It was hardly rope-a-dope, but David Haye’s version for the 21st century, called “stun and be gone”, surprised everyone, particularly Nikolay Valuev.

All Haye’s talk of spectacular knockouts had been a bluff. For all his bravado, the Londoner knows that there is a time to stand and fight, and a time to run — and he legged it all the way to the sport’s ultimate prize.

Haye is a man of great bravado, proudly “talking the talk” and “walking the walk”. But on Saturday he reined in his ego, boxed to instructions and earned his reward with a majority points decision over Valuev, the 7ft Russian champion, to win the WBA heavyweight title.

The Londoner lives for excitement in the ring and, for that reason, few thought that, despite his undoubted talent, he would have the discipline to box a sufficiently smart bout against Valuev, a man whose size advantages — nine inches in height and 7st in weight — made the prospect of landing a punch somewhat daunting.

Adam Booth, Haye’s manager and trainer, worked out the plan and had threatened to throw in the towel if his man became involved in a slugging match. But Haye boxed perfectly, often not throwing punches for long periods and waiting for his moments to strike.

It made for a tense, if ultimately dull, bout, albeit on an undeniably great night for British boxing. He became the first British boxer to win two world titles for the first time overseas, having won the WBC and WBA cruiserweight crowns in 2007 by beating Jean-Marc Mormeck in Paris.

The achievement is all the more remarkable because the 29-year-old became a two-weight world champion in only 24 bouts.

“I feel a bit surreal at the moment,” Haye said moments after his success. “When you strive to achieve something your whole life and you get there, what do you do? All I can think of is to go party now.” He didn’t. Haye stayed up until 5am, although the gathering of friends and family was far from raucous and he did not touch a drop of alcohol.

A big talker he may be, but Haye remains a private man behind the party image. He has homes in Clapham, South London, and Northern Cyprus. He and his wife, Natasha, have a one-year-old son, Cassius, named after the original name of Haye’s hero, Muhammad Ali.

“Am I the sixth British heavyweight champion of the world? Really? I think it will sink in tomorrow what I have achieved,” he said when reminded of his achievement. “Fitzsimmons, Bruno, Herbie Hide, Lennox Lewis . . . and Akinwande — did he really win the world title? Who did he beat? Jeremy Williams?

“It’s great to be on that list, it’s amazing. Now that I am there it feels kind of weird. I’ve spent my whole life saying I’m going to do it and now that I have, it’s like . . . wow!”

Even more incredible was that Haye boxed for the majority of the contest with a broken right hand, having snapped the fifth metacarpal when he landed an overhand punch on the top of Valuev’s head in the fourth round.

“I knew he had a great chin, but it was like hitting a stone wall,” Haye said. “I could feel my punches just bouncing off him.”

The bout followed a slow, sometimes painful, plan. The giant Russian plodded after Haye, who ducked and rolled, moved from side to side and occasionally prodded out a jab towards Valuev’s body.

While Valuev’s routine seldom changed, Haye became more ambitious. The plan was all about avoiding the big man’s jab, then trying to counter, then backing off, way out of distance. The doubt was whether the judges would score the bout in favour of a boxer who seldom took a step forward. But slowly Haye began to take control and Valuev began to tire.

By the second half of the bout, Valuev was blowing hard, while his corner screamed at him to increase the pace to a gear he just did not possess.

“The plan was to try and pinch two of the first six rounds and to win the last six,” Booth said. It worked.

The telling moment came in the final round. Valuev, now completely exhausted, went for broke, throwing his final energies into a big attack. But Haye fired back, two rights followed by a left hook that bounced off the Russian’s chin.

For a moment the giant began to crumble, his tired legs betraying him. But as he tottered backwards, Luis Pabon, the referee from Puerto Rico, stepped in, giving Valuev vital breathing time. “He was hurt, but not that hurt,” Booth said.

Valuev looked resigned at the final bell and while Juan Manuel Garcia Reyes, the Spanish judge, scored it a draw, he was overruled by Tom Miller, of the United States, and Stefano Carozza, of Italy, who both had it 116-112 for Haye. “The fight was like running a marathon,” a deflated Valuev, now a two-times former champion, said. “But the judges score the fight, it was a close fight but I really didn’t think that I had to run that much. The last round I feel made the difference to the scoring.”

Haye had no doubts that he had won, even when the first score was announced as a draw. “I got the win, I thought I won it comfortably,” he said. “I showed people something that they didn’t know I could do. I didn’t go out there and try to steamroller him, I can box a bit, too. I can adapt.

“Here I am, heavyweight champion of the world and I love it.”

Britain’s other heavyweight champions

Bob Fitzsimmons Only man to win at three divisions. Beat Jim Corbett in 1897 for heavyweight title.

Lennox Lewis One of only five boxers to have won heavyweight title three times.

Frank Bruno Present-day pantomime star who outpointed Oliver McCall in 1995.

Herbie Hide Won WBO title twice — against Michael Bentt in 1994 and Tony Tucker in 1997.

Henry Akinwande Won WBO title in 1996 by beating Jeremy Williams, of the United States.