Kyrgios will next face unseeded Slovakian Norbert Gombos.

NBA notebook: Pelicans' Griffin was 'miserable' with LeBron

David Griffin was not fond of his time with LeBron James when Griffin was the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers and James was in the background calling the shots. Griffin, the vice president of basketball operations with the New Orleans Pelicans, told Sports Illustrated in an article published Thursday that his days in Cleveland were pressure-packed and "miserable."

NFL notebook: Chargers reportedly ignore RB's trade demand

Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon formally requested a trade through his agents, ESPN reported Thursday but was informed the demand will be ignored. Per reports from ESPN and CBS, the Chargers have no intention of facilitating trade. General manager Tom Telesco reportedly informed Fletcher Smith and Damarius Bilbo, who represent Gordon, that the running back won't be going anywhere.

Ashley Wagner says Coughlin sexually assaulted her in 2008

Olympic bronze medalist and three-time U.S. figure skating champion Ashley Wagner said she was sexually assaulted by former figure skater John Coughlin in June 2008. Wagner, 28, said the incident occurred after a party at the U.S. team's figure skating camp in Colorado Springs, Colo. Wagner was 17 years old at the time, while Coughlin was 22.

MLB suspends eight individuals for Pirates-Reds brawl

Eight individuals from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, including the managers of both clubs, have been suspended for their roles in a bench-clearing brawl this week, Major League Baseball said on Thursday. Tempers between the rival clubs, who also had a bench-clearing fracas during a game in April, reached new heights in the top of the ninth inning of their Tuesday game in Cincinnati when Reds reliever Amir Garrett charged the Pirates dugout.

Cowboys WR Cooper focused on football, not contract

The Dallas Cowboys' Amari Cooper is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has reason to note any big contracts handed out to other wide receivers. That definitely includes the five-year, $100 million extension that All-Pro Michael Thomas agreed to with the New Orleans Saints. He will become the league's highest-paid wide receiver, with $61 million of that deal being guaranteed.

U.S. medal juggernaut rolls on as Cuba unleash golden gloves

Cuba punched their way up the medal table picking up four golds and a silver in the boxing ring on Thursday but the United States continued to pull away and were closing in on 100 Pan Am Games medals after just six days of competition. The Caribbean boxing powerhouse will feature a fighter in every men's gold medal bout but one in Lima and are likely to add to their haul on Friday with no other nation able to match their roster of world and Olympic champions.

International captain Els fails to get a say in Royal Melbourne set-up

International captain Ernie Els says he will have no say in the set-up of Royal Melbourne for the Presidents Cup but still thinks his knowledge of a venue where he holds the course record could help his players in their quest for victory. The powerful United States team for the biennial event will clearly be the stronger on paper and the Internationals will need every advantage they can possibly muster in December to prevail for the first time since 1998.