Vitalij Klyčko on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Vitali Volodymyrovych Klitschko (; uk, Віта́лій Володи́мирович Кличко́ ; born 19 July 1971) is a Ukrainian politician and former professional boxer who serves as mayor of KyivVitali Klitschko sworn in as Kyiv mayor
,
, '' The Ukrainian Week'' (26 September 2012)Q&A:Ukrainian parliamentary election
, BBC News (23 October 2012)Ukraine election:President Yanukovych party claims win
, BBC News (29 October 2012)"Parties spend over Hr 600 million on elections, according to report"
, '' Kyiv Post'' (16 November 2012) He became actively involved in Ukrainian politics in 2005 and combined this with his professional boxing career until his retirement from the sport in 2013. He holds a Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.) from Kyiv University's Physical Science Department. As a boxer, Klitschko won multiple world
,
,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(5 June 2014) and head of the Kyiv City State Administration
Kyiv City State Administration ( uk, Київська міська державна адміністрація, translit=Kyivska miska derzhavna administratsiia), is the national-level branch of the Government of Ukraine that administers Kyiv, t ...
, having held both offices since June 2014. Klitschko is a former leader of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc and a former Member of the Ukrainian Parliament."You Scratch My Back, and I’ll Scratch Yours", '' The Ukrainian Week'' (26 September 2012)Q&A:Ukrainian parliamentary election
, BBC News (23 October 2012)Ukraine election:President Yanukovych party claims win
, BBC News (29 October 2012)"Parties spend over Hr 600 million on elections, according to report"
, '' Kyiv Post'' (16 November 2012) He became actively involved in Ukrainian politics in 2005 and combined this with his professional boxing career until his retirement from the sport in 2013. He holds a Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.) from Kyiv University's Physical Science Department. As a boxer, Klitschko won multiple world
heavyweight
Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling.
Boxing Professional
Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the Wo ...
championships. He held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) title from 1999 to 2000, the '' Ring'' magazine title from 2004 to 2005, and the World Boxing Council (WBC) title twice between 2004 and 2013. Overall, he defeated 15 opponents in world heavyweight title fights, and made 12 successful title defences. In 2011, Vitali and his younger brother Wladimir Klitschko entered the Guinness World Records as the pair of brothers with most world heavyweight title fight wins (30 at the time; 40 as of 2020). From 2006 until 2015, Vitali and Wladimir (also a multiple world champion) dominated heavyweight boxing, a period widely known as the " Klitschko Era" of the division. Klitschko's last fight was in 2012, but he remained the WBC heavyweight champion at age 42 when he announced his retirement in December 2013.
Klitschko formally began his political career in 2006 when he placed second in the Kyiv mayoral race. In 2010, he founded the party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) and was elected into parliament for this party in 2012. He was a leading figure in the 2013–2014 Euromaidan
Euromaidan (; uk, Євромайдан, translit=Yevromaidan, lit=Euro Square, ), or the Maidan Uprising, was a wave of Political demonstration, demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on 21 November 2013 with large protes ...
protests, and he announced his possible candidacy for the Ukrainian presidency but later withdrew and endorsed the eventual winner Petro Poroshenko. He was elected Mayor of Kyiv on 25 May 2014.Klitschko officially announced as winner of Kyiv mayor election,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(4 June 2014) He headed the election list of the winner of the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election
Snap elections to the Verkhovna Rada took place on 26 October 2014.
Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, had pressed for early parliamentary elections since his victory in the presidential election in May.Petro Poroshenko Bloc, but he gave up his parliamentary seat to stay on as Mayor of Kyiv. On 28 August 2015 the UDAR party merged into Petro Poroshenko Bloc.Klitschko becomes leader of Petro Poroshenko Bloc 'Solidarity' party
,
. En.interfax.com.ua
As an
Klitschko weighed in at , while Sosnowski weighed in at .
This voluntary defense was Klitschko's fourth defense of the WBC heavyweight title. Sosnowski was the No. 11 ranked heavyweight according to the WBC prior to this bout.
On 17 August 2010, it was announced that Klitschko would defend his WBC title against Shannon Briggs on 16 October of that year. Klitschko completely dismantled his challenger with superior hand speed. Briggs struggled to land any meaningful punches, as Klitschko won every round decisively. After a few rounds, Briggs was receiving a vicious and sustained beating which caused him serious facial injuries. Considering the beating he was receiving, there was some suggestion that the referee should have stopped the bout during the last few rounds. Klitschko had retained his belt with official scores of 120–107, 120–107, and 120–105.
During the post-fight interview, the American boxer Briggs said: "I've fought George Foreman, I've fought Lennox Lewis, and Vitali's the best." While Klitschko did not knock down Briggs, the latter collapsed after the fight and was hospitalized with facial fractures and a torn biceps.
Klitschko's next fight was against mandatory challenger
After Wladimir Klitschko had to cancel his fight with Jean-Marc Mormeck, it was thought that Vitali was likely to fight on 25 February 2012. Sources in Germany reported that he was likely to fight British contender Derek Chisora on 18 February 2012 in Olympiahalle, Munich, Bavaria.
It was confirmed on 12 December 2011 that Derek Chisora would be Klitschko's next opponent. Klitschko retained his WBC title unanimously in a dominant display in Munich. The fight was fought against a backdrop of antagonism displayed by Chisora at the weigh in. Chisora slapped Klitschko across the face causing a red mark to be left. The next day Chisora spat water over the face of Vitali's brother Wladimir.
Vitali won the majority of the rounds boxing a disciplined fight with changing angles and superior footwork. Chisora, constantly coming forward delivering punishing body shots, failed to wear down the older man. The scores were: 118–110, 118–110, and 119–111. The next day Klitschko visited a hospital to check his shoulder, claiming he injured it in the fight. A doctor confirmed a ligament tear was suffered in his left shoulder. Klitschko said he "suddenly lost strength in the left hand" and was forced to only use his right. The injury was believed to have happened in the second or third round. Klitschko's trainer, Fritz Sdunek, believes this is the same kind of injury Klitschko suffered in his fight with Byrd.
At the post-fight press conference, a brawl ensued between Haye and Chisora. After the altercation, Chisora challenged Haye to a fight in the ring and said, "I am going to shoot David Haye." Chisora was later arrested at a German airport along with his coach, Don Charles. His comments and actions were later condemned by Frank Warren, his promoter, and Wladimir Klitschko.
On 2 July 2012, it was announced that Vitali will defend his WBC heavyweight title on 8 September at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia. His opponent for the fight was undefeated future WBA heavyweight champion Manuel Charr 21–0 (11 KO). Klitschko won the fight via technical knockout when Charr had to be stopped due to a cut received from Klitschko's punches.
Klitschko was expected to face
, BBC Sport (67 December 2013) The WBC title was vacated and later contested by Chris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne. Commenting on his decision, he stated "My focus is on politics in Ukraine and I feel the people there need me". He also added, "I thank the WBC and its president José Sulaimán for the support in our battle for democracy and freedom in Ukraine". Since his retirement, he has maintained a low key level of training and has been in his brother's corner for most fights, most famously when he had an altercation with
, LIGA In 2005, Vitali Klitschko was appointed an adviser to President Yushchenko. In October 2006, he was promoted to full-time adviser. Klitschko began campaigning for Mayor of Kyiv shortly after his retirement in 2005. He lost the 2006 mayoral election to
by Ukrayinska Pravda (17 April 2006) Analysts stated his relatively late entry into the campaign might have cost him votes. Still, Klitschko was elected as a people's deputy to the Kyiv City Council since "Civic party" PORA-ROP won 14 seats in the 2006 election.
In the May 2008 Kyiv local election, he ran again and won 18% of the vote. Klitschko simultaneously led the
,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(28 August 2015) Klitschko thus became the new party leader. Klitschko was reelected as mayor on 15 November 2015.Kyiv Mayor Klitschko reelected with 66.5% of vote, 100% of ballot protocols processed – preliminary data. En.interfax.com.ua
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(2015-11-16). Retrieved on 2015-11-29. Klitschko revived UDAR, and left Petro Poroshenko Bloc with it, in May 2019 and simultaneously announced that UDAR would take part in the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election
Snap elections to the Ukrainian parliament were held on 21 July 2019. Originally scheduled to be held at the end of October, these elections were brought forward after newly inaugurated President of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dissolv ...
autonomously. UDAR however failed to win any seats.
Klitschko was re-elected to a second term as mayor in 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, securing 50.52% of the votes in the first round of voting and thus avoiding a run-off. Following the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
, Klitschko and President Volodymyr Zelensky have been internationally praised as symbols of Ukrainian resistance.
Kickboxing and amateur boxing career
Originally, as karate and kickboxing were both banned in the Soviet Union, and amateur boxing was one of five sanctioned combat sports available to general public (along with judo, sport sambo,freestyle
Freestyle may refer to:
Brands
* Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe
* Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile
* Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine
* ICD Freestyle, a paintball marker
* Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott La ...
and classical wrestling), Klitschko took up boxing, being trained by former Soviet boxer, 1974 World Championships bronze medalist Anatoliy Klimanov
Anatoliy Klimanov (28 October 1949 – 2 March 2009) was a Ukrainian boxer. He competed in the men's light heavyweight event at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Klimanov defeated Roger Fortin of Canada, before losing to Leon Spinks
Leon, Léon ( ...
, a head boxing coach of the CSKA Kyiv Sports Club. After the ban was lifted and Soviets assembled their kickboxing team, Klitschko was its member. He was competing both in amateur boxing
Amateur boxing is a variant of boxing practiced at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as many associations.
Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration, comprising three rounds of three ...
, kickboxing
Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...
, and sport karate simultaneously, showing considerable success in all combat sports which he was involved in.
X Summer Spartakiad of Peoples of the USSR, boxing (+91 kg), Minsk, Belarus SSR, July 1991:
* 1/2: Lost to Oleg Maskayev
Oleg Alexandrovich Maskayev (russian: Олег Александрович Маскаев; also Maskaev; born 2 March 1969) is a Russian-American former professional boxer who competed from 1995 to 2013, and held the WBC heavyweight title from 2 ...
(Uzbek SSR) RSC 2
WAKO European Kickboxing Championships, light contact division (+89 kg), Varna, Bulgaria, November 1992:
* Finals: Lost to Pelé Reid (England) KO
Japanese mixed martial arts promotion Pancrase - All Japan Kickboxing Federation under WKA Special Rules (no low kicks), Tokyo, Japan, 27 November 1993:
* Defeated Ryūshi Yanagisawa (Japan) PTS 5
ISKA World Super Heavyweight
Super heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and competitive bodybuilding.
Boxing
In amateur boxing, the super heavyweight division is a weight class division for fighters weighing in excess of 91 kilograms (200 pounds). Introduced for th ...
Championships, 1994:
* Finals: Defeated Richard Vince (United Kingdom) KO 2
XVI President's Boxing Cup (+91 kg) Jakarta, Indonesia
Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
, February 1994:
* 1/2: Lost to Christophe Mendy
Christophe Mendy (born 4 August 1971, in Rouen) is a retired French boxer who represented France in the heavyweight division (– 91 kg) during the 1990s. He won the bronze medal at the 1995 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Berlin, ...
(France) PTS
VII Boxing World Cup (+91 kg), Bangkok, Thailand, June 1994:
* 1/8: Defeated Ahn Jung-hyun (South Korea) RSCH 5
* 1/4: Lost to Svilen Rusinov
Svilen Aldinov Rusinov ( bg, Свилен Алдинов Русинов; born February 29, 1964 in Teteven) is a Bulgarian boxer, who twice competed at the Summer Olympics for his native country. He won a bronze medal in the super heavyweight div ...
(Bulgaria) 9–10 (5 rds)
XLI World Military Boxing Championships (+91 kg), Tunis, Tunisia, 1994:
* Finals: Lost to Alexei Lezin (Russia) 1–10
XXIII Chemistry Cup (+91 kg), Halle, Germany Halle, Germany may refer to:
* Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, also called ''Halle an der Saale'', or Halle (Saale)
* Halle, North Rhine-Westphalia, also called ''Halle in Westfalen'', or ''Halle (Westfalen)''
* Halle, Bentheim, in the district of Bentheim, ...
, March 1995:
* 1/4: Defeated Willi Fischer (Germany) 10–0
* 1/2: Defeated René Monse (Germany) 9–3
* Finals: Defeated Georgi Kandelaki
Georgi Kandelaki ( ka, გიორგი კანდელაკი; born April 10, 1974 in Variani, Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union) is a retired Georgian boxer of Caucasus Greek descent, and current boxing administrator. He ...
(Georgia) by walkover
World Championships (+91 kg), Berlin, Germany
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constituent ...
, May 1995:
* 1/16: Defeated Igor Kshinin
Igor Ivanovich Kshinin (russian: Игорь Иванович Кшинин; born 13 July 1972 in Volgograd) is a retired male boxer from Russia. He represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was stopped ...
(Russia) RSC 1
* 1/8: Defeated Gytis Juškevičius
Gytis Juškevičius (born 22 February 1966) is a Lithuanian boxer. He competed in the men's super heavyweight event at the 1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'esti ...
(Lithuania) RSC 2
* 1/4: Defeated Attila Levin (Sweden) RET 2
* 1/2: Defeated René Monse (Germany) 6–5
* Finals: Lost to Alexei Lezin (Russia) 3–12
Military World Games
The Military World Games is a multi-sport event for military sportspeople, organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM). They have been held since 1995, although championships for separate sports had been held for some years. A w ...
(+91 kg), Ariccia, Italy
Ariccia (Latin: ''Aricia'') is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome, central Italy, southeast of Rome. It is in the Alban Hills of the Lazio (Latium) region and could be considered an extension of Rome's southeastern suburbs. One ...
, September 1995:
* 1/8: Defeated Drago Mijić (Croatia) by walkover
* 1/4: Defeated Kenneth Horsley (United States) RET 1
* 1/2: Defeated Svilen Rusinov
Svilen Aldinov Rusinov ( bg, Свилен Алдинов Русинов; born February 29, 1964 in Teteven) is a Bulgarian boxer, who twice competed at the Summer Olympics for his native country. He won a bronze medal in the super heavyweight div ...
(Bulgaria) RSC 1
* Finals: Defeated Alexei Lezin (Russia) 9–4
WAKO European Kickboxing Championships, light contact division (+89 kg), Kyiv, Ukraine, November 1995:
* Finals: Lost to William van Roosmalen (Netherlands) KO
Amateur boxing record: 195 wins, 15 losses.
Kickboxing record: 34 wins (22 knockouts,) 2 losses (2 knockouts.)
He was a kickboxing world champion six times (winning amateur world championships twice and professional championship tournaments four times). In 1996, he finished his amateur boxing career and turned professional, signing with the German-based Universum Box-Promotion (UBP.)
Professional boxing career
As an amateur
An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, autodidacticism, self-taught, user-generated, do it yourself, DI ...
, Klitschko won the super-heavyweight championship at the first World Military Games
The Military World Games is a multi-sport event for military sportspeople, organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM). They have been held since 1995, although championships for separate sports had been held for some years. A w ...
in Italy in 1995. In the same year he won a silver medal at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany, where he was defeated by Russia's Alexei Lezin in the final. In his autobiography, published in Germany in 2004, the boxer revealed that he tested positive for a banned steroid
A steroid is a biologically active organic compound with four rings arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes that alter membrane fluidity; and a ...
in 1996. He attributed the presence of the drug to treatment of a leg injury, but was dismissed from the Ukrainian boxing team and missed the Atlanta Olympics. His brother Wladimir moved up from heavyweight
Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling.
Boxing Professional
Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the Wo ...
to super heavyweight to take his place in the squad and won the Olympic gold medal. His amateur record was 195–15 with 80 knockouts.
WBO heavyweight champion
Klitschko began his professional boxing career in 1996, winning his first twenty-four fights by either earlyknockout
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
or technical knockout. He and Wladimir signed with the German athlete-promotion company Universum. With both brothers holding PhDs and being multilingual, their refined and articulate personalities made for mainstream marketability when they moved to Germany and Universum. In time, they became national celebrities in their adopted home country. In his 25th pro fight on 26 June 1999, Klitschko won the WBO
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing ...
heavyweight
Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling.
Boxing Professional
Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the Wo ...
title from Herbie Hide
Herbie Hide (born Herbert Okechukwu Maduagwu; 27 August 1971) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2010. He held the WBO heavyweight title twice between 1994 and 1999, as well as the British heavyweight title in 19 ...
of the United Kingdom by a second-round knockout. He successfully defended the title twice. He defeated Ed Mahone by knockout in the third round and beat Obed Sullivan, who retired after the ninth round.
Title loss to Byrd
By April 2000 Klitschko was unbeaten and a rising star in the heavyweight division, having won all 27 of his contests by knockout. On 1 April, Klitschko had a third title defense against the American Chris Byrd, who was a late replacement. Byrd made himself a difficult target and tried to thwart Klitschko's offense by being elusive. Klitschko won most of the rounds and was heading towards a comprehensive points victory when he suffered a serious shoulder injury. After the ninth round, Klitschko notified his corner that he had a shoulder pain andthrew in the towel
A submission is a combat sports term for yielding to the opponent, and hence resulting in an immediate defeat. The submission – then also referred to as a "tap out" or "tapping out" – is often performed by visibly tapping the floor or the opp ...
, thus handing Klitschko his first defeat and awarding Byrd the win by RTD. At the time of the stoppage, Klitschko had won 8 of 9 rounds on one judge's scorecard, and 7 of 9 on the two others. Klitschko, who was later diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff, received much criticism for quitting the fight. Klitschko rebounded from his loss to Byrd by reeling off five victories in a row, earning himself a shot at WBC
WBC may stand for:
Business
*Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, a former large India broadcaster now folded into CBS
*Westpac (New Delhi Exchange code: WBC), a multinational Financial services company
*Wholesale Broadband Connect, BT Wholesale's ...
heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis (born 2 September 1965) is a former professional boxer and boxing commentator who competed from 1989 to 2003. He is a three-time world heavyweight champion, a two-time lineal champion, and the last heavyweight to hold ...
.
Klitschko vs. Lennox Lewis
The fight between Lewis and Klitschko was to take place in December 2003, and Klitschko signed for a tune-up fight on 21 June 2003 as part of the undercard of Lewis's fight with Kirk Johnson for the IBO title, as the WBC would not sanction the fight for their title. Johnson, however, pulled out of the fight due to injury and Klitschko, due to his being in training for a fight on the same day as Lewis, took the fight on short notice. Immediately after he accepted, the WBC elected to sanction the fight as a title match and Lewis's '' The Ring'' title was also up for grabs in addition to his lineal title. Klitschko, a 4–1 underdog, dominated the early going with many harder punches. He stunned Lewis in the second round with two hard rights, leaving a cut under Lewis's left eye. In the third, Lewis landed a big right hand that opened a deep cut above Klitschko's left eye. Before the seventh round, the ringside doctor inspected the wound and deemed it severe enough to threaten eye damage if struck again, stopping the fight despite Klitschko's pleas to continue. Klitschko was ahead on all three judges' scorecards 58–56 (4 rounds to 2) at the time of the stoppage, but because the wound was a result of punches from Lewis, Lewis won by technicalknockout
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
.
Negotiations for a 6 December rematch began. After negotiations collapsed, Klitschko defeated Kirk Johnson in a WBC eliminator bout on 6 December date, setting up a mandatory rematch with Lewis. In January 2004, the WBC announced that it would strip Lewis of the belt if he let pass a 15 March deadline to sign for a rematch with Klitschko. Shortly thereafter, Lewis announced his retirement and vacated the title. For years after this fight, Klitschko would occasionally call out Lewis for a rematch, despite the latter having retired in early 2004.
Around this time the Klitschko brothers moved from Hamburg, Germany, to Los Angeles. In January 2004 they notified Universum that they would not re-sign when their contracts expired in April. Universum sued the brothers, arguing that their recent injuries had triggered a clause binding them beyond April. The suit was ultimately resolved in favor of the Klitschkos in November 2009.
WBC and ''The Ring'' heavyweight champion
Klitschko faced South African Corrie Sanders on 24 April 2004 for the WBC heavyweight championship and ''The Ring'' belts that had been vacated by Lewis. Sanders had stopped younger brother Wladimir in the second round (TKO) on 8 March 2003. Klitschko took a heavy shot in round one by Sanders and was almost knocked down right at the end of the round, but by using upper-body movement and accurate punching he broke down Sanders over the following rounds, forcing referee Jon Schorle to stop the bout in the eighth. Klitschko landed 60% of his power punches.Klitschko vs. Williams
Klitschko's first WBC title defense was against British boxer Danny Williams. Williams had become suddenly marketable from a KO overMike Tyson
Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is cons ...
in round 4. Klitschko scored a technical knockout against Williams in 8 rounds on 11 December 2004, while wearing an orange cloth to show support for the Ukrainian presidential opposition movement. Klitschko knocked Williams down in the 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 8th rounds before the fight was stopped. Immediately afterward, Klitschko dedicated his victory to democracy in his native Ukraine and also to the Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, whom he supported on 26 December 2004, election revote.
2005–2007 retirement
On 9 November 2005, Klitschko announced his retirement from professional boxing and vacated his title. He had been training to fight Hasim Rahman; however, nine days before the fight, he injured his leg while sparring. He snapped his anterior cruciate ligament, which with surgery would take up to a year to heal and possibly prove career ending. To avoid keeping the title out of use, he retired. The WBC was grateful for his consideration. On other occasions he cited regrets about his suddenly mounting injuries, a desire to leave the sport while still on top and political aspirations in his home country of Ukraine. Following his retirement, the WBC conferred "champion emeritus" status on Klitschko, and assured him he would become themandatory challenger In professional boxing and some other combat sports, a mandatory challenger is an opponent whom a champion must either fight or be forced to vacate their title as champion. A mandatory defence is the opposite of a voluntary defence, where the champi ...
if and when he decided to return.
Second WBC heavyweight championship
On 3 August 2008 the WBC awarded Klitschko a chance to regain his WBC heavyweight title. After Vitali's retirement, his younger brother had established dominance in the division, winning two of the four world titles available. The reigning WBC Champion was Samuel Peter (who had lost a decision to Wladimir in 2005). At the time, there was interest in a potential Peter vs. Wladimir unification match. Instead, Vitali took advantage of his champion emeritus status and secured a title challenge against Peter. The fight was arranged on 11 October 2008 at O2 World, Berlin. It would be one of the most anticipated heavyweight fights in the past few years. Both men had a rightful claim to being the champion and the stakes for the future of the heavyweight division were high. Despite some questioning Klitschko's decision to return after almost four years, he managed to regain his title in dominating fashion. Klitschko had Peter intimidated from the first round and stunned him with accurate hard punches. Klitschko kept the hard-punching Nigerian off with an effective left jab and took control in the center of the ring. Over eight rounds, Klitschko completely dismantled and outfought the younger champion. After the eighth round, Peter slumped on his stool, shook his head and asked that the bout be stopped. With the Samuel Peter victory, Klitschko technically became one of the few men to ever hold a version of the world heavyweight title three times—WBO (1999–2000), WBC (2004–2005) and WBC (2008–2012).Klitschko vs. Gómez, Arreola, Johnson
On 21 March 2009, Klitschko defeated Juan Carlos Gómez by TKO in the ninth round. Gómez tried to use his movement to thwart Klitschko, but seemed unable to cope with the power and physical strength of his opponent. As the rounds progressed, Klitschko began imposing himself on Gómez more and more. Gómez soon became wary of Klitschko's power and also began to tire physically. By the sixth round, Klitschko was in total control. The end came when the referee stopped the fight in the ninth round as Gómez appeared unable to withstand any more hits. On 26 September, Klitschko earned a one-sided TKO victory over Chris Arreola at theStaples Center
Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. The arena opened on October 17, 1999; it was ...
in Los Angeles when Arreola's trainer, Henry Ramirez, asked the referee to stop the fight. Arreola was considered at the time one of the division's hardest punchers; however, Klitschko kept Arreola at bay with his left jab and hit him almost at will with his right. Arreola had been influenced by Samuel Peter's defeat to Klitschko in 2008, in which Peter had tried to box from the outside. He therefore employed a game-plan which involved applying constant pressure to Klitschko in order to force him into a high tempo fight. Despite his best efforts, the bout became one sided very quickly. Klitschko consistently proved himself faster, sharper and much fitter than Arreola.
On 12 December, Klitschko defeated Kevin Johnson Kevin Johnson may refer to:
Entertainment
*Kevin Johnson (singer) (born 1942), Australian singer
* Kevin Johnson (ventriloquist) (born 1970), ventriloquist on ''America's Got Talent''
* Kevin Royal Johnson (born 1961), American singer-songwriter a ...
by unanimous decision, winning almost every round. Johnson, a skillful fighter, tried to negate Klitschko's strength with angles and head movement. Though he proved hard to hit, he failed to launch any sustained attack of his own. After the Johnson bout, Klitschko's camp began negotiations for a potential fight with former WBA champion Nikolai Valuev, but the match failed to materialize due to economic disagreements.
Klitschko vs. Sosnowski, Briggs, Solís
On 29 May 2010, Klitschko defeated Polish heavyweight contenderAlbert Sosnowski
Albert Dariusz Sosnowski (born 7 March 1979) is a Polish former professional boxer who challenged for the WBC heavyweight title in 2010.
Professional career
Sosnowski made his professional debut in July 1998, defeating Czech fighter Jan Droben ...
by KO at 2:30 in round 10 of 12. Sosnowski was knocked down by a right hand in the 10th round, prompting referee Jay Nady to immediately wave off the fight. The fight took place at Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen (, , ; wep, Gelsenkiärken) is the 25th most populous city of Germany and the 11th most populous in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia with 262,528 (2016) inhabitants. On the Emscher River (a tributary of the Rhine), it lies ...
, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Klitschko weighed in at , while Sosnowski weighed in at .
This voluntary defense was Klitschko's fourth defense of the WBC heavyweight title. Sosnowski was the No. 11 ranked heavyweight according to the WBC prior to this bout.
On 17 August 2010, it was announced that Klitschko would defend his WBC title against Shannon Briggs on 16 October of that year. Klitschko completely dismantled his challenger with superior hand speed. Briggs struggled to land any meaningful punches, as Klitschko won every round decisively. After a few rounds, Briggs was receiving a vicious and sustained beating which caused him serious facial injuries. Considering the beating he was receiving, there was some suggestion that the referee should have stopped the bout during the last few rounds. Klitschko had retained his belt with official scores of 120–107, 120–107, and 120–105.
During the post-fight interview, the American boxer Briggs said: "I've fought George Foreman, I've fought Lennox Lewis, and Vitali's the best." While Klitschko did not knock down Briggs, the latter collapsed after the fight and was hospitalized with facial fractures and a torn biceps.
Klitschko's next fight was against mandatory challenger Odlanier Solís
Odlanier Solís Fonte (born 5 April 1980) is a Cuban professional boxer. He has challenged once for the WBC heavyweight title in 2011, and is a former top-rated contender in that division. As an amateur heavyweight, Solis was one of the most ...
. The bout
Bout can mean:
People
*Viktor Bout, suspected arms dealer
*Jan Everts Bout, early settler to New Netherland
*Marcel Bout
Musical instruments
* The outward-facing round parts of the body shape of violins, guitars, and other stringed instrumen ...
was tentatively scheduled for March 2011. On 11 January, it was officially confirmed that the fight between Klitschko and Solís was going to take place in Cologne, Germany on 19 March 2011. The fight lasted less than one whole round, as a right hand to Solís's temple wobbled Solís, who then twisted his knee. Klitschko won by KO. Klitschko reportedly earned $15 million for the bout.
Klitschko vs. Adamek, Chisora, Charr
Now aged 40, Klitschko retained his WBC heavyweight title against Tomasz Adamek on 10 September 2011 in Poland, winning by TKO in the 10th round, in the first ever PPV fight inPolish TV
Telewizja Polska S.A. (; "Polish Television"; TVP), also known in English as the public Polish Television is a Polish state media corporation. It is the largest Polish television network, although viewership has been declining in the 2010s.
Since ...
history. The referee stopped the bout after Adamek received punishing blows and was ruled out, as he was no longer able to defend himself.
After turning 41 on 19 July 2012, Klitschko became one of the oldest heavyweight champions in history. Despite having a four-year hiatus from the sport, Klitschko has proven to be a remarkably effective and dominant heavyweight champion once again. Alongside his brother Wladimir, he also fights on for their shared ambition of holding all four heavyweight titles together, an ambition that was realised on 2 July 2011 when brother Wladimir defeated David Haye to win the WBA heavyweight title.
In January 2012, he was awarded WBC Fighter of the Year for 2011. Klitschko was in negotiations for a possible bout with former WBA heavyweight title holder David Haye on 3 March 2012.
After Wladimir Klitschko had to cancel his fight with Jean-Marc Mormeck, it was thought that Vitali was likely to fight on 25 February 2012. Sources in Germany reported that he was likely to fight British contender Derek Chisora on 18 February 2012 in Olympiahalle, Munich, Bavaria.
It was confirmed on 12 December 2011 that Derek Chisora would be Klitschko's next opponent. Klitschko retained his WBC title unanimously in a dominant display in Munich. The fight was fought against a backdrop of antagonism displayed by Chisora at the weigh in. Chisora slapped Klitschko across the face causing a red mark to be left. The next day Chisora spat water over the face of Vitali's brother Wladimir.
Vitali won the majority of the rounds boxing a disciplined fight with changing angles and superior footwork. Chisora, constantly coming forward delivering punishing body shots, failed to wear down the older man. The scores were: 118–110, 118–110, and 119–111. The next day Klitschko visited a hospital to check his shoulder, claiming he injured it in the fight. A doctor confirmed a ligament tear was suffered in his left shoulder. Klitschko said he "suddenly lost strength in the left hand" and was forced to only use his right. The injury was believed to have happened in the second or third round. Klitschko's trainer, Fritz Sdunek, believes this is the same kind of injury Klitschko suffered in his fight with Byrd.
At the post-fight press conference, a brawl ensued between Haye and Chisora. After the altercation, Chisora challenged Haye to a fight in the ring and said, "I am going to shoot David Haye." Chisora was later arrested at a German airport along with his coach, Don Charles. His comments and actions were later condemned by Frank Warren, his promoter, and Wladimir Klitschko.
On 2 July 2012, it was announced that Vitali will defend his WBC heavyweight title on 8 September at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia. His opponent for the fight was undefeated future WBA heavyweight champion Manuel Charr 21–0 (11 KO). Klitschko won the fight via technical knockout when Charr had to be stopped due to a cut received from Klitschko's punches.
Klitschko was expected to face Bermane Stiverne
Bermane Stiverne (born November 1, 1978) is a Haitian-Canadian professional boxer. He held the WBC heavyweight title from 2014 to 2015. He also challenged twice for world titles in 2017 and 2021.
Amateur career
Stiverne started boxing at the ...
in a mandatory title defense, but was forced to pull out due to injury.
Retirement from boxing
On 15 December 2013, Klitschko stepped back from boxing. He was announced champion emeritus, which means that if he wants to return to boxing, he can fight the WBC heavyweight champion without having any fights beforehand. But (right after his retirement from boxing), Klitschko stated "That is something I currently cannot imagine".Vitali Kleetcho: Heavyweight champion swaps boxing for politics, BBC Sport (67 December 2013) The WBC title was vacated and later contested by Chris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne. Commenting on his decision, he stated "My focus is on politics in Ukraine and I feel the people there need me". He also added, "I thank the WBC and its president José Sulaimán for the support in our battle for democracy and freedom in Ukraine". Since his retirement, he has maintained a low key level of training and has been in his brother's corner for most fights, most famously when he had an altercation with
Anthony Joshua
Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua (born 15 October 1989) is an English professional boxer. He is a two-time former unified world heavyweight champion, having held the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titles twice between 2016 and 2021. At r ...
after Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko
Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko was a professional boxing match contested between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko. The event took place on 29 April 2017 at Wembley Stadium in London, England, with Joshua's IBF and the vacant WBA (Supe ...
.
Political career
Early years in politics
During the2004 Ukrainian presidential election
Presidential elections were held in Ukraine on 31 October, 21 November and 26 December 2004. The election was the fourth presidential election to take place in Ukraine following independence from the Soviet Union. The last stages of the election ...
and the following Orange Revolution, the Klitschko brothers
Vitali Klitschko (born 19 July 1971) and Wladimir Klitschko (born 25 March 1976), known as the Klitschko Brothers, are Ukrainian former professional boxers. During their peak years between 2004 and 2015, they were considered the dominant world h ...
openly supported the candidacy of Viktor Yushchenko.Short bio, LIGA In 2005, Vitali Klitschko was appointed an adviser to President Yushchenko. In October 2006, he was promoted to full-time adviser. Klitschko began campaigning for Mayor of Kyiv shortly after his retirement in 2005. He lost the 2006 mayoral election to
Leonid Chernovetskyi
Leonid Mykhaylovych Chernovetskyi ( uk, Леонід Михайлович Черновецький; born November 25, 1951 in Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR, USSR) is a former Mayor of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, from 2006 until the summer of 2012. He w ...
but placed second with 26% of the vote, ahead of the incumbent Oleksandr Omelchenko Klitschko campaigned on an anti-corruption platform and lead the bloc
Bloc may refer to:
Government and politics
* Political bloc, a coalition of political parties
* Trade bloc, a type of intergovernmental agreement
* Voting bloc, a group of voters voting together
Other uses
* Bloc (code school), an educational we ...
"Civic party" PORA-ROP (the parties PORA and Reforms and Order Party) in the simultaneously held local elections for the Kyiv City Council.Каськів вирішив, що Кличко одноразовийby Ukrayinska Pravda (17 April 2006) Analysts stated his relatively late entry into the campaign might have cost him votes. Still, Klitschko was elected as a people's deputy to the Kyiv City Council since "Civic party" PORA-ROP won 14 seats in the 2006 election.
In the May 2008 Kyiv local election, he ran again and won 18% of the vote. Klitschko simultaneously led the Vitali Klitschko Bloc The Vitali Klitschko Bloc ( uk, Блок Віталія Кличка, Russian: Блок Виталия Кличко) were two local political coalitions in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv who contended in two local elections there.
History 2006 Kyiv ...
that won 10.61% of the votes and 15 seats and again, he was elected into the Kyiv City Council. His campaign hired Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis Giuliani (, ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 107th Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney General from 1981 to 198 ...
as a consultant for the campaign. In 2008, he was also appointed to the Ukrainian delegation of the Congress of the Council of Europe.
Klitschko became the leader of the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) in April 2010. During the 2010 Ukrainian local elections
The 2010 Ukrainian local elections took place on 31 October 2010,Christian Democratic Union of Germany in November 2011. UDAR is supported by the German government and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and received support in particular from Angela Merkel and also politicians from the conservative 
In October 2011, Klitschko announced that he would run in the 2012 Kyiv mayoral election.
During the
European People's Party
The European People's Party (EPP) is a European political party with Christian-democratic, conservative, and liberal-conservative member parties. A transnational organisation, it is composed of other political parties. Founded by primarily Ch ...
. According to information gained by the German magazine ''Der Spiegel'', the target was to "set up Klitschko purposefully as a new strong man in Kyiv—in order to counter this way the Kremlin's growing influence". Support consisted in logistics, training and joint performances. Assistance was also promised by Christoph Heusgen
Christoph Heusgen (born 17 March 1955 in Düsseldorf-Heerdt) is a Germany diplomat who has served as chairman of the Munich Security Conference since 2022.
Heusgen served as German Ambassador to the United Nations in New York from 2017 to 2021. ...
, Ronald Pofalla and Guido Westerwelle.
In October 2011, Klitschko announced that he would run in the 2012 Kyiv mayoral election.
During the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election
The Ukrainian parliamentary election of 2012 took place on 28 October 2012.Ukrainian parliament; when his party won 40 seats. Klitschko was chosen as the leader of the party's faction in Parliament.
Klitschko announced on 24 October 2013 that he intended to take part in the next Ukrainian presidential election that was then set for 2015.Vitali Klitschko says intends to run for president in Ukraine
,
Parliament passes law that could prevent Klitschko from running for president
,
,
Klitschko's main concern is social standards and the economy of Ukraine.In Pursuit of the Presidency
, The Ukrainian Week (8 July 2013) He believes " the issue of language is not the top priority". Klitschko wants less
, '' Kyiv Post'' (12 October 2011) furthermore (in December 2011) he assert(ed) "every statement of the government" as "a continuation of lies and disinformation."Кличко зрозумів, що Янукович зневажає історію
, Ukrainian Independent Information Agency (30 December 2011) He has also taken part in rallies for former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's release. In December 2011, Klitschko described the judicial system of Ukraine as "complete degradation" and accused it of violating human rights and humiliating its
,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(24 October 2013)Parliament passes law that could prevent Klitschko from running for president
,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(24 October 2013) Experts and lawyers then argued that it was unclear if Klitschko could take part in these elections. Under Ukrainian law, a presidential candidate must have had his residence in Ukraine for the past ten years prior to election day; and Klitschko had lived for many years in Ukraine and Germany, where, according to media reports, he has a residence permit. Opinion polls since early 2011 showed that the predicted percentage of votes that Klitschko would gain in the first round of the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election enlarged from 4.8% in December 2011 to 15.1% in February 2013, and an October 2013 Razumkov Centre poll predicted 19.3%. Klitschko was one of the dominant figures of the Euromaidan
Euromaidan (; uk, Євромайдан, translit=Yevromaidan, lit=Euro Square, ), or the Maidan Uprising, was a wave of Political demonstration, demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on 21 November 2013 with large protes ...
protests. During these protests, he retired from boxing.
Political views (until 2013)
Klitschko is in favor of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union.Klitschko says he responsibly considers possibility of running for president,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(21 August 2013) He sees the European Union as Ukraine's "model for kraine'sfuture political and economic development." He believes former President Viktor Yanukovych and his government were "deliberately destroying the integration (into Europe) prospects of Ukraine" and that Ukrainian politicians have no right to let them "rule after 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
". Klitschko is also in favour of NATO-Ukraine cooperation.
Klitschko's main concern is social standards and the economy of Ukraine.In Pursuit of the Presidency, The Ukrainian Week (8 July 2013) He believes " the issue of language is not the top priority". Klitschko wants less
corruption
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...
and more transparency in Ukrainian politics. He also advocates lower taxes to stimulate the economy. Klitschko did accuse in October 2011 President Yanukovych and the Azarov Government of "doing everything to manipulate the rules to stay in power longer";Klitschko meets with McCain to discuss deterioration of democracy in Ukraine, '' Kyiv Post'' (12 October 2011) furthermore (in December 2011) he assert(ed) "every statement of the government" as "a continuation of lies and disinformation."Кличко зрозумів, що Янукович зневажає історію
, Ukrainian Independent Information Agency (30 December 2011) He has also taken part in rallies for former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's release. In December 2011, Klitschko described the judicial system of Ukraine as "complete degradation" and accused it of violating human rights and humiliating its
prisoners
A prisoner (also known as an inmate or detainee) is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement, captivity, or forcible restraint. The term applies particularly to serving a prison sentence in a prison.
...
. According to him, Ukraine lacks independent and unbiased judges because the "Ukrainian judiciary is currently a closed system with lifelong judges and appointments made through administrative leverage". He wants to ensure the independence of judges by switching from a system of appointed judges to a system of elected judges.
In July 2012, Klitschko stated that UDAR will not cooperate with the Party of Regions in the Ukrainian Parliament. In early April 2013 Klitschko called for early presidential
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese fu ...
and parliamentary elections
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
in Ukraine.
Mayor of Kyiv
On 28 February 2014, Klitschko confirmed that he would take part in the (early)2014 Ukrainian presidential election
Snap presidential elections held in Ukraine on 25 May 2014 resulted in Petro Poroshenko being elected President of Ukraine.Mayor of Kyiv in the
2014 Kyiv local election
Local elections in Kyiv for the post of Mayor and members of Kyiv City Council took place on 25 May 2014, as part of the 2014 Ukrainian local elections.Parliament sets elections for Kyiv mayor and Kyiv City Council deputies for May 25
,
, Ukrinform (5 June 2014)
Klitschko was deprived of parliamentary mandate
, NovostiMira (5 June 2014) Poroshenko was elected President of Ukraine on 25 May 2014. In addition to mayoral elections, UDAR participated in the 2014 Kyiv local election. It won 30 seats in the party-list ballot (40.54% of votes) and 42 seats in constituencies, overall gaining 77 seats in the Kyiv City Council out of 120.UDAR has 75% of the constituencies in Kyivrada
'' Ukrayinska Pravda'' (3 June 2014)
60% of the new Kyivrada is filled by UDAR
'' Ukrayinska Pravda'' (4 June 2014)
In the capital, the official election results Kyivrada published
BBC Ukrainian (4 June 2014) This was the last time that half of the Kyiv City Council seats were elected in constituencies. Poroshenko appointed Klitschko as head of
,
Poroshenko orders Klitschko to bring title of best European capital back to Kyiv
,
,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(25 February 2014) In the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election Klitschko endorsed the candidacy of Petro Poroshenko. Klitschko won Kyiv's mayoral elections with almost 57% of the votes in the first round. He was sworn in as mayor on 5 June 2014. The same day the Ukrainian parliament had deprived Klitschko of his MP mandate (Ukrainian MPs are not entitled to combine parliamentary activities with any other public employment).Klitschko becomes Kyiv Mayor officially, Ukrinform (5 June 2014)
Klitschko was deprived of parliamentary mandate
, NovostiMira (5 June 2014) Poroshenko was elected President of Ukraine on 25 May 2014. In addition to mayoral elections, UDAR participated in the 2014 Kyiv local election. It won 30 seats in the party-list ballot (40.54% of votes) and 42 seats in constituencies, overall gaining 77 seats in the Kyiv City Council out of 120.UDAR has 75% of the constituencies in Kyivrada
'' Ukrayinska Pravda'' (3 June 2014)
60% of the new Kyivrada is filled by UDAR
'' Ukrayinska Pravda'' (4 June 2014)
In the capital, the official election results Kyivrada published
BBC Ukrainian (4 June 2014) This was the last time that half of the Kyiv City Council seats were elected in constituencies. Poroshenko appointed Klitschko as head of
Kyiv City State Administration
Kyiv City State Administration ( uk, Київська міська державна адміністрація, translit=Kyivska miska derzhavna administratsiia), is the national-level branch of the Government of Ukraine that administers Kyiv, t ...
on 25 June 2014.Poroshenko appoints Klitschko head of Kyiv city administration – decree,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(25 June 2014)Poroshenko orders Klitschko to bring title of best European capital back to Kyiv
,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(25 June 2014)
Klitschko headed the election list of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc in the late October 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election
Snap elections to the Verkhovna Rada took place on 26 October 2014.
Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, had pressed for early parliamentary elections since his victory in the presidential election in May.Pilots, combat, and journalists. Who goes to the new Verkhovna Rada
,
Klitschko: I lead my team to Parliament
, UDAR official website (14.09.2014)
Deadline for nomination of candidates running in early election to Rada expires
, ITAR-TASS (September 15, 2014) On 21 November 2014 Klitschko gave up his seat in the new parliament.Klitschko gives up seat in parliament
,
, Ukrinform (8 November 2014)
People's Front 0.33% ahead of Poroshenko Bloc with all ballots counted in Ukraine elections – CEC
,
Poroshenko Bloc to get 132 seats in parliament – CEC
,
On 18 May 2019, Klitschko announced that UDAR would take part in the
, Ukrayinska Pravda (May 18, 2019) In the election the party only competed in 15 single-mandate constituencies.Vitali Klitschko: I want to warn the new president from the steps that Yanukovych did in the capital
, Glavcom (22 June 2019) It failed to win any seats.CEC counts 100 percent of vote in Ukraine's parliamentary elections
, Ukrinform (26 July 2019)
Results of the extraordinary elections of the People's Deputies of Ukraine 2019
, Ukrayinska Pravda (21 July 2019) According to the Ukrainian Constitution the head of the Kyiv City State Administration should resign after a new President is elected.City Champion. How Klitschko kept Kyiv
, Ukrayinska Pravda (30 January 2020) However, following the 21 April 2019 election which was won by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Klitschko was not dismissed. A 4 September 2019 decision by the Honcharuk Government to dismiss Klitschko was not executed. In the election for Mayor of Kyiv of the 2020 Kyiv local election, Klitschko was again a candidate, nominated by UDAR. He was also endorsed by Petro Poroshenko's party, now named
, Ukrayinska Pravda (16 September 2020)
"Eurosolidarity" will support Klitschko in the elections in Kyiv
, Ukrayinska Pravda (16 September 2020) He won the election in the first round with 50.52% of the votes, 365,161 people voted for him.Vitali Klitschko wins in first round of Kyiv mayor election
, Ukrinform (6 November 2020) UDAR won 30 Kyiv City Council seats out of 120 in the 2020 Kyiv local election with 19.98% of votes, finishing second behind European Solidarity (20.52% of votes; 31 seats). As of August 2022, Klitschko is the longest-serving Mayor of Kyiv, having served for over eight years, and the only person to have won three Kyiv mayoral elections since Ukraine gained its independence in 1991. Klitschko is a member of the Washington, D.C.-headquartered International Republican Institute's International Advisory Council.
Klitschko's father, Vladimir Rodionovich Klitschko (1947–2011), was a Soviet Air Force major general and a Soviet
, ''
, '' Kyiv Post'' (27 December 2013)Ukraine's point of no return
,
In 1996, Klitschko graduated from the Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky Pedagogical Institute (Ukraine) and was accepted into the postgraduate study program at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. On 29 February 2000, he presented his doctoral thesis on "talent and sponsorship in sports" at the "Kyiv University of Physical Science and Sports" and his PhD in Sports Science was conferred.
In addition to residing in Kyiv, Klitschko has lived for years in Germany. According to Klitschko "Germany adopted me, I really love Germany, but I'm not German".
Both Klitschko and his brother
Real Stories: Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko
at '' Grantland'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Klitschko, Vitali 1971 births Living people AIBA World Boxing Championships medalists Anti-Russification activists Congress of the Council of Europe Doping cases in boxing European Boxing Union champions Governors of Kyiv Heavyweight kickboxers International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees * Kyrgyzstani emigrants to Ukraine Kyrgyzstani people of Russian descent Kyrgyzstani people of Ukrainian descent Laureus World Sports Awards winners Mayors of Kyiv Seventh convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada People from Chüy Region People of the Euromaidan Pro-Ukrainian people of the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine Recipients of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Recipients of the Presidential Order of Excellence Recipients of the title of Hero of Ukraine The Ring (magazine) champions Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform politicians Ukrainian expatriate sportspeople in Germany Ukrainian male boxers Ukrainian male kickboxers Ukrainian people of Russian descent Ukrainian sportspeople in doping cases Ukrainian sportsperson-politicians World Boxing Organization champions World Boxing Council champions World heavyweight boxing champions Recipients of the Honorary Diploma of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine People of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine Ukrainian people of Jewish descent
,
Korrespondent.net
The ''Korrespondent.net'' (russian: Корреспондент.net; uk, Кореспондент.net; literally: ''Correspondent'') is an online newspaper in Ukraine launched in 2000. It is a sister project to the '' Korrespondent'' printed weekl ...
(September 15, 2014)Klitschko: I lead my team to Parliament
, UDAR official website (14.09.2014)
Deadline for nomination of candidates running in early election to Rada expires
, ITAR-TASS (September 15, 2014) On 21 November 2014 Klitschko gave up his seat in the new parliament.Klitschko gives up seat in parliament
,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(21 November 2014) Petro Poroshenko Bloc won the election with 132 seats out of 423 available.Poroshenko Bloc to have greatest number of seats in parliament, Ukrinform (8 November 2014)
People's Front 0.33% ahead of Poroshenko Bloc with all ballots counted in Ukraine elections – CEC
,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(8 November 2014)Poroshenko Bloc to get 132 seats in parliament – CEC
,
Interfax-Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...
(8 November 2014)
On 28 August 2015, UDAR merged into Petro Poroshenko Bloc "Solidarity"
European Solidarity ( uk, Європейська солідарність, Yevropeis'ka solidarnist', YeS) is a political party in Ukraine. It has its roots in a parliamentary group called Solidarity dating from 2000 and has existed since in va ...
. Klitschko became the new party leader. In the 2015 Kyiv mayoral election, Klitschko was reelected with 66.5% of vote. For this, he needed a second round of mayoral elections between him and Boryslav Bereza, after Klitschko scored 40.5% of the vote and Bereza 8.8% in the first round. (Bereza gained 33.51% of the vote in the second round of Mayoral elections.) Petro Poroshenko Bloc gained 52 seats in the Kyiv City Council with 27.56% of votes. On 26 May 2016, Klitschko resigned as Petro Poroshenko Bloc chairman, after a new law barring a head of administration to be chairman or a member of a political party took effect on 1 May.
On 18 May 2019, Klitschko announced that UDAR would take part in the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election
Snap elections to the Ukrainian parliament were held on 21 July 2019. Originally scheduled to be held at the end of October, these elections were brought forward after newly inaugurated President of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dissolv ...
autonomously.Klitschko said that UDAR will go to the polls, Ukrayinska Pravda (May 18, 2019) In the election the party only competed in 15 single-mandate constituencies.Vitali Klitschko: I want to warn the new president from the steps that Yanukovych did in the capital
, Glavcom (22 June 2019) It failed to win any seats.CEC counts 100 percent of vote in Ukraine's parliamentary elections
, Ukrinform (26 July 2019)
Results of the extraordinary elections of the People's Deputies of Ukraine 2019
, Ukrayinska Pravda (21 July 2019) According to the Ukrainian Constitution the head of the Kyiv City State Administration should resign after a new President is elected.City Champion. How Klitschko kept Kyiv
, Ukrayinska Pravda (30 January 2020) However, following the 21 April 2019 election which was won by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Klitschko was not dismissed. A 4 September 2019 decision by the Honcharuk Government to dismiss Klitschko was not executed. In the election for Mayor of Kyiv of the 2020 Kyiv local election, Klitschko was again a candidate, nominated by UDAR. He was also endorsed by Petro Poroshenko's party, now named
European Solidarity
European Solidarity ( uk, Європейська солідарність, Yevropeis'ka solidarnist', YeS) is a political party in Ukraine. It has its roots in a parliamentary group called Solidarity dating from 2000 and has existed since in vario ...
.Klitschko reacted to support from Poroshenko's party: We are not bargaining, Ukrayinska Pravda (16 September 2020)
"Eurosolidarity" will support Klitschko in the elections in Kyiv
, Ukrayinska Pravda (16 September 2020) He won the election in the first round with 50.52% of the votes, 365,161 people voted for him.Vitali Klitschko wins in first round of Kyiv mayor election
, Ukrinform (6 November 2020) UDAR won 30 Kyiv City Council seats out of 120 in the 2020 Kyiv local election with 19.98% of votes, finishing second behind European Solidarity (20.52% of votes; 31 seats). As of August 2022, Klitschko is the longest-serving Mayor of Kyiv, having served for over eight years, and the only person to have won three Kyiv mayoral elections since Ukraine gained its independence in 1991. Klitschko is a member of the Washington, D.C.-headquartered International Republican Institute's International Advisory Council.
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
In February 2022, Klitschko and his brother pledged to take up arms to protect the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, in response toRussia's invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
that began on 24 February. On 25 February, Klitschko posted a video on his Telegram channel to report on casualties in the capital city, stating, "The night was difficult, but there are no Russian troops in the capital. The enemy is trying to break into the city, in particular, from he direction of
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
Hostomel, Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr ( uk, Жито́мир, translit=Zhytomyr ; russian: Жито́мир, Zhitomir ; pl, Żytomierz ; yi, זשיטאָמיר, Zhitomir; german: Schytomyr ) is a city in the north of the western half of Ukraine. It is the Capital city, a ...
." On 11 March Klitschko made a guest appearance on CNN's ''State of the Union
The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of each calendar year on the current conditio ...
''.
On 15 March, Klitschko announced a 36-hour curfew from Tuesday night amid what he called a difficult and dangerous moment, stating, "I ask all Kyivites to get prepared to stay at home for two days, or if the sirens go off, in the shelters," About half of Kyiv's 3.4 million residents had fled, and many of those who remain are spending nights sheltering in underground stations. At the time, the capital was almost encircled by Russian forces. An armistice discussion was scheduled to occur. On 23 March, Klitschko and his brother reported from a bandstand in a park victories around Kyiv: Ukrainian forces had taken back most of Irpin (east of Kyiv), all of Makariv (west of Kyiv) and were battling for the village of Liutizh, 20 miles to the north. By 31 March, Russian forces had withdrawn from Kyiv. The following morning, Klitschko proclaimed a Ukrainian victory.
On 6 May, Klitschko warned on Telegram that there was a high probability of rocket fire across Ukraine in the coming days. There were no plans for a curfew but street patrols would be reinforced. On 23 May, Klitschko and Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba were in Davos
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Bergün/Bravuogn, Klosters-Serneus, Langwies, S-chanf, Susch
, twintowns =
}
Davos (, ; or ; rm, ; archaic it, Tavate) is an Alpine resort town and a municipality in the Prättigau/Davos R ...
, Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
to attend the World Economic Forum annual meeting. Klitschko and his brother spoke at length to an audience the same day. They told delegates to back Ukraine despite the economic pain, and that "we are defending you". They later said in an interview with Sky News
Sky News is a British free-to-air television news channel and organisation. Sky News is distributed via an English-language radio news service, and through online channels. It is owned by Sky Group, a division of Comcast. John Ryley is the hea ...
, that the "biggest mistake" their audience could make was to think that the "Ukraine war doesn't affect everyone."
On 18 June, Klitschko said that Vladimir Putin was destroying millions of lives in both Ukraine and Russia, adding that Russian soldiers are dying for nothing more than Putin's ambitions. At the end of June, the Klitschko brothers attended, along with a large delegation of Ukrainians, the 2022 NATO Madrid summit
The 2022 Madrid summit was a meeting of the heads of state and heads of government of NATO member and partner countries held in Madrid, Spain, on 28–30 June 2022. Spain previously hosted a NATO Summit in 1997.
Background
On 8 October 2021, ...
.
Sporting legacy
Having never been knocked down, Vitali Klitschko is widely regarded as the tougher fighter of the two brothers. His 87% knockout percentage is regarded as one of the best knockout-to-fight ratios of any champion in heavyweight boxing history. Vitali was also known for being unusually dominant in his fights, having almost never lost a round in his professional career as a boxer. During his time as WBC champion, Vitali Klitschko was described as being the best of his time, andGeorge Foreman
George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author. In boxing, he was nicknamed "Big George" and competed between 1967 and 1997. He is a two-time world heavyweight champio ...
stated that he has the best straight left in the division. Both Klitschko brothers are considered the best heavyweight boxers of their era. Having remained undefeated for a large majority of their careers and refusing to fight each other, both brothers remained largely unchallenged throughout their careers. Notably, both brothers were particularly well known for using their large size to nullify other heavyweights. In 2011, Wladimir and Vitali entered the Guinness World Records book as the pair of brothers with most world heavyweight title fight wins (30 at the time; 40 as of 2020).
In Ukraine, boxing fights involving one of the Klitschko brothers regularly attracted between 10 and 20 million viewers; some of their fights generated even bigger viewership numbers. Vitali has been named multiple times among the 100 most influential people in Ukraine by Korrespondent
''Korrespondent'' (russian: links=no, Корреспондент; uk, links=no, Кореспондент; literally: ''Correspondent'') is a weekly printed magazine published in Ukraine in the Russian and Ukrainian languages. It is part of Unite ...
: he was ranked 60th in 2006, 44th in 2010, 41st in 2011, 16th in 2012, 10th in 2013, 23rd in 2017 and 28th in 2019 (the ranking wasn't conducted between 2014 and 2016). In 2008, the brothers were ranked number 15 in Inter's list of the '' 100 Greatest Ukrainians'' following a nation-wide poll that saw around 2.5 million people casting their votes.
The Klitschkos were also considered big stars in Germany. According to DW, a research conducted no later than 2011 showed that nearly 99% of people in Germany recognized the Klitschko brothers; a similar research carried out by TNS for the Horizont Sport Business in 2003 showed that Vitali had been recognized by 90.9% of respondents, making him the sixth most recognized athlete in Germany at the time. The CPI Index conducted by the agency Celebrity Performance in 2012 had the Klitschkos ranked second on the list of the most marketable celebrities in Germany, while in 2014, based on a survey of 1151 respondents that was conducted by the same agency, the Klitschko brothers were ranked 6th among the most significant personalities in the country. At least six of Vitali's fights generated above 10 million average viewers.
Throughout his career, Vitali has defeated 15 boxers for the world heavyweight title, the fifth-most in history (tied with Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis (born 2 September 1965) is a former professional boxer and boxing commentator who competed from 1989 to 2003. He is a three-time world heavyweight champion, a two-time lineal champion, and the last heavyweight to hold ...
), including two – Corrie Sanders and Danny Williams – for '' The Ring'' world heavyweight championship. Klitschko is one of nine boxers to defeat at least ten different fighters for the world heavyweight title. As of August 2022, BoxRec
BoxRec or boxrec.com is a website dedicated to holding updated records of professional and amateur boxers, both male and female. It also maintains a MediaWiki-based encyclopaedia of boxing.
The objective of the site is to document every profess ...
ranks Klitschko as the 16th greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. He is the only heavyweight boxer to have reigned as world champion in three different decades. Klitschko and George Foreman
George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author. In boxing, he was nicknamed "Big George" and competed between 1967 and 1997. He is a two-time world heavyweight champio ...
are the only heavyweight boxers in history to defend a world title after turning 40. According to BoxRec, Vitali has defeated 7 previously undefeated fighters with a combined record 135–0–3 (95 KOs) – these 7 included Alben Belinski (professional record 5–0, 5 KOs coming into the fight), Ed Mahone (21–0–2, 21 KOs), Timo Hoffmann (22–0, 13 KOs), Chris Arreola (27–0, 24 KOs), Kevin Johnson Kevin Johnson may refer to:
Entertainment
*Kevin Johnson (singer) (born 1942), Australian singer
* Kevin Johnson (ventriloquist) (born 1970), ventriloquist on ''America's Got Talent''
* Kevin Royal Johnson (born 1961), American singer-songwriter a ...
(22–0–1, 9 KOs), Odlanier Solis (17–0, 12 KOs) and Manuel Charr (21–0, 11 KOs).
At the end of 2004, Vitali was honoured with the Hero of Ukraine Order of State, the highest Ukrainian honour, for his achievements and contributions to the development of Ukrainian sports. In 2010, Vitali was awarded the German Cross of the Order of Merit, the highest German honour, for his social and political engagement. In 2013, Klitschko was awarded the Georgian Presidential Order of Excellence
The Presidential Order of Excellence is an award given by the President of Georgia to individuals in culture, education, science, art, sport, and other fields, for significant achievements and meritorious service for Georgia.
The award was esta ...
. In 2018, Vitali was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He was elected in his first year of eligibility. Known for charity work and philanthropy, both Vitali and Wladimir are among only 15 current or former alive athletes that have been named UNESCO Champions for Sport.
Personal life
Klitschko's father, Vladimir Rodionovich Klitschko (1947–2011), was a Soviet Air Force major general and a Soviet military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission, often an embassy. This type of attaché post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer, who retains a commission while serving with an embassy. Opport ...
in East Germany. Vladimir's mother was Jewish. Part of Vitali's family died during Holodomor
The Holodomor ( uk, Голодомо́р, Holodomor, ; derived from uk, морити голодом, lit=to kill by starvation, translit=moryty holodom, label=none), also known as the Terror-Famine or the Great Famine, was a man-made famin ...
, while his great-grandfather and family members on the female line of his mother died in the Holocaust.
The Klitschko brothers lived as children in Czechoslovakia from 1980 to 1985, where their father was stationed with the Soviet occupation forces. They attended a school designated for children of Soviet soldiers in the town of Mimoň in Northern Bohemia.
The elder Klitschko was also one of the commanders in charge of cleaning up the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 and was afterward diagnosed with cancer. His mother is Nadezhda Ulyanovna.
Klitschko worked at Kyiv Automation Plant as a toolmaker as a young man.
Mykola Chynchyn, the chairman of the Main Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine during the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, accused Klitschko of working as a debt collector in the 1990s for mafia boss Viktor Rybalko.A Fight without Rules: Boxer Vitali Klitschko Enters Ukraine's Political Arena, ''
Der Spiegel
''Der Spiegel'' (, lit. ''"The Mirror"'') is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. With a weekly circulation of 695,100 copies, it was the largest such publication in Europe in 2011. It was founded in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner ...
'' (29 June 2012) Klitschko has vehemently denied links to Rybalko.Police implicate, link Klitschko brothers, other opposition members to Chornovol beating suspects (UPDATE), '' Kyiv Post'' (27 December 2013)Ukraine's point of no return
,
openDemocracy.net
openDemocracy is an independent media platform and news website based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2001, openDemocracy states that through reporting and analysis of social and political issues, they seek to "challenge power and encourage de ...
(29 December 2013)
Klitschko and Natalia Egorova, a former athlete and model, married on 26 April 1996. They have three children. On 15 August 2022, Vitali announced that he and Natalia were divorcing.
In 1996, Klitschko graduated from the Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky Pedagogical Institute (Ukraine) and was accepted into the postgraduate study program at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. On 29 February 2000, he presented his doctoral thesis on "talent and sponsorship in sports" at the "Kyiv University of Physical Science and Sports" and his PhD in Sports Science was conferred.
In addition to residing in Kyiv, Klitschko has lived for years in Germany. According to Klitschko "Germany adopted me, I really love Germany, but I'm not German".
Both Klitschko and his brother Wladimir Wladimir is a masculine given name. It is an alternative spelling of the name Vladimir.
Notable people with the name include:
* Wladimir Brunet de Presle (1809–1875), French historian
* Wladimir de Schoenefeld (1816–1875), German-French botanis ...
are avid chess players. Vitali is a friend of former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik
Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik (russian: Влади́мир Бори́сович Кра́мник; born 25 June 1975) is a Russian chess grandmaster. He was the Classical World Chess Champion from 2000 to 2006, and the undisputed World Chess Cha ...
and the two have played, with Kramnik always winning. Klitschko has commented that "chess is similar to boxing. You need to develop a strategy, and you need to think two or three steps ahead about what your opponent is doing. You have to be smart. But what's the difference between chess and boxing? In chess, nobody is an expert, but everybody plays. In boxing everybody is an expert, but nobody fights."
Both Klitschko brothers also have been involved in charitable activities dedicated to supporting the needs of schools, churches and children. In 2002, the Klitschko brothers announced that they had agreed to work for UNESCO. Vitali and his brother never fought each other in a professional fight as their mother made them promise to never fight each other.
Klitschko is fluent in four languages: Ukrainian, Russian, English and German.
Awards and honors
* In 2010, Klitschko was awarded the German Cross of the Order of Merit for his social and political engagement *In 2013, Klitschko was awarded the GeorgianPresidential Order of Excellence
The Presidential Order of Excellence is an award given by the President of Georgia to individuals in culture, education, science, art, sport, and other fields, for significant achievements and meritorious service for Georgia.
The award was esta ...
* In 2016, Klitschko was named The Eternal world heavyweight champion by the WBC
WBC may stand for:
Business
*Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, a former large India broadcaster now folded into CBS
*Westpac (New Delhi Exchange code: WBC), a multinational Financial services company
*Wholesale Broadband Connect, BT Wholesale's ...
; the title is awarded to dominant boxers that were undefeated as champions and had plenty of successful title defenses throughout their careers
* In 2022, Klitschko was named an honorary member of the European Committee of the Regions
* In 2022, Klitschko was named winner of ESPY's Arthur Ashe Award For Courage
Professional boxing record
Television viewership
International
Germany
Ukraine
Russia
United States
Premium television
Pay-per-view bouts
Poland
Free-to-air television
Pay-per-view bouts
See also
* List of ''The Ring'' world champions * List of world heavyweight boxing champions *List of mayors of Kyiv
The following is a list of mayors of the city of Kyiv, Ukraine. It includes positions equivalent to mayor, such as chairperson of the city council executive committee.
Mayors
Cossack Hetmanate
* Bohdan Somkovych, 1649-1660
* Danilo Polotsky, ...
Notes
References
External links
* *Real Stories: Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko
at '' Grantland'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Klitschko, Vitali 1971 births Living people AIBA World Boxing Championships medalists Anti-Russification activists Congress of the Council of Europe Doping cases in boxing European Boxing Union champions Governors of Kyiv Heavyweight kickboxers International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees * Kyrgyzstani emigrants to Ukraine Kyrgyzstani people of Russian descent Kyrgyzstani people of Ukrainian descent Laureus World Sports Awards winners Mayors of Kyiv Seventh convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada People from Chüy Region People of the Euromaidan Pro-Ukrainian people of the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine Recipients of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Recipients of the Presidential Order of Excellence Recipients of the title of Hero of Ukraine The Ring (magazine) champions Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform politicians Ukrainian expatriate sportspeople in Germany Ukrainian male boxers Ukrainian male kickboxers Ukrainian people of Russian descent Ukrainian sportspeople in doping cases Ukrainian sportsperson-politicians World Boxing Organization champions World Boxing Council champions World heavyweight boxing champions Recipients of the Honorary Diploma of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine People of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine Ukrainian people of Jewish descent