Lewis stops Klitschko in sixth round of bout

LOS ANGELES -- Lennox Lewis was exposed as an aging fighter Saturday night by Vitali Klitschko, but retained his heavyweight title after a cut stopped the big and tough challenger after six brawling rounds.

An entertaining fight ended on a sour note when the ring doctor ordered the fight stopped after the sixth round of a fight that Klitschko was winning on all three scorecards.

Klitschko, bleeding badly from a cut over his left eye, jumped off his stool in disbelief, yelling "No, no, no" and going across the ring toward Lewis as if he wanted the fight to continue.

Klitschko hurt Lewis in the early rounds and was more than holding his own in a fight that magnified both the ring rust Lewis had from not fighting for a year and also being a 37-year-old heavyweight in the ring.

All three ringside judges had Klitschko winning 58-56, but ring doctor Paul Wallace looked at the cut and ordered referee Lou Moret to stop the fight.

The crowd at Staples Center booed wildly, and Klitschko held his arms up in victory and pointed to his heart.