Klitschko beats Ibragimov in drab title clash

NEW YORK (Reuters) - International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine outboxed Sultan Ibragimov of Russia Saturday to add the World Boxing Organization title to his collection.

Klitschko put on a tactical clinic in a unanimous 12-round decision over the previously unbeaten Ibragimov, using his height and reach advantage to forcefully slap away the Russian southpaw's right jab, turning him into a one-handed fighter.

The judges scored the one-sided, though largely dull contest, 119-110, 118-110 and 117-111.

Klitschko improved to 50-3, while Ibragimov dropped to 22-1-1 in the first clash of world heavyweight champions since 1999.

"Ibragimov kept leaning back, he wouldn't come forward to engage," Klitschko said about the lack of fireworks in a contest that drew scattered boos from the crowd of 14,011 at Madison Square Garden.

"But the result counts."

The first five rounds were virtually devoid of action with Klitschko neutralizing Ibragimov by heavily swatting away his lead right hand and slipping in left jabs to win rounds.

He began to open up more in the sixth round after Ibragimov began lunging in and connected with some left hooks to the body.

Instead of relying solely on his left, Klitschko began to mix in right hand leads in the seventh round.

Klitschko landed his first big combination in the eighth when he caught the crouching Russian with a right-left, and then another left-right combination after finding Ibragimov with a heavy right-hand lead.

More combinations followed in the ninth round, sending sweat flying off the Russian's face.

In the 10th, the fighters stumbled against each other and Ibragimov dropped Klitschko on his back onto the canvas with an unintentional tackle.

That was the closest thing to a knockdown as Klitschko cruised through to victory.

Asked why he did not throw more right hands, Klitschko told reporters: "I wasn't in position to throw rights. You're not going to always knock a guy out. I just want to continue to beat everyone with a belt so I can be undisputed champion."

The remaining belts in the fractured heavyweight division are held by Uzbek Ruslan Chagaev (WBA) and Russian Oleg Maskaev (WBC), who is set to fight Samuel Peter of Nigeria next month in Mexico.

Ibragimov, 32, did not dispute the result but was far from impressed.

"He did not jab. He chopped and grabbed the whole fight," the Russian said. "I did not feel hurt during the fight but I did feel that Klitschko was winning the fight."

(Reporting by Larry Fine, Editing by Peter Rutherford)