Holyfield Stops Thomas After Seven

Evander Holyfield, the undisputed cruiserweight champion, bolstered his claim as a legitimate heavyweight contender when he stopped Pinklon Thomas after seven rounds Friday night at the Convention Center.

Holyfield landed about 20 punches in the last 10 seconds of the seventh round, and Thomas charged wearily back to his corner at the bell, after which the fight was stopped.

Holyfield said he believes he must continue to improve.

“My goal is to be the heavyweight champion, but I have to get better than I thought,” he said.

Holyfield’s next fight is expected to be in March against Michael Dokes, who, like Thomas, once held a piece of the heavyweight title.

In a bout before the Holyfield fight, Dokes knocked down Rocky Sekorski twice in the 11th round and retained the Continental Americas heavyweight title on a one-sided decision.

Holyfield weighed 210 pounds, 15 over the cruiserweight limit. He said after the fight that he will relinquish his cruiserweight championship.

Holyfield (20-0 with 16 knockouts) dominated Thomas (29-3-1 with 24 knockouts) from the opening bell.

Holyfield ripped a cut under Thomas’ right eye in the third round and hurt him several times with hooks, right hands and combinations, but Thomas refused to go down.

Thomas, who weighed 222 and who is a former WBC champion, kept pressing forward but was unable to turn the fight his way.

It was his first fight since he was knocked out by heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in the sixth round on May 30, 1987. Promoter Dan Duva hopes to get Holyfield a match against Tyson next year.

Dokes, a former WBA champion who weighed 220, had too much firepower for Sekorski, who weighed 228. Dokes hurt Sekorski several times with left-hook counters and flurries of punches to the head.

The second knockdown in the 11th round came from a left hook and overhand right just before the bell. The bell rang at the count of three, and Sekorski got up at five. A fighter knocked down cannot be saved by the bell in New Jersey.

Dokes is 37-1-2 with 23 knockouts, and Sekorski is 22-9 with 13 knockouts.