Klitschko enjoys easy win

MANNHEIM – Wladimir Klitschko made light work of American challenger Ray Austin with an easy second-round TKO win to successfully defend his IBF and IBO heavyweight titles on Saturday.

Klitschko was back at Mannheim’s SAP Arena where he won his two titles last April in a one-sided win over American Chris Byrd, and Austin proved to be just as weak after the Ukrainian unleashed a flurry of punches. Austin, 36, barely troubled the 30-year-old champion and was left slumped on the canvas and counted out after Klitschko landed several heavy blows after 1 minute 23 seconds of the second round to claim his 48th career win.The fight was thrown into doubt on Friday following a squabble when Austin’s flamboyant promoter Don King hinted the showdown could be scrapped in a row over Klitschko’s choice of gloves.But both fighters took the ring in Klitschko’s second defence following last November’s decisive seventh-round victory over Calvin Brock at New York’s Madison Square Garden.Klitschko’s record is now 48 wins and 3 losses, while this was the Austin’s first defeat in thirteen fights since he suffered a technical knockout defeat by Attila Levin in 2001.Nampa-AFPAustin, 36, barely troubled the 30-year-old champion and was left slumped on the canvas and counted out after Klitschko landed several heavy blows after 1 minute 23 seconds of the second round to claim his 48th career win.The fight was thrown into doubt on Friday following a squabble when Austin’s flamboyant promoter Don King hinted the showdown could be scrapped in a row over Klitschko’s choice of gloves.But both fighters took the ring in Klitschko’s second defence following last November’s decisive seventh-round victory over Calvin Brock at New York’s Madison Square Garden.Klitschko’s record is now 48 wins and 3 losses, while this was the Austin’s first defeat in thirteen fights since he suffered a technical knockout defeat by Attila Levin in 2001.Nampa-AFP