Klitschko stops Brewster to retain IBF title

Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko retained his IBF world heavyweight title with a technical knockout after six rounds against challenger Lamon Brewster in Stuttgart last weekend.

Klitschko, who won every round on all three judges' scorecards, dominated from the start and hit Brewster with two powerful left-right combinations in the sixth.

The American's corner decided he had taken too much punishment and signalled to the referee to stop the fight. The 6-foot-6 (1.98-metre) Ukrainian's victory in front of 19,500 fans took his record to 49-3 and gave him revenge for his surprise defeat by Brewster in 2004.

It was his third successful defence of the IBF title he won by stopping Chris Byrd in Mannheim, Germany in April, 2006.

"I've dreamt of this fight for three years," Klitschko said at a news conference.

"This was incredibly important for me. Today my confidence was such that I simply could not lose."

Brewster was the last man to beat Klitschko but it was clear from very early in the fight that he was unlikely to repeat the trick.

Klitschko made good use of his big advantage in height and reach in the opening rounds, hitting Brewster with a series of jabs.

In the third the Ukrainian made good contact with two crunching right hands before Brewster hinted he could do some damage by getting to Klitschko with a powerful left.

Klitschko did more damage in the fifth round, though, forcing Brewster against the ring ropes with his devastating right, and when he hurt the American twice more with the same shot in the sixth it proved to be decisive.

"My coach (Buddy McGirt) told me after the fifth round that I was taking too many shots, and he was thinking of stopping the fight," Brewster explained.

"I did the best I could but Vladimir was on his game and Buddy stopped the fight."