Klitschko family now holds all major boxing belts

Published 12:00 am Monday, July 4, 2011

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Wladimir Klitschko won a lopsided unanimous decision over David Haye, adding the WBA title to his heavyweight haul on Saturday.

Klitschko dominated almost from the opening bell against a smaller fighter who took few chances, winnning for the 14th straight time and improving to 17-2 in title fights. But he never knocked Haye down in a fight that did not live up to its advance hype.

“He was scared to fight me,” Klitschko said. “I was expecting more of a challenge in the ring, but he was super defensive.”

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The victory in a rain-soaked football stadium in Hamburg means Klitschko and his older brother, Vitali, hold all three major heavyweight titles. Wladimir already had the IBF title (and minor WBO, IBO belts), while Vitali was the WBC champion.

All three judges gave it to Klitschko, scoring the 12-round showdown 117-109, 118-108 and 116-110.

Haye, who stirred most of the hype with often crass trash-talking, said he hurt a toe on his right foot in training and lost some of his explosive power because of it.

“I couldn’t give everything I needed to, it was really frustrating,” Haye said in the ring. “I had to knock him out and unfortunately I couldn’t do it.”

Haye slipped to the canvas repeatedly as he got into clinches with the heavier, taller and more experienced Ukrainian, who was fighting in his home base.

Referee Genaro Rodriguez finally had enough of it and gave Haye a count when he slipped in the 11th round. This time, Haye got quickly to his feet.