Out-of-Shape Witherspoon Stops Bruno

Tim Witherspoon, looking fat and out of shape, knocked down Frank Bruno with four crashing rights to the head and stopped the British challenger in the 11th round to retain his World Boxing Assn. heavyweight title Saturday night at London.

The sudden onslaught by Witherspoon ruined Bruno’s dream of becoming the first British fighter to win a world heavyweight title in this century.

Just past the two-minute mark of the 11th round, Bruno landed a three-punch series to the head. Then Witherspoon crashed home an overhand right that sent Bruno reeling into a neutral corner.

Bruno escaped, but Witherspoon caught him and slammed three more overhand rights that dropped Bruno to a sitting position in Witherspoon’s corner.

The towel was immediately thrown in from Bruno’s corner, and referee Isido Rodriguez of Venezuela stopped the fight without a count.

Witherspoon, who weighed 234 pounds, has a record of 25-2 with 17 knockouts.

Bruno, at 228, lost for only the second time against 28 victories. The defeat snapped a seven-fight winning streak for the Briton, who was guaranteed about $1.1 million to $900,000 for Witherspoon.