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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 16, 1992                   TAG: 9202160239
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LAS VEGAS                                LENGTH: Short

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COOPER STOPS COFFEE IN 10TH

Bert Cooper, who gained new legitimacy and a top-10 ranking with his loss to heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield in November, twice knocked down journeyman Cecil Coffee before their scheduled 10-round fight was stopped in the second round Saturday night.

Cooper, of Salem, Va., landed a vicious right uppercut in the second round that split the bridge of Coffee's nose and put him on the canvas.

Coffee, who also had been knocked down at the end of the first round, was up at the count of nine, but referee Jay Nady stopped the fight at 1:24 of the second round with blood spurting from the cut on Coffee's nose.

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