Haye comes back in style

David Haye stopped Dereck Chisora in the fifth round of their domestic heavyweight grudge-match at Upton Park.

Haye had dominated the fight throughout the opening four rounds but Chisora looked set to at least take the contest into the later stages of the 10-rounder.

But Haye landed a left-right combination to floor Chisora for the first time in the closing stages of the fifth.

Chisora regained his feet but was clearly in big trouble.

Haye took ruthless advatntage as he landed three right hands and two lefts in quick succession, sending Chisora to the canvas one again.

Bravely he clambered off the deck but the referee quite rightly waved the fight off two minutes and 59 seconds into the fifth round.

The rain that began falling 15 minutes before the main event failed to dampen the spirits of the 30,000 who had bought tickets and generated a charged atmosphere.

Haye, who was conceding two and a half stones, started with ferocious intent as he fired a succession of vicious shots.

But he was caught twice by Chisora, first by a left hook and then a jab in an exciting first round.

Chisora was clearly unfazed by his opponent's aggression as he stalked him across the ring, although Haye caught him with a straight right.

Both fighters continued to throw punches after the bell for the second round had sounded and the referee had to intervene once more after the third, once Chisora landed with a hard left hook as the rivals had failed to hear the bell.

Chisora was holding his own in the close exchanges but Haye was more dangerous from range with both landing powerful shots.

Pressure

At one point in the fourth Chisora looked hurt but Haye failed to pile on the pressure when he had his man backed up in the corner.

In the fifth Chisora's greater bulk appeared to be having an effect as he piled on the pressure, only for Haye to finish the contest with the punching power for which he is renowned.

The fight had been billed as a chance for the British boxers to settle a bitter feud that began when they brawled at a press conference in Munich in February, following Chisora's world heavyweight title defeat on points by Vitali Klitschko.

But any bad blood was put to one side at the end of the contest as the pair had warm words for each other.

It was Chisora's first stoppage defeat and a victory that Haye hopes keeps him in contention for a shot at WBC world champion Vitali Klitschko.

"I've sent out a very scary message. I'll be surprised if Vitali Klitschko wants to fight me after that. He will no doubt try to fight some chump and then retire to be a politician," said Haye.