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Eddie Chambers and Vladimir Klitschko - Source: Reuters -
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World heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko landed a left-hand
knockout punch five seconds from the end of the fight to beat
challenger Eddie Chambers and retain his WBO, IBO and IBF belts on
Sunday.
Ukrainian Klitschko, 33, rattled the 27-year-old American in the
second round but had to wait until just before the end of the 12th
to stage a dramatic finale and knock him out in front of 51,000
fans at Duesseldorf's football stadium.
Chambers tumbled into the ropes with the referee ending the bout as
Klitschko improved his record to 54 wins from 57 fights.
"I have to give him credit. Chambers is very fast and super
strong," Klitschko said. "He does not have much punching power but
could have probably outboxed me if I had got tired," added the
beaming Ukrainian in a ringside interview.
"But that did not happen."
Both boxers started off cautiously with Klitschko well aware of
"Fast Eddie" Chambers' speed and the American wanting to avoid the
Ukrainian's reach.
Klitschko, at 1.99 metres some 14 centimetres taller and 16 kilos
heavier than Chambers, used his jab to wear down an opponent who
kept moving around the ring.
Big punches
It did not take long, though, for the 1996 Olympic champion to hurt
Chambers with a series of punishing right-hand punches in the
second round that rattled his confidence.
Klitschko, with brother Vitaly - the WBC heavyweight champion - in
his corner, landed another big right in the third but Chambers
bravely battled on while never really staking a strong claim for
the titles.
Chambers, with 18 knockouts in his 35 wins, landed few big punches
and none powerful enough to hurt Klitschko.
The American looked more interested in avoiding the Ukrainian's
knockout punch that had already claimed 47 victims.
A brief break in the ninth round to change a glove gave Chambers
some time to recover but Klitschko looked fitter and stronger
throughout, landing the knockout blow five seconds from the bell to
inflict Chambers' second defeat in 37 fights.
Having popped open a local beer bottle and sprayed his team to
celebrate the win, Klitschko said he knew throughout the fight his
time would come.
"By round six his game plan was out the window," he said. "I had
promised a knock out."
