Monday, August 14 2006 12:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Las Vegas: Kazakhstan-born Oleg Maskaev stops Hasim Rahman in the final minute of the 12th and final rounds here Saturday (12 Aug, 2006) to seize the World Boxing Council heavyweight title.

"I said before this fight would be a war, and that's exactly what happened," Maskaev says.

"But I believed until the last minute, because I knew I was going to win."

The triumph for the 37-year-old former Russian Army lieutenant, who became a US citizen two years ago, leaves no American-born fighter atop the heavyweight division among the major sanctioning bodies.

Rahman, 33, had been the lone US native titleholder. He appears poised to remain so as he leads on all three scorecards heading into the final round.

But Maskaev comes alive to dominate the 12th.

He knocks Rahman down in the first minute, and then sends him to the canvas again moments later.

After a standing eight-count, Rahman is backed into the ropes and sustained another barrage of punches before referee Jay Nady steps in to end the bout at 2:17 of the 12th. Rahman says the first damaging blow comes after the referee has told them to break and stop punching.

"He hurt me with a shot after the ref said 'break', man," Rahman says.

"I'm extremely disappointed."

Maskaev improves to 33-5 with 26 knockouts, as he becomes the latest fighter from the former Soviet bloc to seize a heavyweight crown. Russian giant Nikolai Valuev is the World Boxing Association champion while Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko owns the International Boxing Federation crown and Belarus' Sergei Lyakhovich is the World Boxing Organization heavyweight king.

"There is a message that European fighters are tough," Maskaev says.

"They are strong. Now they have a chance to go somewhere, Germany or America, hire a good trainer and this way become great professional fighters."

The last time no American had seen as a major heavyweight champion was when England's Lennox Lewis unified the titles.

Rahman, who falls to 41-6, with two drawn and 33 knockouts, has a simple explanation for the dearth of Americans making a mark in the division.

"I think they're a little spoiled," he says. "Make too much money too quick."

It is the 11th consecutive win for Maskaev, who afterward admits to injuring his back while training for the chance at the title.

But he says he felt it was Rahman who was tiring in the later rounds. "After the eighth round I noticed," he says.

"When I knew there were three more rounds left, 10 minutes, if I wanted to win this fight, I have to fight."

Rahman suffered his first loss since dropping a 12-round decision to John Ruiz for the WBA interim heavyweight crown on December 13, 2003. His record also includes a loss to Maskaev in 1999.

On the undercard, David Diaz captures the WBC interim lightweight title with 10th-round technical knockout of Jose Armando Santa Cruz. Diaz, who improves to 32-1-1 with 17 knockouts, knocks down Santa Cruz with a left uppercut midway through the 10th.

He then uses a furious flurry to again send his opponent down and referee Richard Steele halts the fight when Santa Cruz fails to defend himself during another onslaught. Santa Cruz fell to 23-2.