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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Klitschoko easily beats Ibragimov

Greg Beacham Associated Press

NEW YORK – Wladimir Klitschko is one belt closer to being the undisputed heavyweight champion after an indisputably dominant victory.

Far too strong and much too long, Klitschko barely took a punch while winning a unanimous decision over Sultan Ibragimov on Saturday night, defending his IBF title and claiming Ibragimov’s WBO belt in the first heavyweight unification fight in nearly nine years.

Klitschko, the chess-playing Ph.D. from a famed Ukrainian fighting family, used physics and simple geometry to remove nearly all risk from his meeting with Ibragimov, the previously unbeaten Russian underdog. The 6-foot-7 Klitschko is at least a half-foot taller and 20 pounds heavier than Ibragimov.

With little more than an insistent jab, Klitschko (50-3, 44 KOs) slapped and herded Ibragimov around the ring in front of a Madison Square Garden crowd of 14,011 filled with Russians who whistled and booed during the frequent stretches of inaction.

Ibragimov (22-1-1) constantly strained to launch punches too small and slow to find their mark, and Klitschko appeared fresh and mostly unmarked at the final bell – even ready to go another 12 rounds with WBA champion Ruslan Chagaev or WBC champ Oleg Maskaev, the next opponents on his quest for heavyweight unity.

Klitschko is determined to bring order to boxing’s fractured former glamour division by winning every major title. He appeared capable of the task in the most significant heavyweight fight in several years, winning his eighth straight bout.

From the opening round, Klitschko used his long left arm to slap down Ibragimov’s jabs with a patronizing ease. Klitschko also repeatedly stepped on Ibragimov’s lead foot, further nullifying the smaller fighter’s hopes of getting inside Klitschko’s incredible reach.

Klitschko dominated nearly every round but did little significant damage until the eighth, when he staggered Ibragimov with a big left hook. Ibragimov slipped to the canvas later in the round, and Klitschko battered Ibragimov into the ropes early in the ninth.

Don Ackerman scored it 119-110 for Klitschko, while Chuck Giampa saw the fight 117-111 and Steve Weisfeld favored Klitschko 118-110. The Associated Press also scored it for Klitschko, 119-109.

Boxing hasn’t had an undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in November 1999.