David Haye's title shot Klitch k o'd

Wladamir Klitschko ended the dreams of David Haye last night as the 'Hayemaker' came up too short against the giant from the Ukraine.

In 12 rounds of boxing in the soaking wet cauldron of the Imtech arena in Hamburg, the Londoner was given a lesson in boxing by the man installed pre fight as the odds on favourite to retain his WBO IBF and WBO belts and take Haye's WBA belt from him. David Haye's jump from the cruiserweight division to heavyweight had not been much of an issue until now, but it became painfully obvious as soon as the two men went toe to toe in the first round. Haye has fought bigger men before, and whilst he most certainly has the speed and agility, Klitschko is no slouch himself, with a devastating jab. Whereas Valuev had the size advantage the last time Haye went the distance, his strike and run tactic paid off against a man who was ponderous and slow, Klitschko simply gave him scraps, backed up by a level of fitness and conditioning that belied his 6 foot 6 inch frame.

With Haye constantly hitting the canvas, (more from being off balance than anything his opponent did) he quickly lost the support of the referee who despite docking a point from Klitschko in the seventh, gave Haye a standing eight count (from a suspect 'slap') in the penultimate round, that realistically ended any chance he may have had of sneaking the fight on points.

Haye had come to Germany telling the world that he would unify the titles, calling Klitschko a fraud. His general demeanour was aimed at getting under the skin of the Ukrainian, to get him to change his game plan, to get him to attack rather than sit back behind the most ferocious of jabs. It worked, sadly there is more to Klitschkos game than just the jab as Haye found out. In one of the most complete performances the home fans had seen, Haye was reduced to flying jabs rather than setting himself for the famous 'Hayemaker' that had brought him the WBA title.

In the monsoon conditions, the vast travelling army of Brits were left in no doubt that the better man had won, and despite claims that a broken toe pre fight had disrupted Haye's rhythm, it is difficult to see how this man, on this form can be beaten. In Haye's defence, he stood up well to some huge head shots that would have downed other mortals, and his 'chinny' tag will now be consigned to the rubbish bin. Sadly for British boxing, the hopes of a first undisputed British heavyweight since Lennox Lewis seems to have gone with it.