Last Updated: Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:54
Ruslan Chagaev lost his unbeaten record after a 10th round defeat to WBO and IBF world heavyweight title holder Wladimir Klitschko.
The Uzbekistan-born fighter was drafted in as a late replacement for Britain's David Haye, who pulled out of the fight with a back injury. And he was given a torrid time by his 33-year-old Ukrainian opponent in front of 61,000 fans at Schalke O4 FC's Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Saturday evening.
Klitscho downed Chagaev in the second round, before cutting him above the left eye in the sixth. And, despite battling on for three more rounds, Chagaev's first defeat in 27 fights was confirmed in the 10th when his corner pulled their man from the fight.
Klitscho, whose record now reads 56 wins with 47 knockouts and just three defeats, praised his opponent before warning 28-year-old Haye that he might have to wait his turn before their scheduled fight can happen.
"I was really upset that David Haye wasn't able to fight because I wanted to punish him badly," he said.
"Personally I'm very upset about David Haye. Because of him I didn't fight in March or April when he promised to deliver Stamford Bridge as a venue. But he didn't deliver.
"He then asked me to postpone this fight for two weeks because of his bad back and then changed it to four weeks. I cannot take this guy seriously.
"Now he has to get in line and earn his chance to fight for the world title. He has to do that with his hands and not his mouth.
"We'll get it on either way and I will knock him out in the 12th as I've said before."