Sports photos of the week, March 2

Even though it may not feel like it for some, springtime sunshine is within reach and that means it's time to get ready for one of the most exciting stretches of the sports calendar.

Baseball's finest are gearing up in training camps from Arizona to Florida, while the playoff push has begun in the NBA and NHL. Hoops superstar Kevin Garnett is decidedly out of the postseason race after his emotional homecoming to Minnesota, but that doesn't mean he's lost any of his competitive fire.

On the pitch, Micah Richards showed his commitment to Fiorentina's cause, going airborne after a challenge with Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen. Another athlete who took a rough tumble was Switzerland's Dimitri Isler, landing face first in the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup.

Still, Isler and Richards earn no sympathy from Cat Zingano, as the UFC fighter was on the receiving end of a first round knockout from Ronda Rousey in the women's bantamweight championship bout of UFC 184.

So, check out the week's best sports photos in the gallery above and, if you missed them, catch up on last week's collection below.