15 years ago

Date: 20th June 2009

Venue: Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen

Title: IBF, WBO & IBO World Heavyweight Titles

Promoter: Tom Loeffler

Tv: ESPN & RTL

Wladimir Klitschko
( 52 - 3 - 0 )
Weight: 240¼ lbs

Ruslan Chagaev
( 25 - 0 - 1 )
Weight: 224¾ lbs

Wladimir Klitschko solidified his position as the dominant force in the heavyweight division with a commanding victory over Ruslan Chagaev on June 20, 2009, at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. The event, dubbed "Knockout Auf Schalke," drew a sellout crowd of 61,000, marking the largest boxing audience in Germany since Max Schmeling's triumph over Adolf Heuser in 1939.

Klitschko, who held the IBF, WBO, and IBO titles, was initially slated to face former unified cruiserweight champion David Haye. However, Haye withdrew due to a back injury, leaving Klitschko to find a new opponent on short notice. Enter Ruslan Chagaev, the WBA "Champion In Recess," who had been stripped of his title after failing a medical exam before a scheduled rematch with Nikolay Valuev.

Despite the last-minute change in opposition, Klitschko remained focused and prepared. The Ukrainian champion, weighing 240 pounds, held a significant size advantage over the 225-pound Chagaev. The vacant Ring Magazine heavyweight title was also on the line, adding prestige to the already highly anticipated clash.

Klitschko asserted his dominance from the opening bell, utilising his superior reach and jab to keep Chagaev at bay. The Uzbek challenger, a 5-to-1 underdog, struggled to find his rhythm against Klitschko's technical prowess. In the second round, Klitschko sent Chagaev to the canvas with a well-timed combination, further establishing his control over the fight.

Klitschko's confidence grew as the bout progressed, and he began to fight more aggressively. Chagaev, despite his best efforts, was unable to mount a significant offensive against the more prominent, more skilled champion. By the eighth round, Chagaev was cut over his left eye, a testament to Klitschko's precision and power.

After nine one-sided rounds, Chagaev's trainer, Michael Timm, had seen enough. He refused to allow his fighter to answer the bell for the tenth round, resulting in Klitschko's corner retirement (RTD) victory. The judges' scorecards at the time of the stoppage were a clear indication of Klitschko's dominance, with one judge awarding him every round and the other two giving Chagaev only a single round between them.

The fight, televised in 110 countries, including on RTL Television in Germany and ESPN Classic in the United States, averaged an impressive 10.39 million viewers on RTL. Klitschko's victory reaffirmed his status as the top heavyweight boxer and demonstrated his immense popularity in Germany.

Following the win, Klitschko defended his titles twice more, against Eddie Chambers and Samuel Peter, before ultimately facing Haye in a long-awaited unification bout in July 2011. As for Chagaev, the loss to Klitschko marked the end of his reign as a top heavyweight contender, and he would not fight again for another 11 months.

Wladimir Klitschko's decisive victory over Ruslan Chagaev in front of a record-breaking German crowd served as a testament to his skill, determination, and enduring legacy as one of the greatest heavyweights of his generation.