British heavyweight boxer David Haye didn't quite back up his strong words, but he did more than enough to win the World Boxing Association title Saturday night with a majority decision over seven-foot Russian titleholder Nikolai Valuev.

Haye won the belt by scores of 116-112 on two score cards, with the third judge calling the bout at Nuremberg, Germany, even at 114-114.

Haye improved to 23-1 with 21 knockouts, winning a title in just his fourth fight at heavyweight after previously reigning as 200-pound cruiserweight champion.

The brash 29-year-old London native had promised a "spectacular knockout" of Valuev, who has never been off his feet. Haye made the prediction despite giving up nine inches in height and 98 pounds to Valuev, who tipped the tipped the scales on Friday at 316 pounds.

The only time he came close to his knockout goal, it was too late. Midway through the 12th round, Haye crashed a right hand on Valuev, whose legs did an involuntary wobble.

Haye couldn't administer the coup de grace in the remaining minute and change, but it provided a needed exclamation point on the victory.

As with many of Valuev's recent fights, it was an often dreadful affair. The 36-year-old at this stage of his career is lumbering and simply unable to reach any fighter not standing immediately in front of him.

Wary of the massive size difference, Haye abandoned his usual aggressive style in favour of pecking and jabbing with occasional punches before moving out of harm's way.

Haye seemed mindful in the early going, perhaps too much so, of the fact that he'd only been past five rounds on four occasions despite his impressive ledger. He focused on Valuev's body almost exclusively in some of the early rounds.

Valuev (50-2, 34 knockouts) raised a mouse under Haye's right eye in the middle rounds, and the Briton was in danger of fighting too cautiously while conserving his energy.

The fight was probably even after six rounds, but Haye increased his output over the next three rounds, winning them easily. He landed a handful of power punches that, while not hurting Valuev, were better than anything that was being offered in exchange.

Haye's victory could provide a spark in the heavyweight division for 2010, as brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko have found little serious opposition in the past two years.

Haye had been scheduled to fight both Klitschko brothers at different points earlier this year. He pulled out of a bout with International Boxing Federation champ Wladimir with a back injury in June, and a bout with World Boxing Council titleholder Vitali got bogged down in negotiations, with recriminations being made all around.

As he did with the Klitschkos, Haye hurled insults at Valuev in the run-up to the fight, deriding his opponent's "massive head" and hairiness, among other things.