Valuev quickly retains title

Nikolai Valuev retained the World Boxing Assn. heavyweight title Saturday night at Basel, Switzerland, when American challenger Jameel McCline collapsed in the third round after injuring his left knee.

McCline missed a swing at the 7-foot Russian and fell to the canvas as he tore ligaments in his kneecap. He tried unsuccessfully to stand up several times.

“He was in terrible pain, literally screaming,” said Scott Hirsch, McCline’s manager. “He thought he was fighting well. What a crazy end to a fight.”

Billed as the biggest title fight in history by the promoters, the 6-foot-6 McCline tipped the scales at 268 pounds and the unbeaten Russian at 322 pounds.

“He is a big man and it’s very important for a 120-kilo [260-pound] man to keep his balance, but he couldn’t,” Valuev said.

McCline rocked Valuev with a hard left in the first round and they traded a lot of blows, although Valuev appeared to be gaining the upper hand.

“It’s terrible the way this ended, but it could have been worse,” Valuev said. “I got used to his style. If this injury hadn’t happened, I would have knocked him out by the sixth or seventh round.”

McCline (38-7-3, 23 knockouts), was carried out on a stretcher, than taken to a hospital. Before that, his corner propped him on a stool in the ring to say a few words.

“I’m disappointed. I will remember this my whole life,” McCline said.

The 36-year-old from West Palm Beach, Fla., lost his third title bout. In 2002, he was stopped in the 10th round by Wladimir Klitschko in a World Boxing Organization fight. Two years later, he lost a close decision to Chris Byrd in an International Boxing Federation title shot.

The 33-year-old Valuev (46-0, 33 KOs) made his third defense after winning the title with a close decision against John Ruiz in December 2005.

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Ricky Hatton of Britain defeated Juan Urango of Miami by unanimous decision at the Paris hotel-casino in Las Vegas to win the IBF light-welterweight title and the vacant International Boxing Organization light-welterweight title.

Hatton (42-0, 30 KOs) regained the title he vacated last year when he moved briefly to 147 pounds. All three judges gave Urango (17-1-1) only one round.

There were no knockdowns and neither fighter was in any trouble, but the rounds had such a sameness to them that there was little singing among the normally boisterous British fans who followed Hatton here for the fight.

In a World Boxing Council super-lightweight elimination bout, Jose Luis Castillo of Mexico (55-7-1) outlasted Hermann Ngoudjo of Canada (15-1) by a split decision, which was widely booed by the crowd.