Tyson Fury has beaten challenger Dillian Whyte thanks to a thunderous uppercut in the sixth round to retain his WBC and Ring world titles in front of more than 94,000 supporters at London's Wembley stadium.
Referee Mark Lyson waved off the contest at 2:59 in the sixth round after Whyte failed to recover from being laid flat out on his back.
"I'm one of the greatest heavyweights of all time," Fury crowed in the ring after the fight.
"You are not messing with a mediocre heavyweight. You are messing with the best man on the planet."
Fury, 33, remains unbeaten as a professional, with a record of 32-0-1, while Whyte suffered his third professional defeat to move to 28-3.
The biggest post-war crowd to watch a boxing match in the UK relished the occasion, from the elaborate ring walks right the way through to the post-fight singalong.
Fury entered the ring on a throne, draped in red and white robes, and left it draped in his two world championship belts, although not before serenading the crowd with American Pie after his victory.
Fury said in the build-up that this would be his final fight, a homecoming at Wembley Stadium, which is fast becoming a boxing mecca to rival Madison Square Garden and the casinos in Las Vegas.
After the fight, Fury did not absolutely confirm that this would be his final fight, only saying that it "might" be.
"I'm overwhelmed by the support," he said.
"I cannot believe 94,000 of my countrymen and women came here to watch me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who bought a ticket.
Later, his wife Paris said the only reason that he would come back would be for a unification fight.
"I would like him to come home now, he has nothing else to prove," she told BT Sport.
"If he had anything left to do, I'd say, 'yeah Tyson, you do it'.
"So unless he really wants to box on … he doesn't need [money or fame], he's the most famous man on the planet tonight.
Ukranian Oleksandr Usyk is the current unified WBA, IBF and WBO title holder and is set to defend those belts against Anthony Joshua in a rematch later in the year.
Fury had attempted to fight Usyk instead of Whyte but was unable to make a deal with Joshua, who opted to activate his rematch clause with Usyk in an attempt to win back his belts rather than step aside.
The highlight finish was in stark contrast to an otherwise scrappy fight, during which Fury barely looked troubled, maintaining the distance with his jab and punishing a lumbering Whyte every time he attempted to close that gap.
As so many fighters have found to their cost against Fury, getting close enough to the 209cm giant proved too much for his challenger, who was never fast enough with his feet or hands.
The jovial fight week had surprised some, but it didn't take long for things to turn sour in the ring.
Fury objected to some rough-house tactics from the challenger in the fourth round, with Whyte using elbows and hitting on the break, leading to Fury momentarily losing his cool.
However, that was just a blip, with Fury regaining control of the contest with his jab and ending it so spectacularly with an uppercut for the ages.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key events
Live updates
By Simon Smale
Thanks for being with us
Well, that was relatively short and sweet.
Tyson Fury gets the win and cements his legacy in a fight that was proving to be decidedly unmemorable right up until that highlight knockout.
It was a stunning punch that was beautifully set up by Fury, leaving Whyte dazed and confused, his title dreams in tatters.
Thanks for being with us this Sunday morning.
We'll catch you again soon I'm sure.
By Simon Smale
Dillian Whyte walks to the dressing room
Dillian Whyte received oxygen in the ring before walking back to the dressing room.
By Simon Smale
Now he's singing American Pie in the ring
And the crowd are with him all the way.
What a character. What a fighter.
By Simon Smale
This 'might' be the final fight
Tyson Fury says that he promised "my lovely wife Paris, after the Wilder trilogy that would be it."
Fury then said that he "owed it to the fans" to take this homecoming fight at Wembley.
"I have to be a man of my word and this might be it," Fury says.
"And what a way to go out."
By Simon Smale
'I'm one of the greatest heavyweights of all time': Tyson Fury
Here's the champion, Tyson Fury.
"I won this fight, in my lovely, my own, my England, " he screams, as the crowd goes wild.
"WE ARE SPARTA!"
"I'm overwhelmed by the support.
"I can't believe that my 94,00 countryman came to see me tonight."
Fury pays credit to his vanquished opponent.
"Dillian Whyte is a warrior.
"Tonight, he met a great of this sport. I'm one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.
"Unfortunately, he had to meet me here tonight.
"As a professional, I think even Lennox Lewis would have been proud of that upper cut."
By Simon Smale
TYSON FURY WINS BY TKO!
THE FIGHT IS OVER!
What a shot.
Tyson Fury set it up with a left jab and then threw a stunning upper cut with the right, sending Dillian Whyte flat on his back.
Whyte got to his feet, but when the referee asked him to step forward, Whyte tumbled forward and into the referee's arms,
The official time is 2:59 in round six
By Simon Smale
Fury vs Whyte, Round 6
Fury lands the jab to the throat of Whyte, who just needs to do more.
Whyte tries to jab, but only hits air at the moment, and Fury catches him again.
Fury is just doing enough at the moment.
Whyte comes in and then tries the chopping right down, misses by a mile, and Fury tells him as much as they clinch.
They grapple and fling each other into the ropes but split of their own volition.
Whyte is occupying the space, backing Fury up, but Fury just keeps him at bay with that pawing jab.
Right left from Fury on the ropes.
Fury jabs once, twice.
FURY WITH THE UPPER CUT!
WHYTE IS OUT ON HIS BACK!
By Simon Smale
Fury vs Whyte, Round 5
The referee talks to both boxers, telling them to box not brawl.
That was an untidy round previous.
Fury lands with a shot to the head, then two shots to the body and a follow up to the head from range.
Whyte comes in and lands with a jab but on the back foot Fury lands to the head.
Fury lands, Whyte shakes the head.
Fury with a solid shot to the body, has a conversation with the challenger as well, then plays to the crowd a little, who respond.
Whyte comes forward but is caught again.
Oh is Whyte wobbled? A solid shot to the head! He felt that.
Fury is keeping this distance so well, controlling the space and catching Whyte every time he comes in.
By Simon Smale
Fury vs Whyte, Round 4
"You're getting a little bit closer, that's good," says Whyte's corner.
"Hit the f***ing body," is the follow up advice.
He needs to more more.
BIG SHOT FROM FURY! A one-two to the head that Whyte takes well.
Whyte hits Fury on the break and Fury is furious! There was elbow involved there.
Both men get a ticking off, but that might not be a bad ploy from Whyte, just inject a little chaos and upset Fury.
Fury needs to get away from that emotional response to the spoiling tactics.
Whyte lands to the body with a left hook, and again!
Fury with a solid right and then a one two! They clinch!
A jab from Fury, then a pawing right hook lands from the champion.
Fury tries to clinch and they do.
Fury lands to the body! Big shot! Now they clinch in the corner, Fury burrowing Whyte into the corner! The referee is desperately trying to get them to split! It's a bit of a brawl at the moment.
Again, both boxers are getting a ticking off.
Fury just misses with a bosy shot after a solid jab.
Fury lands on the bell, then Whyte tries to advance after the bell but they go to their respective corners.
Whyte is cut, but not badly.
By Simon Smale
Fury vs Whyte, Round 3
Whyte needs to be quicker, Fury lands with a right as Whyte comes in.
Fury's jab is good.
Whyte is just lumbering forward and is caught by a left hook from Fury, although it caught more jab than face.
Fury jabs, and again. The distance is being maintained so well by Fury, who looks very chilled and watchful.
They tie up for the first time in the fight and grapple, they're being allowed to for a little while before being told to break.
Fury lands to the body with a left.
Whyte ducks and then gets caught!
A smile from Fury, so sharp with the right jab as he gets another one through.
A one-two from Fury lands and that's another round to the champion, who is doing it very easy at the moment.
By Simon Smale
Fury looks quicker than his previous bouts. Thoughts Simon?
-Tanzil
Yeah, agree. He's so fast and this will be a counter-attacking tactic from Fury, he wants Whyte to punch himself out I think.
By Simon Smale
Fury vs Whyte, Round 2
Will there be a bit more action in this round?
Whyte has gone back to orthodox, Fury goes southpaw.
Fury goes back orthodox now, just messing with Whyte a little.
Whyte throws a huge haymaker that Fury sees from a mile off and easily sways away. Wild shot from Whyte.
Whyte lands to the chest of Fury.
Sharp jab from Fury, but then a good right from Whyte lands.
Whyte misses, Fury lands with a right.
Jab then a right from Fury, but Whyte closes the distance.
Whyte swings wildly.
Fury controls with the jab, landing to the head of Whyte as he came in.
Whyte comes forward and tries to land with a wild right but Fury sways out the way on the ropes and there's the bell.
Another round to Fury, Whyte not quick enough.
By Simon Smale
Fury vs Whyte, Round 1
Dillian Whyte comes out as a southpaw, both men just paw out at each other in the opening exchanges.
Whyte is occupying the centre of the ring, but nothing landing solidly yet in this feeling out period.
Fury lands with a jab, and another.
Fury double-jabs to force Whyte back.
Fury lands to the body, then leaps back as Whyte right hooks to the body.
Fury is maintaining the distance at the moment.
Fury throws the right, Whyte ducks under it.
Big right from Fury lands to the jaw of the challenger.
Whyte jabs to the belly, then Fury responds by leaping forward and forcing Whyte back.
Not a lot in that, but Fury had the better of it.
By Simon Smale
Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte
It all boils down to this.
Dillian Whyte gets boos as he is introduced by our ring announcer, but not particularly venomous, just your standard pantomime criticism.
All cheers from the 94,000-strong crowd for the undefeated lineal champion, who is still draped in a white towel as he is introduced.
The fighters get their final instructions from the referee.
Game on.
By Simon Smale
National anthem time
God Save The Queen rings out acapella across the stadium, the majority of those in attendance sing along as well.
By Simon Smale
Now the champion, the Gypsy King, Tyson Fury!
It's American Pie by Don McLean!
The video being played on the big screen is of the American anthem being played in a ring, with some highlights from the career of the Gypsy King interspersed with it.
No sign of Fury yet though.
That song ends and now a voiceover above an instrumental of Jerusalem speaks of how the heavyweight champion of the world is returning to England.
And now the champion begins his walk, rapping along to the music wearing a silk white robe with red trim.
Wow he looks relaxed, the swagger necessary to wear the heavyweight crown in full evidence. He's lapping this up.
Oh, now the throne is out and the fireworks are flying into the London night sky.
Dillian Whyte is in discussion with his team while this is all going on.
It's been a hell of a ring walk. A long one too. Fury just letting those nerves stew in the middle of the ring.
By Simon Smale
Here comes Dillian Whyte!
There are some boos ringing around Wembley stadium as the challenger gets ready to start his ring walk.
He's making everyone wait a little though, which isn't helping endear him to the crowd, but he's not here to make friends, he's here to fulfil his long-awaited ambition of fighting for a world title.
Eventually, the music starts, the theme from Jaws, no less, and now his characteristic howling at the moon before AC/DC's Back in Black is played as Whyte begins the long, long walk from the sidelines to the square circle in the middle of Wembley Stadium.
