Heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko did as was widely expected and stopped overmatched title challenger Alex Leapai tonight in Germany. Dominating the action throughout, Wladimir scored two knockdowns in the 5th-round, the final one ending the fight. The time was 2-minutes and 5-seconds and Klitschko, unbeaten in ten years, is now 62-3(52). Leapai, who gave it his best, falls to 30-5-3(24).
Klitschko boxed his usual fight, dominating behind his punishing left jab with his even more punishing right hand behind it. Credited with a knockdown in the 1st-round – when Leapai appeared to have slipped and was unhurt – Wladimir never lost a single minute of a single round. Showing a stubborn chin that might have surprised some, Leapai ate a ton of left jabs and telephone pole right hands, for which he deserves credit, yet the Samoan was not throwing anywhere near enough leather himself.
Watching the fight you knew Leapai would not be able to take the punishment for too long and sure enough he caved in in the 5th. The challenger did for a split second appear to catch the champion with a shot in the 5th but Klitschko – who had briefly lost his balance – then sprang into action and terminated matters with his two, left/right knockdowns.
Unable to miss the target, Wladimir had yet another easy night’s work. Is there anyone out there capable of ending his dominance? Eurosport TV analyst Tyson Fury feels he is the man for the job and, Deontay Wilder aside, it could be argued that Fury is the most serious threat to “Dr. Steel Hammer.”
“Why not take a real fight?” Fury demanded. “I want you,” he said in a challenge aimed at the Ring Magazine, IBF, WBA, WBO, IBO king.
Post-fight, Klitschko took to the microphone to thank the large crowd for their support during what have obviously been tough times for his homeland of Ukraine.