The Moscow fans only witnessed WBC heavyweight champion, Vitaly Klischko, for four rounds as a deep cut prevented German challenger, Manuel Charr, from continuing the bout.
For the first time in boxing history the champion’s wife was singing ahead of her husband’s bout.
Natalia Klitschko and a violin quartet performed the “Power of love” before the crowd at Olimpiysky arena in the Russian capital.
But right after Michael Buffer pronounced his branded “Let’s get ready to rumble”, Vitaly began displaying the power of his fists.
The fight plan, which Charr put together with Russian coach, Valery Belov, didn’t prove very effective.
He tried to push forward and surprise Klitschko with counterattacks, but starting from the second round, as soon as the German opened up he was knocked down by the champ.
In the fourth round a deep cut appeared under Charr’s eye, after he missed a left handed blow from the Ukrainian.
The challenger tried to go on fighting with a blood-soaked face, but the referee’s decision stopped the bout with 56 seconds remaining in the round.
Charr was outraged by the technical knockout, which saw him losing for the first time in his career, and urged Klitschko to continue the match.
It took him several minutes to calm down and congratulate Vitaly with a well-deserved victory.
The 41-year-old champion has collected his 45th win out of 47 meetings in professional boxing.
But the chances are high that the Moscow bout will be the last in his impressive career, with Klitschko becoming seriously involved in Ukrainian politics.
