David Haye's career was left in ruins after he again lost to Tony Bellew, this time after a fifth-round stoppage in their rematch at London's O2 Arena.
The heavyweight appeared to be struggling with a right ankle injury and had conceded he would have no choice but to retire if he suffered another unexpected defeat.
At 37 and having proved increasingly injury prone, Haye's reputation has been left beyond repair after successive defeats by an opponent who was a light-heavyweight, while he reigned as the WBA heavyweight champion at his peak.
Bellew, 35, is not a true heavyweight, and while struggling until landing the fight-changing right hand that put Haye down in the third, he then exposed his rival as shot.
"Doubt me now. Doubt me now, you fools," Bellew, speaking on talkSPORT, said.
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"I was waiting for the perfect moment. I'm a clever cat. Not bad for a fat Scouser.
"I'm a clever man, I have brains, I have skills. I know what I can do.
"You all judge me on aesthetically how I look. You all judge me, just because I am a little fat Scouser."
Despite improving on his worst performance and beginning convincingly - and to the extent Bellew was under constant threat - after an exchange in the third Haye proved no longer able to take a punch.
The younger fighter launched forward recklessly to force his decorated opponent back against the ropes, and landed the explosive right hand to put him down for the first time.
When he returned to his feet Haye remained unsteady and struggled to defend himself, again going down following another right hand.
Only the round's end rescued him from an earlier defeat, and after he spent the fourth attempting to recover - appearing increasingly tired in the process - his desperation to land the punch that could have rescued him in the fifth again left him exposed.
While both swung, Bellew this time landed a powerful left hook, again sending Haye to the canvas and leaving him unsteady to the extent that when he returned to his feet and was unable to defend himself, referee Howard Foster intervened to save him from further punishment after two minutes and 14 seconds.
