Klitschko retains title

Vitali Klitschko came through his WBC heavyweight title fight unscathed as he defeated challenger Manuel Charr inside four rounds.

The Ukrainian defended his title for a ninth time in Moscow but it was a controversial decision to end the fight with the doctor advising the referee to stop the bout due to a cut near Charr's eye. Charr claimed that the doctor and not Klitschko had won the fight and called for a rematch which was politely declined by the champion. Vitali will now have to decide whether he is to continue with his boxing career and possibly face David Haye, who has been hounding the 41-year-old for a rematch ever since his poor showing in 2010. 'Dr Ironfist' has been working on a career in politics and currently heads an opposition party called United Democratic Action for Reform (UDAR) in Ukraine and has stated this is his main focus, sparking rumours that his retirement from the sport may be imminent. "I'm facing major tasks and not only in sports," Klitschko 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 nature - I will have to hang my gloves on a nail soon."