"Wladimir Klitschko Wladimir Wladimirowitsch Klitschko (born 25 March 1976) is a Ukrainian former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2017. He held the world heavyweight championship twice, including the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, ""Ring"" magazine and lineal titles. A strategic and intelligent boxer, Klitschko is considered to be one of the best heavyweight champions of all time. He was known for his exceptional knockout power, using a strong jab, straight right hand and left hook, as well as excellent footwork and mobility, unusual for boxers of his size. As an amateur, Klitschko represented Ukraine at the 1996 Olympics,"
"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 heavyweight champions of their era, and among the most successful champions in boxing history. In the years following the retirement of undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in 2004, the Klitschko brothers would eventually accumulate all four major world heavyweight titles. Known for their exceptionally large physiques and technical boxing styles, they each developed a style that utilized their athleticism and arm"
"world heavyweight champion) dominated heavyweight boxing, a period typically known as the ""Klitschko Era"" of the division. Klitschko was born in Semipalatinsk (now Semey), Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union (now Kazakhstan). His father, Vladimir Rodionovich Klichko (1947–2011), was a Soviet Air Force major general and a military attaché of Ukraine in Germany; he was also one of the commanders in charge of cleaning up the effects of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and was afterward diagnosed with cancer. Wladimir's mother is Nadezhda Ulyanovna. He is the younger brother of former WBC, WBO and Ring magazine heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, the current"
"from the boxing community, commonly being described as ""boring"" or ""robotic"". While initially an exciting fighter, a series of losses led him to hire legendary boxing trainer Emmanuel Steward to cultivate his defensive abilities. At 6′ 6″, and one of the largest heavyweights in the division, Wladimir typically relies on an excellent jab to keep opponents at arms reach, and then clinching opponents once they get too close. This was meant to fatigue opponents before he would knock them out in the later rounds or win on scorecards. Klitschko brothers Vitali Klitschko (born 19 July 1971) and Wladimir Klitschko (born"
"held in the U.S. or in Germany. This sort of dispute would be repeated among other top fighters, as Germany emerged as a top venue for world class boxing. The most famous German-based boxers are the Ukrainian Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali, both of whom held versions of the heavyweight title. The Klitschkos were often depicted as representing a new generation of fighters from ex-Soviet republics, possessing great size, yet considerable skill and stamina, developed by years of amateur experience. Most versions of the heavyweight title were held by fighters from the former Soviet Union. Since the retirement of Lennox"
"Vitali Klitschko Vitali Volodymyrovych Klitschko (; , ; born 19 July 1971) is a Ukrainian politician and former professional boxer. He currently serves as Mayor of Kiev and head of the Kiev City State Administration, 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. 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. As a boxer, Klitschko is a three-time world heavyweight champion, the second longest reigning WBC"
"final. In his autobiography, published in Germany in 2004, the boxer revealed that he tested positive for a banned steroid 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 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. Klitschko began his professional boxing career in 1996, winning his first twenty-four fights by either early knockout or technical knockout. He"
"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. 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"
"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. Klitschko has lived for years in Germany (in addition to residing in Kiev). According to Klitschko ""Germany adopted me, I really love Germany, but I'm not German"". Both Vitali and his brother are avid chess players. Vitali is a friend of former world chess champion Vladimir"
"Foreman are the only heavyweight boxers in history to defend a world title after turning 40. Being the first professional boxing world champion to hold a PhD degree, and in reference to his punching power, Klitschko's nickname was ""Dr. Ironfist"". His younger brother, Wladimir, is a former unified world heavyweight champion. From 2006 until 2015, Vitali and Wladimir dominated heavyweight boxing, a period typically known as the ""Klitschko Era"" of the division. Klitschko formally began his political career in 2006 when he placed second in the Kiev mayoral race. In 2010, he founded the party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform"
"all the belts by unanimous decision to Tyson Fury. As of December 2015, they have a combined professional boxing record of 109 wins (94 KO's) and 6 defeats, including 45 world title fights. 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, particularly Wladimir, who became notorious for his use of the jab. Having never been knocked"
"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 Heavyweight title from Herbie Hide 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. By April 2000 Vitali"
"United Kingdom tied USA for most wins in WBO Heavyweight title fights with 8. WBO struggled with receiving credibility at first, but by the beginning of the 2000s, the WBA was giving the same recognition to WBO champions as it did to WBC and IBF champions. WBO, WBC, IBF and WBA are all recognized as major boxing organizations by each other and the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Riddick Bowe remains the only heavyweight boxer to win all four world titles (WBA, WBC and IBF in 1992–93 and WBO in 1995), while Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko are the only brothers"
"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 . Vitali Klitschko Vitali Volodymyrovych Klitschko (; , ; born 19 July 1971) is a Ukrainian politician and former professional boxer. He currently serves as Mayor of Kiev and head of the Kiev City State Administration, 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. He became actively involved in Ukrainian politics in 2005"
"television. Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko are among the two most popular boxers in Germany. German television network RTL has listed the Klitschko brothers as their most important asset next to football. In recent years Germany has become a hub for boxing, the Vegas of Europe, and many international fighters travel to fight out of the country. Henry Maske is a successful recent German box champion. Max Schmeling was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in the late 1930s transcended boxing, and became worldwide social events because of their national associations. He"
"career no matter how harsh the penalties are. Mariusz Wach Mariusz Wach (; (born 14 December 1979) is a Polish professional boxer who competes in the heavyweight division. He is a former WBC International heavyweight champion and is best known for his 2012 world title challenge against Wladimir Klitschko. Mariusz Wach was born 14 December 1979 in Krakow, Poland. He emigrated to North Bergen, New Jersey as an adult. Wach first became acquainted with boxing in 1990, amassing a 90-fight amateur career that saw him represent his native Poland in numerous amateur tournaments. Among his greatest achievements during that period"
"Mariusz Wach Mariusz Wach (; (born 14 December 1979) is a Polish professional boxer who competes in the heavyweight division. He is a former WBC International heavyweight champion and is best known for his 2012 world title challenge against Wladimir Klitschko. Mariusz Wach was born 14 December 1979 in Krakow, Poland. He emigrated to North Bergen, New Jersey as an adult. Wach first became acquainted with boxing in 1990, amassing a 90-fight amateur career that saw him represent his native Poland in numerous amateur tournaments. Among his greatest achievements during that period were winning two gold medals and a bronze"
"Oquendo boxing match in Grozny, Russia on July 6, 2014. Stefan Leko Stefan ""Blitz"" Leko (born June 3, 1974) is a Croatian-German heavyweight kickboxer. He is the current WKA Super-Heavyweight world champion in kickboxing, and former Muay Thai world heavyweight champion and Kickboxing world super-heavyweight champion, WMTA, WKN, IKBO, IKBF and WKA world champion, K-1 European Grand Prix 1998 champion, 1999 K-1 Dream champion and two time K-1 World Grand Prix in Las Vegas tournament champion. He fights out of Team Golden Glory in Breda, Netherlands under Cor Hemmers. Since 2011 Stefan Leko is coached and managed by Tom Trautsch"
"Rostislav Plechko Rostislav Borisovich Plechko (Russian: Ростислав Борисович Плечко; born 5 January 1989) is a Russian professional boxer who currently holds the Russian and WBA Asia heavyweight titles. Rostislav Plechko was born in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. A severe pelvis joint trauma was revealed at birth, and despite doctors recommending an urgent surgery, his parents decided to treat their son themselves, and at the age of six, he began walking without any restrictions. After achieving a sports degree in canoeing, he became the Saint-Petersburg City Canoeing champion making it to the final of Russia State Championship. He quit canoeing at the age"
"December 2013, Klitschko and his fiancée Hayden Panettiere visited the Euromaidan-protests in Kiev. His brother Vitali was one of the leading figures of these protests. He and his fiancée addressed the crowds. Wladimir and his brother Vitali have never fought each other in a professional fight as their mother made them promise to never fight each other. In 2008, after Wladimir's photo session held for ""Vanity Fair"" magazine with Karolína Kurková, she claimed to have had a relationship with the boxer. Klitschko speaks four languages: English, German, Russian and Ukrainian. He was friends with the late German heavyweight legend Max"
"Wladimir Klitschko. On 2 July 2012, it was announced that Vitali Klitschko will defend his WBC Heavyweight title on 8 September at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia. His opponent for the fight was the then 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 Vitali's punches. Klitschko was expected to face Bermane Stiverne in a mandatory title defense, but was forced to pull out due to injury. On 15 December 2013, Vitali Klitschko stepped back from boxing. He"
"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 (Super) and IBO heavyweight titles on the line. Joshua won the match via technical knockout in the 11th round. Klitschko announced his retirement from boxing a few months after the fight. It was announced in August 2016 that Joshua would be making a second defence of his IBF title at the Manchester Arena on 26 November. This"
"the first and only pair of brothers to hold all of the heavyweight titles simultaneously. On 6 October 2011, Klitschko announced his next fight. It was originally to be on 10 December 2011 against the former two time unified World cruiserweight champion, French Jean-Marc Mormeck (36-4, 22 KOs). The fight would have taken place at Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf. It was to be Wladimir's first title defense of the WBA (Super) belt, he won against David Haye. The fight was billed ""Alle Gürtel. Ein Champion."" (All belts. One Champion). However, on 5 December 2011, the fight was cancelled because Wladimir checked"
"history. He also holds the record of having defeated the most boxers with an undefeated record, at 12, and also defeated 12 current or former world champions throughout his career. Klitschko is also a passionate golfer and was seen playing in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland. The tournament was played over three courses in 2008 including St Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns in Fife and Angus. Klitschko was named curator of the Ukrainian pavilion at the 2009 Venice Biennale. As of October 2015, Klitschko was an adjunct professor at Switzerland's University of St. Gallen, where he taught master's students."
"for the heavyweight world title in 106 years. Politics Despite the fact that Klitschko possessed an overwhelming advantage over his challenger, the Ukrainian was quoted as saying the bout was “the most important fight of my career” due to the political backdrop of the encounter from a Ukrainian point of view. Early in 2014 Russia took the Crimea from the Ukraine and consequently, both nations were mobilising for the possibility of war in the short term. Vladmir’s brother Vitali Klitschko was preparing to run for the Ukrainian presidency in looming May elections and the 37-year-old title holder admitted boxing was"
"Brewster, has a shared history with Wladimir Klitschko: Brewster defeated him in 2004, but lost in a 2007 rematch. As an amateur, Byrd represented the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal in the middleweight division. He is also a three-time national amateur champion, winning the light middleweight title in 1989, and the middleweight title in 1991 and 1992. Chris Byrd was the youngest of eight children growing up in Flint, Michigan. He began boxing at age 5, training in his father (Joe Sr.)'s Joe Byrd Boxing Academy. His father continued to train and manage"
"and Azerbaijani boxer Ramal Amanov in the semifinal of a European qualifying tournament. In his Olympic debut he lost to Hu Qing of China, 8:10. At the 2010 European Amateur Boxing Championships at Moscow, Russia he won the bronze medal. In the semifinals he lost to Hrachik Javakhyan from Armenia. Oleksandr Klyuchko Oleksandr Klyuchko (Ukrainian: Олександр Ключко) (born July 11, 1984 in Mykolaiv) is an amateur boxer from Ukraine who won a bronze medal in the lightweight division at the 2006 European Amateur Boxing Championships. He has qualified for the 2008 Olympics. At the European Championships he won against Domenico"
"by stoppage in the 7th round. After a series of injuries, Vitali had a career break of almost four years. In his comeback fight in Berlin on October 11, 2008 he defeated Samuel Peter to regain the title of WBC world heavyweight champion. At that time Wladimir was already world heavyweight champion with the WBO, IBF and IBO. That was the first time in history with two brothers world champions at the same time. On July 2, 2011, Wladimir won the WBA Title, which means that the Klitschko brothers held all of the World Heavyweight Titles simultaneously for 2 years,"
"Stefan Leko Stefan ""Blitz"" Leko (born June 3, 1974) is a Croatian-German heavyweight kickboxer. He is the current WKA Super-Heavyweight world champion in kickboxing, and former Muay Thai world heavyweight champion and Kickboxing world super-heavyweight champion, WMTA, WKN, IKBO, IKBF and WKA world champion, K-1 European Grand Prix 1998 champion, 1999 K-1 Dream champion and two time K-1 World Grand Prix in Las Vegas tournament champion. He fights out of Team Golden Glory in Breda, Netherlands under Cor Hemmers. Since 2011 Stefan Leko is coached and managed by Tom Trautsch and won two Heavyweight World Champion Titles. Stefan Leko began"
"Chris Byrd vs. Wladimir Klitschko Chris Byrd vs. Wladimir Klitschko, billed as Die Rache des Bruders (German for ""Revenge Of The Brother""), was a professional boxing match contested on 14 October 2000 for the WBO Heavyweight Championship. After his shock victory over the undefeated Vitali Klitschko, following Vitali suffering a torn rotator cuff, Chris Byrd agreed to face his number one contender, and Vitali's younger brother Wladimir. Wladimir Klitschko had won ten fights in a row following his first pro loss at the hands of journeyman Ross Puritty in December 1998. Klitschko knocked Byrd down in round nine and again"
"was reelected as mayor on 15 November 2015. Originally, Klitschko was an amateur kickboxer with a record of 34–2 with 22 knockouts. Amateur boxing record: 195 wins, 15 losses. kickboxing record: 34–2 with 22 knockouts. He was a kickboxing world champion six times (four in professionals and two in amateurs). In 1996, he turned boxing professional. As an amateur, Klitschko won the super-heavyweight championship at the first World Military Games 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"
"peak of second best on ""The Ring""s pound for pound list. BoxRec currently ranks him as the 20th best boxer of all time and the greatest European boxer of all time, pound for pound. Until his loss to Tyson Fury in 2015, Klitschko was also recognized as lineal champion by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, while the WBA recognised him as one of its ""Super champions"", a distinction given to boxers who hold that title in addition to those by other sanctioning bodies in the same division. From 2006 to 2015, Wladimir and his older brother Vitali (himself a former"
"push down Ibragimov's glove with his left hand so he could not throw a punch. Though Klitschko won every single round, the crowd in New York City began booing after the second round. The boos and jeers increased as the fight progressed in the same fashion. Ibragimov's corner was almost silent from the sixth round onwards, unable to give their man any meaningful advice. Klitschko did not fight again in the United States until 2015 where he defeated Bryant Jennings. On 12 July 2008, at the Color Line Arena in Hamburg, Klitschko faced mandatory challenger Tony Thompson, in a good"