07.04.04 – Their last name begins with ‘K’ and ends with ‘O’ but that only partially describes the incredibly popular, hard-hitting Klitschko Brothers, Vitali and Wladimir. Inside the ring they are a combined 75-4 with 71 KOs and already the winningest sibling’s act in heavyweight boxing history. In a division where the biggest competitors reside, they stand tallest. One is 6-foot-7, the other 6-foot-5.
They are doctors. Both have charming personalities and are polite, disciplined, well mannered and well spoken. They speak four languages “ English, German, Ukrainian and Russian.” One is married, yet they remain the best of buddies, blood brothers to the end. Simply, they are forever in each other’s corner, even for fights. They also possess a healthy rivalry not uncommon for brothers, which serves to encourage the other’s performance. No, they are not twins.
Vitali is 32. He is five years older and two inches taller than Wladimir. Vitali was born in Belovodsk (Kirghizia). Nicknamed “Dr. Iron Fist,” he was the first to get a doctorate’s degree and the first to capture a major championship “ the World Boxing Organization (WBO) title”. He is 33-2 with 32 knockouts, 25 of the stoppages inside three rounds. He rebounded from a controversial sixth-round TKO loss to Lennox Lewis — he was winning on all the scorecards when the bout was stopped — on June 21, 2003, on HBO, to impressively blow away Kirk Johnson in two rounds on Dec. 6, 2003, on HBO in New York. Next up: With Lewis retired, Klitschko will fight Corrie Sanders for the vacant WBC heavyweight title on April 24, 2004, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on HBO.
Wladimir, who was born in Semipalatinsk (Kazakhstan), is also a former WBO champion. The 1996 Olympic Games gold medallist, he is nicknamed “Steelhammer” and is 42-2 with 39 knockouts. Wladimir captured the WBO title by thrashing Chris Byrd, the southpaw boxer who won the crown from Vitali in a bout stopped due to an injury. He made five defenses before falling to Sanders on a shocking second-round TKO on March 8, 2003, in Germany, on HBO. In his two comeback fights, Wladimir demolished Fabio Moli in one round on Aug. 20, 2003, and Danell Nicholson in four rounds on Dec. 20, 2003. Both bouts were in Germany. Next up: A fight against Lamon Brewster for the vacant WBO heavyweight title April 10 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on HBO.
When they were young boys, the brothers spent many years traveling throughout the Soviet Union with their father, Wladimir Rodionovich, an Air Force colonel, and their mother, Nadezhda (Nadia) Ulyanovna, a schoolteacher. They moved to the Ukraine in 1985.
Both showed interest in a variety of sports growing up. Vitali quickly settled on kickboxing and went on to win six kickboxing championships. Wladimir concentrated on boxing. Upon returning home after winning the Olympics gold medal, he was honored by the President of the Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma.
The brothers started boxing in their early teens, Vitali at 13, Wladimir at 14.
“A trainer came to the school and asked who would like to box,” Vitali said. “Everybody wanted to and everybody tried, and everybody went to train. A month later just a few were left and a year later only a couple of us were left. At that point, I had the feeling that I could make something of myself as a boxer. Then, I really started to train.”
Offered Wladimir: “There were various reasons to box, like boredom, the chance to give me the opportunity to travel, but also because my brother was boxing.”
Fritz Sdunek, who is Germany’s leading trainer, knew the brothers had potential.
“From the time they were amateurs, they were very good anatomically because they were big and very good athletically,” he said. “For their size, they were very quick with good reflexes. But they fought in the Russian style so we needed to work on them so that they could fight more professionally.”
Both were prolific amateurs. Vitali went 195-15 with 80 knockouts. Wladimir compiled a record of 134-6 and brought home the Olympic gold. After declining offers from many promoters, they turned professional for the Hamburg-based Universum Box-Promotion group in November 1996. Vitali is trained by Sdunek. Wladimir is trained by Emanuel Steward.
The Klitschkos quickly became household names in the Ukraine, and heroes in Germany. They have represented Ukraine at numerous social and political events.
“Many Europeans associate Ukraine with our pain “ Chernobyl, and with our pride “ the Kiev ‘Dinamo’ soccer team,” Wladimir said. “However, that country is rich in history and culture, talented people and great potential. We would like the world to know our country better.”
The Klitschko Brothers established the “Fund XXI Century.” Its purpose was to support young, talented sportsmen and underprivileged kids.
In mid-2002, the brothers joined the German Commission for UNESCO as spokesmen. They are deeply involved in the project “Education For Children In Need” and travel all over the world raising money for this cause. They have been to Brazil and are scheduled to visit Romania in the near future. For all their hard, dedicated work and commitment, UNESCO has honored the Klitschko Brothers as “Heroes For Kids.”