Lewis suffers shock defeat

The punch that won it: Rahman floors Lewis

Hasim Rahman shocked the boxing world by knocking out world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in five rounds.

The American floored Lewis with a huge right hand and the Briton never seemed like beating the count.

Rahman, a virtual unknown before this bout, takes Lewis' World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation heavyweight titles.

The result ranks as the biggest upset in the heavyweight division since Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson in 1990.

Hasim Rahman celebrates being crowned world champion

Despite suffering only his second professional defeat, Lewis was in philosophical mood immediately after the fight - and was already looking ahead to a rematch.

"I can't believe that," he told BBC Sport's Gary Richardson. "He caught me with a good shot. But I felt fine afterwards. The rematch will be as soon as possible.

"I felt fine in there. This is what happens in heavyweight boxing - you get hit with a good shot, you go down. If you don't beat the count, that's it - fight stopped."

The world of boxing may have been stunned by the result but Rahman himself was not surprised.

"I told you all I was confident," he said. "I kept my prayers going and did all my training. And I came up with one punch...one punch.

"I felt that the longer the fight went on I would have a chance. There can be no excuses from him."

Momentous win

Lewis had been widely criticised in the build-up to the fight because of his preparations and on the evidence of the fight, he had taken his foe lightly.

From the start of the contest, Rahman seemed to have no fear of his opponent and Lewis always looked threatened by the Rahman right.

The first round was won narrowly by the Englishman's jab, although Rahman did not seem out of his depth.

Up close and personal: Lewis and Rahman exchange blows

Lewis looked to land some eye-catching punches in the second, with a big right uppercut seeming to perturb the challenger.

The champion again landed some big punches in the third, but seemed undone by a late Rahman flurry.

He was also, very noticeably, breathing heavily.

The fourth was the moment when the challenger staked his intent, as he initiated an attack at the start of the round and controlled the action with his left jab.

The fifth followed the same course, with Lewis absorbing a decent right-hand in the middle of the round, before being chased into the corner by the tenacious Rahman.

After avoiding a series of jabs, Lewis was standing side-on when Rahman threw that final devastating right.

It dropped Lewis flat on his back, and the Englishman looked a tired and concussed figure as he lay on the canvas.

Lewis suffered his second loss in 40 fights, which have seen him register 37 wins with a single draw.

Rahman has also suffered two defeats, against 35 wins.