Wladimir Vladimirovich Klitschko (Template:Lang-uk; born 25 March 1976) is a Ukrainianheavyweightboxer. Klitschko currently holds the IBF, WBO, and IBO world heavyweight titles. His elder brother, Vitali Klitschko, is the current WBC and former WBO heavyweight champion. The spelling Wladimir is a German spelling his manager adopted for him early in his career. The Ukrainian spelling of his name is Володимир, romanized as Volodymyr. The Russian spelling is Владимир, which is romanized as Vladimir.
Biography
He was born in Semipalatinsk, Kazakh SSR (now Kazakhstan). Though a major celebrity in his former adopted home of Germany, in 2004 he moved with his older brother Vitali to Beverly Hills. Their father, Vladimir Rodionovich, was a Soviet Air Force Colonel. Their mother is Nadezhda Ulyanovna.
In the summer of 1996 Vladimir finished Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky Pedagogical Institute (Ukraine) and was accepted in the postgraduate study program of the Kyiv University. On 18 January 2001 in a conference hall of Kyiv University of physical science and sports, Vladimir presented his doctorate dissertation and was awarded a Ph.D. in Sports Science. Wladimir Klitschko speaks 5 languages: English, Russian, Ukranian, German, and Yedish.
Boxing career
Amateur career
In 1993, Klitschko won the Junior European Championships as a Heavyweight. In 1994, he received 2nd place at Junior World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. In 1995, he won the gold medal at the Military Championships in Ariccia, Italy, defeating Luan Krasniqi, who he had lost to in the third round of the World Championships in Berlin, Germany earlier that year. In 1996, he caputured 2nd place as a Super Heavyweight at European Championships in Vejle, Denmark.
After two minor bouts in Germany, and also obtaining the services of legendary boxing trainer Emmanuel Steward, Wladimir again fought for the vacated WBO title on 10 April 2004, in Las Vegas against Lamon Brewster. Klitschko sent Brewster to the canvas in the fourth round; however, things turned around in the fifth when Brewster began landing punches. Near the end of the round, Klitschko was floored by a right hand. Barely beating the count, Klitschko fell back to the canvas looking exhausted.
On 22 April 2006, in Mannheim, Germany, Klitschko again defeated Chris Byrd, this time by technical knockout, in a contest for the IBF heavyweight championship. Referee Wayne Kelly stopped the fight in the seventh round after a knockdown. Klitschko then defeated mandatory challenger Ray Austin on 10 March 2007, at the SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany by a second-round knockout with four consecutive left hooks to Austin's head. Wladimir did not use his right hand once during the fight, doing all his work with his left jab and left hook. Wladimir then avenged one of his previous losses as he defeated Lamon Brewster on 7 July 2007, in Cologne. Brewster's corner asked the referee to stop the fight at the end of the sixth round. It was later revealed that Klitschko fought most of the fight with a broken middle finger on his left hand.
Klitschko defeated WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 23 February 2008, to unify the IBF and WBO heavyweight titles. The Klitschko-Ibragimov fight was the first heavyweight unification since Holyfield-Lewis in 1999.
Klitschko was scheduled to defend his titles against Alexander Povetkin[1], but on 25 October, Povetkin withdrew from the fight due to an injury. It has been confirmed that Hasim Rahman is Klitschko´s next opponent.
Other interests
Klitschko appeared with Lennox Lewis in the motion picture Ocean's Eleven. He is an avid chess player, and competes in the growing sport of Chess boxing. He started and ended the televoting with his brother Vitali at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kyiv. The Klitschko brothers have created their own design collection of men's sports and leather clothes with Hugo Boss. They have been involved in charitable activities dedicated to support the needs of schools, churches and children. In 2002, the Klitschko brothers announced that they had agreed to work specifically for UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) which supports more than 180 projects in 87 countries.
He is also a passionate golfer as seen playing in the Links Championship in Scotland. The tournament was played over three courses in 2008 including St Andrews,Carnoustie and Kingsbarns in Fife.
IBF, WBO, IBO heavyweight title. Klitschko was cut by a punch and Thompson by an accidental headbutt in the 2nd round. Klitschko floored Thompson with a right hand in the 11th round and Thompson didn't beat the count.
IBF, WBO, IBO heavyweight title. First heavyweight title unification since Lewis-Holyfield II in 1999. Ibragimov appeared to be knocked down as a Klitschko combo had him held up by only the ropes but referee Wayne Kelly did not rule it a knockdown.
IBF, IBO heavyweight title. Klitschko dominated the fight using his strong left jab, which he followed up with strong rights to the head. Klitschko broke his left middle finger in the first round. Brewster's trainer, James (Buddy) McGirt, asked the referee to stop the fight after the sixth round.
IBF, IBO heavyweight title. Klitschko made quick work of Ray Austin. In round two, Klitschko connected with several consecutive left hooks that sent Austin crashing face first to the canvas. Austin got up at the count of nine, clutching the ropes, but referee Eddie Cotton waved off the fight.
IBF, IBO heavyweight title. Klitschko suffered a cut over the left eye from an unintentional headbutt in the sixth round. Brock was knocked down in the seventh round, and although he barely beat the count, Referee Kelly concluded he was in no condition to continue.
IBF heavyweight title, vacant IBO heavyweight title. Byrd was knocked down by a snappy right of the fifth round. A right hand knocked Byrd down in the seventh and opened up a large cut near the eye that bled heavily. Byrd made the count but referee Kelly stepped in to stop the bout.
Vacant WBO heavyweight title. Brewster down in round 4, Klitschko took a count in round 5. Byrd stops the contest at the end of the 5th. Fight was for the vacant title after the reigning champ, Corrie Sanders, had relinquished the belt in order to fight Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title.
WBO Heavyweight Title. Klitschko down four times, twice in first round, and twice in round two. This fight was named The Ring magazine Upset of the Year for 2003.
WBO Heavyweight Title. Mercer was knocked down in the first round by two left hooks. Mercer suffered a cut over the right eye by a lead hook in the 5th round. Referee Randy Neumann stopped the fight after a barrage of unanswered power punches in the 6th round.
Barrett was knocked down once in the first round, once in the fourth round and three times in the seventh round. Klitschko was wobbled a little bit in the fourth round by Barrett's left hook.
WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title. Bostice was knocked down four times - twice in the first round and twice in the second round. This was Klitschko's first appearance on HBO.
Vacant EBU (European) heavyweight title. WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title. Schulz down twice in the 8th round. Schulz retired for seven years after this bout.
WBC International heavyweight title. Wladimir Klitschko was winning the fight easily but ran out of gas. In round 10 the exhausted Klitschko was knocked down, and in round 11 Puritty kept pounding Klitschko, which caused his trainer Fritz Sdunek to jump into the ring and stop the fight.
Monroe was deducted a point in the 4th round for holding. He was disqualified in the 6th round for a headbutt which cut Klitschko on the left cheekbone.
Ukrainian
