Sports - Haye leaves Germany empty-handed after Klitschko delivers masterful title defence
David Haye's dream of ultimate heavyweight glory ended in frustrating disappointment in the rain in Hamburg.
The WBA world champion lost his title as he failed to live up to his pre-fight boasting - dismissed by his opponent as trashtalking - and left thousands of his travelling fans upset by a lacklustre performance against Wladimir Klitschko, who comfortably held on to his three titles with a unanimous points victory.
Haye later blamed a broken toe for his defeat, saying: 'I might not have been at my best but I gave it as much as I could. I couldn't push on my right leg. Something happened in training and I didn't want to pull out.
Belt up, Haye: Wladimir Klitschko celebrates after comfortably seeing off the Briton's challenge
'I broke my toe on my right foot. I couldn't push off the right foot to throw the right hand. I thought adrenaline would get me through it but it was tough. It's incredibly frustrating.'
All the predictions that these two heavy-handed champions would produce a spectacular contest proved wide of the mark as the fight evolved into a cagey encounter.
Haye had far too many problems keeping out of trouble to be able to land enough telling punches of his own as Klitschko's superior size and reach made all the difference.
Haye simply could not get past the piston-rod left hand and get going.
By the finish the judges had Klitschko well ahead on points, with one, Michael Pendrick of the US, giving Klitschko 10 of the 12 rounds in a score of 118-108.
Adalaide Byrd (US) scored the contest 117-109 with Stanley Christodoulou (South Africa) making it 116-110.
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