FOREMAN STOPS COETZER IN 8TH ROUND

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

DATE: SUNDAY, January 17, 1993                   TAG: 9301170188
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: D2   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
FOREMAN STOPS COETZER IN 8TH ROUND
Nobody could have blamed Pierre Coetzer for wishing that referee Joe Cortez had listened to George Foreman in the fourth round Saturday night at Reno, Nev.
About a minute after Foreman knocked the South African down in the fourth, Foreman was battering Coetzer when he turned to Cortez and asked the referee to stop the fight.
Cortez, however, didn't call a halt until after Foreman had scored a second knockdown, in the eighth round. Coetzer had taken a terrible battering by the time the fight was halted.
Coetzer went to a hospital after the fight.
Following the bout, Foreman, who has talked about not fighting beyond this year, said: "I may not fight again."
In the next breath, however, big George was talking about how he would like to challenge World Boxing Council champion Lennox Lewis of Britain.
Foreman, 44, was wishing as the fight drew on that Cortez had followed his advice. After the sixth and seventh rounds, Foreman asked his corner, "What round is it?"
The victory at 1:48 of the eighth round sends Foreman into an April 16 match against Tommy Morrison, who got up from two fifth-round knockdowns to stop Carl "The Truth" Williams at 2:10 of the eighth round on Saturday.
Foreman watched the Morrison fight on television and said, "I'm definitely going to box him."
Following the fight, Foreman joked: "Tommy Morrison is too dangerous for George Foreman. I want his brother."
Morrison's brother, Tim, is a journeyman heavyweight.
After his narrow escape, Morrison was asked if he still wanted to fight the former heavyweight champion, "Not just yes, but hell yes," he answered.
Should Foreman fight and beat Morrison, he could get his championship challenge against Riddick Bowe, recognized by the World Boxing Association and the International Boxing Federation.
Foreman, the heavyweight champion in 1973-74, is 70-2-3 with 67 knockouts. He is 27-1 with 26 knockouts since ending a 10-year retirement in 1987. He made $5 million.
Coetzer, 31, being stopped for the third straight time, is 39-5 with 27 knockouts. His purse was $170,000.
Morrison, 24, has a 35-1 record with 31 knockouts. Williams, 33, is 26-6 with 20 knockouts. Morrison earned $400,000 and Williams $150,000.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB