Frank Bruno: "He must have taken a good punch" (BBC Radio 5 Live)

Having been knocked down in the early stages of the second round, Hide was felled again and never looked able to continue.

The win takes Klitschko's record to 25 wins, all inside the distance, while Hide saw his log fall to 31 wins and two defeats

Despite conceding height and reach to his challenger, Hide took a share of the opening round, landing the occasional jab and looking to hook to the body and head.

But things went badly wrong for Herbie at the start of the second, when he was floored after taking two long rights.

Retreat

After taking a short count, Hide was on the retreat until he was put on the canvas again after another right hand.

BBC Radio 5 Live's John Rawling reports from London

This time, the Norwich-based fighter was clearly dazed, unable to move his right leg until stumbling to his feet at the count of eight.

But the referee rightly decided that the two-time champion was in no position to defend himself and awarded victory to Klitschko.

The defeat almost certainly spells the end of Hide's career at the top level, having been stopped conclusively the last time he stepped up in class, by Riddick Bowe in 1995.

Giant

Vitali Klitschko: Made easy work of Hide

Bigger things await the giant Klitschko, who could meet WBC champion Lennox Lewis.

Although the new champion is based in Germany, an estimated 100,000 people turned out in Kiev to watch their man destory Hide.

Hide's promoter Frank Warren thought his charge had taken the wrong approach to the challenge.

"I thought Herbie fought the wrong fight. He was head-hunting the guy, he should have been trying to work the body, he didn't do that, looked very sloppy and paid the price.

Disappointed

"I'm obviously very disappointed, I'm sure Herbie Hide is.

"Klitschko's a good puncher. He caught him with good shots and stopped him. The fight couldn't go on - simple as that.

"Anybody he hits he is going to knock out. Whether he can take a shot we don't know yet. Certainly, so far he has done everything asked of him."

Hide refused to attend a post-fight press conference sending word to the media that he was `too gutted' to comment.