Klassen, Manfredo win

Malcolm Klassen knocked out Cassius Baloyi in the seventh round to take Baloyi’s IBF junior lightweight belt Saturday in Mafikeng, South Africa, the homeland of both fighters.

Klassen, rated No. 10 by THE RING, became the first to stop No. 2 Baloyi (37-4-1, 19 knockouts) in the latter’s outstanding 15-year career. The fight was stopped at 2:26 of the seventh.

Klassen (24-4-2, 14 KOs) held the IBF 130-pound title but lost it to Mzonke Fana in 2007, also in South Africa.

Also Saturday, in Monreal, Peter Manfredo, the former star on “The Contender," bounced back from his knockout loss to Sakio Bika in November by stopping Walid Smichet in seven rounds in a scheduled 10-round bout.

Manfredo (32-6, 27 KOs) ended it with a left hook late in the seventh round, after which Smichet (20-6-3, 14 KOs) could not continue.

Manfredo weighed 166, Smichet 166 3/4.