30/05/2010
Vitali Klitschko stopped Albert Sosnowski in the tenth round in Germany to retain his WBC world heavyweight title - and David Haye could be next in line for the Ukrainian.

European champion Sosnowski was giving away a huge height and weight advantage to the champion, and in the end it was all too much for the Pole.

Klitschko's victory was the 40th of his career, and his 38th knock-out, and it came in his fourth successful defence of the WBC belt he won back in 2008.

The 38-year-old did not look in the best of condition and was happy to take up the centre of the ring and allow Sosnowski to try and pick him off on the move.

Some big combinations started to get to Sosnowski though, and he was lucky the bell came to his rescue in the ninth round when he was trapped against the ropes.

A cut opened up above Sosnowski's left eye in the tenth, and with 29 seconds left of the round Klitschko finished the job as he sent his opponent to the deck.

 "I was in good form, Sosnowski was younger than me, but people saw that I did well against him," said Klitschko, who wants to fight either WBA champ Haye or Ruslan Chagaev next.

"He did everything to win this fight, but my experience got me through." Sosnowski was disappointed with the result but believes the experience will help him challenge for a world title in the future.

"I am a bit disappointed, because I thought I had a good chance of winning this fight," said Sosnowski.

"I am okay now, it was a hard punch, but I was also quite tired and I just didn't have the energy to get up. "I am grateful for this fight and I hope to have another shot at the title in future."

Sky Sport