01.04.04 – Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, who can make boxing history by winning their next fights and becoming the first brothers to hold world heavyweight belts simultaneously participated on a national conference call on Wednesday, March 31, 2004. Also featured on the call were the Klitschko brothers’ trainers, Emanuel Steward and Fritz Sdunek, as well as Bernd Bonte of Sportfive. Wladimir will oppose Lamon Brewster for the WBO crown April 10 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, while Vitali takes on Corrie Sanders for the WBC title April 24 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.
Tickets for the April 10 fight card are priced at $600, $400, $200, $100 and $50, and are on sale at the Mandalay Bay Box Office and all TicketMaster outlets. To order tickets by phone, call (702) 632-7580. Tickets, priced at $350, $250, $150, $100, $85 and $50, are available for the April 24 fight card at Ticketmaster’s Charge-By-Phone network (213) 480-3232, at TicketMaster retail ticket center locations, including Wherehouse Records, Robinson’s-May, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations and online at www.ticketmaster.com
Question: Wladimir, Vitali and Emanuel, can each of you provide some opening comments?
Vitali: I am really happy to be fighting again in Los Angeles. Right now, I am really happy I have the chance to fight for the world title. I have three weeks preparation for the fight, and I hope I will give my best performance for this very interesting fight against Corrie Sanders on April 24. I want to give my best to be world champion.
Wladimir: Of course the fight against Lamon Brewster will be a very interesting fight for the audience. Brewster wants to win this title, which is the same wish I have. So, that is why the fight will be very interesting. I believe the performance from both fighters will be very good. Of course, I am looking forward to being in the ring, and will attempt to win the title I lost almost one year ago to Sanders. Right now, I am on the way to getting the title back.
Steward: I have never been in a camp where there is much more diligent and hard training. The training starts sometimes at seven in the morning and does not finish up until seven at night. Both brothers are in very good condition. They are not taking any chances, they are not overconfident by any means and they realize what can happen after what happened last year with Sanders, Lennox Lewis and Hasim Rahman. Even this past Saturday when they watched a heavyweight fight with Dominick Guinn, who I predicted would be the best prospect in the future. They (the Klitschkos) realize upsets can happen, so they are training very hard. They are spending a lot of time not just training, but watching videos, studying, asking questions. They have a tremendous thirst for knowledge. As a result, you are going to see two well-prepared athletes on April 10th and April 24th.
Question: Vitali, some people compare you to fighters from the past that are better known for size than skill. How would you respond to those critics?
Vitali: The size of the fighter is not important because in boxing history, a lot of champions were short, tall, skinny and powerful. They are all different. It is difficult to compare fighters from today and the past because all of them were something special and different. Everyone tries to use his advantage from nature, and this is very important to recognize.
Question: Vitali and Wladimir, people think that you are the best fighters to come around in a long time. Should both of you reach your goals of winning major titles at the same time, what will your goals be then?
Vitali: There is a very good American saying: ‘step-by-step’ guys. First of all, we have to get the titles, and it will be very difficult. We had the titles at different times, but we want to have the titles at the same time. First of all, we are going to have to get these titles. After this step, we can figure out what is next. First of all, we want to talk only about our next fight and nothing else about the future.
Question: Emanuel, I never heard of such a training schedule for any fighter. What have you learned about the Klitschkos after getting to know them up close?
Steward: First of all, they (the Klitschkos) do not train continuously from seven in the morning, but most of the day is training. We do finish up in the gym. The last training is almost two-and-one-half hours. There is a morning training session, then a little break, and then we will train again. In between, we are watching films, exercising. Pretty much the day is occupied with training. As far as their size, I think they (the Klitschkos) are extremely talented for big guys, but this is the new generation. I myself never thought much of a boxer over six-feet, five-inches because I know that was like the boundary, and when you got to six-foot, five inches, that was like the end of your coordination for boxing, which was like Lewis and Bowe. The Klitschkos are the exception in the fact that they are the new generation of big heavyweights who have coordination. If they had been born and raised here in America they probably would have been on a basketball team. But, fortunately for us in boxing, there was not much basketball going on there in Russia and the Ukraine, so they ended up on the national boxing team, and it has benefited boxing. But, they are spending a lot of time in the area of coordination. They are spending a lot of time on movement in order to neutralize the possible disadvantage, but they are totally focused on boxing.
Question: What have you learned about the Klitschkos that you did not know before working with them?
Steward: They (the Klitschkos) are extremely serious about their boxing. Everything is very punctual, on time. They both have a good sense of humor, and Vitali is good at telling us some great jokes. They are exceptionally warm with the media and fans. They are maybe the most accommodating of the modern heavyweights I have known, possibly since Muhammad Ali. I think that is going to be a great asset for them in the future and not just because they are foreigners, but they are extremely warm with people, very intelligent and they understand things a lot better than most people realize. They also both had extensive amateur careers, which is an exception. Most big guys get into boxing because someone says they are big, should just get into boxing to make money, and they start late in many occasions. But, both of these guys have had nearly 200 amateur fights, extensive amateur careers, and, I think that has helped them a lot also.
Question: Emanuel, when you worked with Naseem Hamed and Oscar Suarez the two-trainer system did not work out too well. How is working with Fritz Sdunek different?
Steward: This is very different. I was very apprehensive about it in the beginning, and not too favorable of it because of my past experiences with Suarez. In this case here, it has worked out well because we are working as a team, and not even arguing over who the head trainer is. We are just working as a team together. Sdunek is very proficient in his area, which is a lot of the physical things, the conditioning as well as techniques. I have actually learned a lot of things from him as far as the physical things I had never delved into myself. We are working and doing whatever we have to do together. It is working out very well. We are just concerned with trying to get a victory on the 10th and the 24th. We have much respect for the opponents, but, right now, at this stage we are working very well together.
Question: Fritz, how is it working out with Steward?
Sdunek: There is wonderful cooperation. Everyone brings something to the table. It is fantastic working together.
Steward: It would be very difficult for one trainer to handle two superstar fighters, especially when you are dealing with heavyweight champions of the world. So, it works out fine. It is not like one guy is a champion-quality fighter and the other is just a contender. We have two superstars here. It requires two different people, maybe three or four.
Question: Vitali, why do you think two guys fighting for the heavyweight belt is uncommon?
Vitali: That is a very funny question. I never give thought of what color skin I am fighting.
Steward: In 1996, I was training a boxer named Graciano, and he told me that the next generation of heavyweights would be mainly from Europe and the African countries. It is because we are not producing heavyweights from our amateur programs. It is because fighters are coming from Europe. But, I believe to some extent that if Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko were black, they would still be extremely popular because they are refreshing. They are good fighters, intelligent, very media cooperative, and that is refreshing because we have not had many heavyweights that have come along that have been clean cut and willing to work with the media. We should get used to that because the next generation is coming from Europe and the African countries. America does not produce heavyweight boxers anymore in the amateurs, and that is where the heavyweights come from. The last generation of that was 1988 when you had Lewis, who was from Canada at the time, Bowe and Ray Mercer. Since then, the kids are all going into basketball and football because of the quick money and visibility. Get used to this.
Question: Vitali, how disappointed were you when Lewis retired?
Vitali: I was very disappointed with Lewis’ retirement because he disappointed millions of boxing fans who wanted to see the second fight us. The question is still open about who the winner in the last fight was. Lewis made the decision to retire, and I have to accept his decision. Right now, I have chance to fight for Lewis’ title without him.
Question: Emanuel, what challenges will Sanders bring?
Steward: I was hoping that Lewis would fight the return match regardless because I, just like Vitali, felt he owed it to the boxing world. Regardless of the fact that he has been a good champion, it had been such a great fight. Boxing had been so dead and rewarded Lewis in so many ways. It would have been fair to the public to have the rematch and finish those last six rounds we did not get. He (Lewis) chose not to. Vitali and I have accepted his opinion, but I am very impressed with the class Vitali has shown because he could have easily degraded Lewis publicly and say that he is a coward. Vitali has been a gentleman, has respected Lewis’ opinion and has shown a lot of class.
Question: What do you see in Sanders?
Steward: Sanders is an extremely dangerous fighter, particularly in the first four rounds. He does not come out pacing himself. He does not look to win decisions, which means he is going to be extremely dangerous early in the fight. It could be a very explosive fight because of the emotions that come because Sanders beat Wladimir Klitschko. Naturally, it got to be a little of a family-type situation there. But, I think the first four rounds will be extremely explosive. As it moves on, I do not think Sanders is going to be as dangerous as in the beginning.
Question: Vitali, if you and your brother continue to win but do not fight each other, how will the fans determine who the best heavyweight fighter in the world is?
Vitali: We (Wladimir and I) have a dream to be world champions at the same time. If we are world champions, we will give an answer after that. After that, we have the goal to take the four most important world titles. We have a dream to take all four titles in the Klitschko family. I do not want to talk about that yet though. Let us see how we fight on April 10 and April 24.
Question: Wladimir, what will you have to do to defeat Brewster?
Wladimir: Brewster is a very tough fighter, and he has very good skills. Of course he is looking forward to getting the title I have. I used to fight against guys who are careful fighters, and it is difficult to fight against guys like this. Brewster will come after me right away in the first round. He will go for his chance, but let us see how the cookie crumbles. I do not want to explain a lot about it. I do not want to underestimate Brewster. I have spent the last eight years in professional boxing, and I have learned a lot, positive and negative. The negative side can turn to positive.
Question: How long did it take you to get over the Sanders loss, and what do you tell people who questioned your ability to take a punch after the Sanders fight?
Wladimir: My heart is so hard, so tough. In the heavyweight division, all guys look for a punch or kill, and it does not matter who you are fighting because all fighters are over 200 pounds. They all have great punches. Throwing punches is an art. The heavyweight division is so interesting because one punch can decide it. After the loss to Sanders, I fought twice. Unfortunately, nobody saw these fights in the United States. I am pretty confident.
Question: Vitali, what is it like having Steward in your corner after he trained your rival in the last fight?
Vitali: Everybody works together. We are focused on the next opponent for me and Wladimir. Everybody tries to be the best, to bring Wladimir or me to the world title. It is an important goal.
Question: Emanuel, how does it feel to have spent your time trying to beat Vitali, and now you are working with him?
Steward: I had only 10 days to do that because I was training for someone else, so I only trained for 10 days. I first met Vitali and Wladimir in 1996 when I was in Hamburg, Germany, right when they were coming from the ’96 Olympics in Atlanta. I have been very friendly with them since them, even during all those years with Lewis. If I had not been with Lewis, I would have been working with the Klitschko brothers anyway. We always used to meet and talk about that often I always had a lot of respect for them, and they had respect for me. So, when Lewis retired, it was a normal, natural thing that we got together because we had already had a long relationship with each other. I am a professional. Whomever I am with, I am with. I am working with Vitali 100 percent the same as I worked with Lewis, and it is just a good situation. I hope that Lewis never returns and he enjoys his retirement. The question that many people have on their mind is, if Lewis does return, I would be working with Vitali to defeat Lewis because whomever I am with, I am with. I make my living by producing winners. That is what I do. I am very happy with these two guys (Klitschko brothers). They are very enjoyable to be with.
Question: Emanuel, did Lewis underestimate Vitali?
Steward: I always thought Vitali was a good fighter, but I never though he was as good as he turned out to be. Lewis did prepare for the fight. The last week was a lot of distractions, but he was prepared. With Vitali, I was so amazed by his intensity. When he came into the ring, he was a man who was totally obsessed with winning. Even if his skills had not been as great, it was one of those nights where, unless one of those situations that happened – he was extremely physically damaged – nothing could have stopped him from winning the championship. Vitali was just so much more determined, and all of us in our camp underestimated that.
Question: Wladimir, do you see problems that Brewster brings to the fight?
Wladimir: I have already fought many fighters in my professional career, different fighters with different styles. For me, it is not about surviving like Brewster said. He has to survive in the ring. He is ready to die in the ring. It is not about killing each other. For me, it is important to prove to myself that I belong in the champion’s league. This is a way for me to prove it, and I am really excited about it. I just want to see myself in the ring, and what I do with it. Do I belong in the championship ring or not?