Hill Knocks Out Stewart in 4th to Win WBA Title

Virgil Hill stopped defending champion Leslie Stewart in the fourth round of a scheduled 15-round fight Saturday to win the World Boxing Assn. light-heavyweight title in Atlantic City, N.J.

Hill, 23, became the third member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic boxing team to win a world title. Hill was a silver medalist in the middleweight division at the Los Angeles Games.

Hill improved his record to 19-0 with 12 knockouts after twice knocking Stewart to the canvas with left hooks in the fourth round. The heavily favored Stewart was making his first title defense since knocking out Marvin Johnson May 23.

Olympic bronze medalist Evander Holyfield is the WBA and International Boxing Federation cruiserweight champion. Mark Breland, a Olympic gold medalist, held the WBA welterweight title until he was knocked out by Marlon Starling Aug. 22.