By Jim Dower: IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (58-3, 51 KO’s) completely annihilated 40-year-old #2 IBF Tony Thompson (36-3, 24 KO’s) on Saturday night, knocking him down twice en route to stopping him in the 6th round at the Stade de Suisse, in Berne, Switzerland.

Wladimir dropped Thompson with a huge right hand late in the 5th round. Thompson got to his feet, badly hurt and was able to clinch his way out of the round. However, in the 6th, Wladimir dropped Thompson for a second time in the fight with a heavy shot to the head. This time the referee stepped in and halted the fight.

Like in many of his fights, it took Wladimir a while to get his offense in gear. He threw few punches in the 1st round. Instead, he stalked Thompson around the ring with his right hand cocked and his left hand busy trying to knock down Thompson’s high guard.

Wladimir came out more aggressive in the 2nd round, landing right hands to the body, but missing quite a few wild looking shots. Early in the round, Wladimir was nailed by a nice right hand from Thompson while trying to hit him with a right. Shortly after that, Wladimir partly wrestled and partly shoved Thompson to the canvas. It looked like Wladimir was trying to break Thompson’s spirit in the same way he did in their fight four hears ago in 2008. In that fight, Wladimir made it a habit of clinching often and putting all his weight on Thompson, who had a bad right knee. Eventually, Thompson’s right knee went out from under him and he collapsed to the canvas in that fight. Wladimir was able to finish off a limping Thompson shortly after that. This time, however, Thompson wasn’t affected by Wladimir’s rough stuff, but was he did seem bothered by was his power. Wladimir later on pushed Thompson to the canvas for a second time.

In the 3rd round, there were few hard shots landed from Wladimir. He seemed to have problems with accuracy, and after missing a few shots, Wladimir was hesitant about letting his hands go. As for Thompson, he did basically nothing in the round other than landing a few jabs and a couple of left hands to the head throwing with little power.

Wladimir started off the 4th round jabbing Thompson over and over again. Clearly, Wladimir was following instructions from his trainer Emanuel Steward, who kept pleading with Wladimir to use his jab instead of just following Thompson around looking to KO him with right hands. Later in the round, Wladimir connected with a couple solid right hands that got the fans attention.

In the 5th round, Wladimir seemed to be more motivated than ever to get the fight over with. Late in the round, he caught Thompson with a perfect right hand that put him down. Thompson made it back to his feet and was able to get out of the round without anymore mishaps.Thompson was definitely in bad shape when the round ended.

Wladimir pounded Thompson at will in the 6th, landing power shots with both hands while chasing the 40-year-old Thompson around. Wladimir eventually caught up with him and unloaded a flurry of shots in the corner that put Thompson down for the final time. The bout was then halted at 2:56 of the round.