Oberhausen, Germany (SportsNetwork.com) - Wladimir Klitschko emerged with the combined world heavyweight title with a fifth-round technical knockout of opponent Alex Leapai on Saturday night at the Koenig Pilsener Arena.
Klitschko (62-3) now holds the IBF heavyweight, IBO heavyweight, WBO heavyweight and WBA super world heavyweight title by recording 147 of the 157 landed punches for the entire bout, ended when Leapai (30-5-3) was sent to the canvas for the second time in the fifth.
The 38-year-old Ukrainian opened the match by staggering his Samoan-Australian foe with a quick jab that dropped him to the canvas for an eight count, then continued to rain blows throughout the second, third and fourth rounds en route to what would have been a sure-fire unanimous decision.
However, Leapai was stunned with a flurry of punches to begin the final round and was finally subdued at the 2:05 mark with a crushing right to the jaw.
Klitschko hasn't lost a fight since Lamon Brewster floored him for a TKO on April 10, 2004 in Las Vegas to take the vacant WBO heavyweight crown. He's won 20 straight since then.
Leapai had won five in a row prior to Saturday, three by TKO, one by knockout and one by unanimous decision.
[SportsNetwork.com]
