Holyfield KOs Meachum for Seventh Win

Olympic light-heavyweight bronze medalist Evander Holyfield stormed to his seventh consecutive professional victory by stopping Jeff Meachum in the fifth round of a scheduled eighth-round cruiserweight fight here Wednesday night.

Referee Larry Hazzard stopped the fight when a Holyfield left hook to the head sent Meachum to the canvas for the third time in the fight.

Holyfield (7-0) floored Meachum with an overhand right in the third and again with a left hook to the head in the fourth.

Meachum, who sparred with Holyfield earlier this year, was defenseless against a constant barrage of left hooks and jabs to the head. Holyfield rarely needed to throw his right.

“I really wanted to work on the left hand tonight,” Holyfield said. “I have to show people I’m not just a puncher anyway. My plan was to keep him on the end of my jab. I’ve got such good reach that I can get good power from that.”

Meachum of Clear Lake, Tex., fell to 10-3 with six knockouts.