Vitali Klitschko made one statement with his fists, and another with his words. Both came through loud and clear in a dominating title defense that elevated him to the top of a crowded list of heavyweight champions.

Klitschko staked his claim to being the true heavyweight champion Saturday night, knocking Danny Williams down four times and giving him a savage beating before finally stopping him in the eighth round.

He then dedicated the win to democracy in his native Ukraine, where he planned to head Sunday to support the opposition presidential candidate.

"I feel this was the best performance of my career," Klitschko said. "But this victory was not just for me, but also for democracy in the Ukraine."

Klitschko retained his WBC heavyweight title in a lopsided fight that left Williams bloodied, battered and barely able to see.



Ukrainian AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko won the Golden Ball award as Europe's best soccer player Monday, edging club teammate Ronaldinho and Barcelona midfielder Deco.

"I would like to thank all the people who have helped me win it and I would like to dedicate the Golden Ball to the people of Ukraine," Shevchenko told Canal Plus television. "I am Ukrainian and proud to be. It is hard to talk about the situation in Ukraine, but the people deserve a democracy."

The winner was chosen in France Football magazine's annual poll of journalists.

Shevchenko, 28, has scored 11 goals in 15 Italian league games this season for second-place Milan. He scored 24 goals last season.

Shevchenko received 175 points, Portugal's Deco got 139, and Brazil's Ronaldinho 133. France's Thierry Henry was fourth, followed by Greece's Theodoros Zagorakis.

Last year, Shevchenko finished fourth behind Pavel Nedved. He's the third Ukrainian to win the award, after Oleg Blokhin in 1975 and Igor Belanov in 1986, and the seventh Milan player. Shevchenko has helped unbeaten Ukraine lead its 2006 World Cup qualifying group with 11 points from five matches and scored twice in a 3-0 win away to Turkey in November. He totals 24 goals in 56 internationals.