BOXING received another black eye on Thursday night when the bout between heavyweights Riddick Bowe and Andrew Golota was stopped in the seventh round after Golota was disqualified for hitting below the waist.

When referee Wayne Kelly disqualified the Polish fighter, members of Bowe's camp jumped into the ring and started throwing punches at Golota. Soon the entire ring was filled with people as the scene at Madison Square Garden turned into a near riot.

It took about 15 minutes before order was restored and Bowe was escorted out of the ring. Golota had a gash on the back of his head.

Lou Duva, Golota's trainer, who has a history of heart problems, was carried from ringside on a stretcher and wearing an oxygen mask. The 74 year old veteran manager was kept overnight in New York University Medical Centre.

His daughter in law, Kathy, returned from the hospital to Madison Square Garden and told journalists. "He never lost consciousness. He's talking. He's fine."

She said members of Main Events, Golota's promotion company, were looking at tapes with police and considering pressing charges against anybody they could identify.

Bowe, a former world heavyweight champion, was rocked repeatedly by Golota and may have been saved from just his second loss by the disqualification with 27 seconds left in the seventh round.

Some of Go Iota's most effective blows were legal, and some were not.

In the fourth round of the scheduled 12 round fight, a combination had Bowe, now 40 wins and one loss, wobbling backwards and into the ropes.

A few moments later a right from Golota landed below the belt and Bowe dropped to one knee. Kelly took a point away from the Polish fighter and Bowe got up and continued after a 59 second delay.

Late in the sixth round, Bowe again was hurt by a low blow and again the fight was stopped to allow him to recover. Kelly took away another point from Golota.

After Golota's second low blow of the seventh round, with Bowe lying on his back, the referee called the disqualification.

Hundreds of fans from the crowd of 11,252 stormed the ring, apparently led by Bowe fans and friends angered over the low blows and unaware the disqualification may actually have been saving their fighter.

In a crowd with a racial division between Polish American fans of Golota and black fans of Bowe, numerous fights broke out. In one incident, a group of black fans kicked and punched a white fan as he lay on the floor.

Police, scrambling to help the overwhelmed Madison Square Garden security staff, were seen pushed out of the ring by the brawlers.

Riot police stood guard outside Madison Square Garden, but the scene was quiet. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani came to the Garden but made no immediate comment.

A police spokesman said there were "multiple arrests", although he would not comment further on how many. He said there were "half a dozen cops injured at this time".

Bowe's promoter, Rock Newman, was in the middle of the fray in the ring.

I was never afraid for my life," said Newman. "I was worried about Bowe. He was in great pain and on the floor. He was lying defenceless on the floor."

Added Newman "I just went to cover Riddick. I had my head down, I don't know what the hell happened after that."

Newman called Golota "a very nasty fighter", and said. "His low blows were so flagrant that after the second one, I thought he would be disqualified. You can't let a fighter foul another one like that."

Madison Square Garden doctor Andrew Bazos reported "12 minor injuries, routine bruises and sprains. Seven were taken to St Vincent Hospital for precautionary reasons."