WBC heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine (R) fights Manuel Charr of Germany during their WBC bout for the heavyweight title in Moscow, Russia, Saturday. Klitschko retained his WBC title. — AP MOSCOW — “I'm a bit disappointed because I wanted to win by a real knockout not a technical one,” Klitschko said after the bout. “I was ready to keep on fighting and (Manuel) Charr also wanted. But it was the doctor's decision and it was his responsibility.” The 41-year-old Klitschko controlled the fight in the first three rounds, keeping his previously undefeated opponent at bay with his left jab. The 27-year-old challenger tried to fight back before suffering a gash over his right eye. With blood pouring down Charr's face, referee Guido Cavalleri ended the fight with less than a minute left in round four after consulting the ring's doctor. Klitschko praised Charr saying that he was “a real fighter with a big heart and one day he would become a champion.” Charr said he “came to Moscow to become a champion.” “Everyone who knows me knows that I never give up,” Charr told reporters. “Vitaly is a great champion but he didn't win today — it was the doctor who won the bout. It was not our corner's decision.” Charr asked for a grudge match, but Klitschko said that the German had already had his chance. “I understand your big desire to face Klitschko again but you know that so many boxers would like do it and if we meet so often we won't give a chance to the others.” Charr spent most of the first round covering up and offering little offense but managed several punches in the end. He was mostly on defense in the second round but Klitschko finally knocked him down. Charr got up and stood in the corner. But when the referee counted to three, the bell marked the end of the round. “I provoked him (Charr) to be more aggressive and he began to make more mistakes,” Klitschko said. “This was my tactic.” Midway through the third round Klitschko managed a decisive hook into Charr's face. Klitschko, who heads an opposition political party called “Udar” (Strike) in Ukraine, said he will have some rest and then announce his future plans. “I'm facing major tasks and not only in sports,” he said. “I'll fly to Kiev in the morning and will be fully occupied with preparations for the parliamentary elections (in October) as the leader of the party. “I'm 41 and I'm still boxing, but one cannot trick the nature — I will have to hang my gloves on a nail soon.” Ward beats Dawson In California, Andre Ward knocked down Chad Dawson three times before winning on a technical knockout in the 10th round to defend his WBC-WBA super middleweight titles Saturday to the delight of his hometown crowd. Ward (26-0, 14 KOs) knocked down Dawson (31-2, 17 KOs) late in the third round and early in the fourth to take control of the fight and finished him off with a combination at 2:45 of the 10th. Dawson, the WBC light heavyweight champion, moved down a weight class from 175 pounds to 168 to take on Ward. Dawson was also willing to fight in Ward's hometown of Oakland, where an enthusiastic crowd had previously cheered Ward on to four wins. But Dawson proved to be no match for Ward. — Agencies
