| LISTON | Sonny, U.S. former heavyweight boxer nicknamed The Big Bear (6) |
| NORTON | Ken, U.S. former heavyweight boxer born in 1943 nicknamed The Fighting Marine (6) |
| EASTON | The ___ Assassin, nickname of U.S. former heavyweight boxer Larry Holmes (6) |
| VITALI | ____ Klitschko, former heavyweight boxer nicknamed Dr. Ironfist (6) |
| EVANDER | _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Holyfield, U.S. former heavyweight boxer (7) |
| BIONDI | Matt, U.S. former swimmer born in 1965 nicknamed The California Condor (6) |
| AGASSI | Andre, U.S. former tennis player who won the Wimbledon men's singles in 1992 (6) |
| JOYNER | Florence Griffith, U.S. former athlete who won three golds at the 1988 Olympics (6) |
| POWELL | Mike, U.S. former athlete who set the world long jump record in 1991 (6) |
| PHELPS | Michael, U.S. former swimmer who won a record 23 Olympic gold medals (6) |
| RODMAN | Dennis, U.S. former basketball player born in 1961 (6) |
| FUGEES | U.S. former hip hop group noted for their 1996 cover single Killing Me Softly (6) |
| NIGEL | ____ Benn, British former heavyweight boxer nicknamed The Dark Destroyer (5) |
| HOOPLA | On reflection, a large bear is fair game (6) |
| KODIAK | Big bear |
| PANDAS | Large bear-like mammals native to China and Tibet with characteristic black and white markings |
| TRUMAN | Harry S ... former US president (6) |
| LOUIS | Joe _ _ _ _ _ , U.S. heavyweight boxer nicknamed the Brown Bomber (5) |
| ELKTON | Md.'s former Gretna Green |
| ASHE | Arthur, U.S. former tennis player after whom the main stadium at the U.S. Open is named (4) |
