10.04.04 – CLOSING IN ON HISTORY: In a span of two weeks, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko can realize a lifelong dream. If they win their next fights, Wladimir on April 10, Vitali 14 days later, they will become the first brothers to simultaneously hold a world heavyweight title. Wladimir fights Lamon Brewster (29-2, 26 KOs) for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) belt at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Brewster, of Los Angeles, by way of Indianapolis, is ranked No. 2 by the WBO, one notch lower than Wladimir. The current North American Boxing Organization (NABO) titleholder, Brewster has won straight fights, all by knockout.
Vitali, the World Boxing Council (WBC) No. 1 contender, opposes No. 2 Corrie Sanders (39-2, 29 KOs) for the WBC crown April 24 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. Sanders, of Transvaal, South Africa, will attempt to become the first boxer to defeat both Klitschko brothers. The southpaw knocked out Wladimir, then-defending WBO champion, in the second round on March 8, 2003, in Germany. Sanders, who has since relinquished the title, has won three in a row and 16 out of his 17. Both bouts will be shown on HBO.
DR. VITALI KLITSCHKO (FAST FACTS): 33-2, 32 KOs. 32 years old. The former WBO heavyweight champion was born July 19, 1971, in Belovodsk (Kirghizia), and lives in Los Angeles and Hamburg, Germany. 6-foot-7. 79 inch reach. Trained by longtime coach, Fritz Sdunek. Nicknamed “Dr. Iron Fist.” Has a Ph.D. in sports science from the University of Kiev. Began boxing in 1985 and went 195-15 in the amateurs; he won the Military World Championship in 1995. Became the first heavyweight champion with a Ph.D. when he won the WBO belt with a second-round knockout over Herbie Hide on June 27, 1999 …. On April 1, 2000, Chris Byrd dethroned him when he had to withdraw from a bout he was winning easily because of an injury. He has gone 6-1 since, the loss coming on a hotly disputed, controversial sixth-round TKO to Lennox Lewis on June 21, 2003, at STAPLES. A thrilling fight he was leading, 58-56, on all the scorecards was stopped due to cuts following the sixth round …. Days after the fight, Vitali was a surprise walk-on guest on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” In his last outing, Vitali registered a sensational second-round TKO over Kirk Johnson in a title elimination bout on Dec 6, 2003, in New York on HBO. On Nov. 11, 1999, Vitali’s name was entered into the Guinness Book of Records for becoming the fastest heavyweight to win 26 fights by KO in the least amount of rounds (60).
DR. WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO (FAST FACTS): 42-2, 39 KOs. 28 years old. The former WBO heavyweight champion was born March 25, 1976, in Semipalatinsk (Kazakhstan), and resides in Hamburg, Germany, and Los Angeles. 6-foot-5. 81 inch reach. Making his first start with trainer Emanuel Steward (Sdunek remains in charge of his physical training). Like Vitali, he also has a Ph.D. in sports science from the University of Kiev. Nicknamed “Steelhammer.” Captured WBO title with a decisive 12-round decision over Byrd and made five successful defenses, winning all inside the distance, before a shocking loss to Sanders, which ended a 15-fight winning streak (14 by KO), on March 8, 2003, in Hannover, Germany. In his first comeback fight, he flattened Fabio Moli in the first round on Aug. 30, 2003, in Munich, Germany. Scored a one-sided fourth-round TKO over Dannell Nicholson in his most recent outing on Dec. 20, 2003, in Germany. Favorite beverage is a coconut cocktail. Like Vitali, his boxing idol is Max Schmeling …. Favorite subject in school was Literature …. Favorite television station is the “Discovery Channel.” Went 134-6 in the amateurs and won the 1996 Olympic Games gold medal at super heavyweight. Wladimir, who dabbles in magic, has done levitation tricks on “Best Damn Sports Show Period” and “Jimmy Kimmell Live.”
LOOKING AHEAD: Regarding his April 10 fight against Brewster, Wladimir said: “Lamon Brewster is a very tough opponent with a powerful and quick punch. He is a good athlete and moves well. He has a lot of early knockouts so he will be very dangerous in the early rounds. What also makes him dangerous is his motivation to win in this fight.”
“This is going to be a good fight, and my first with Emanuel Steward. Our relationship has been very good. He is a trainer that knows what he must do to help the fighter. I am confident and will do everything it takes to regain the heavyweight title.”
Vitali, referring to his April 24 fight with Sanders, said, “I want to thank everyone involved for making this fight happen. It is a big thrill for me to fight again in Los Angeles because this is where I live with my wife and children.”
“Everybody knows I wanted to fight a rematch with Lennox Lewis, but Lennox has retired. Many have asked why Lennox waited so long to make an announcement about what he was going to do, but that is a question for him. I am disappointed but I respect his decision.”
“So now I am fighting Corrie Sanders for the vacant WBC heavyweight title. Sanders is a good opponent. I always thought my brother, Wladimir, was the strongest heavyweight in the world, but Corrie beat him. There is no way I will underestimate Sanders and I will not make the same mistakes my brother made against him.”
“I want to beat Sanders very badly because if I win, and if Wladimir wins on April 10, we can make our dream come true and be the first brothers to be heavyweight champions at the same time.”
“I have enormous respect for Sanders, but he says he will retire if he loses this fight. I plan to send him to enjoy his pension.”
MOST OFTEN ASKED QUESTION: “That is easy,” Vitali said. “Will we ever fight each other?” Well? “We love our mother too much to do anything like that. So we would never fight each other. Why break her heart?”
DEGREES: Both bothers have a Ph.D. in sports science and philosophy. “Vitali specializes in analysis of sports talent,” Wladimir said. “He guides young children and matches their natural abilities to the most suitable sport, whether that be boxing, running or swimming. My emphasis is on the educational control of young athletes’ physical development. The most critical age in the development of young athletes is from 14 to 18; that is when they become adolescents. It is quite crucial at that stage to know their special training needs in order to reach their sportive goals and to prevent mistakes.”
MAKING THE GRADE: The brothers speak four languages: Ukrainian, Russian, English and German.
“Our parents always stressed education and told us to broaden our horizons,” Wladimir said. “We were encouraged to read at a young age. It is the educated man who will succeed. Knowledge is everything.”
The younger Klitschko, who wanted to be a doctor very badly, applied to go to medical school when he was 14. Because he was unusually large for his age, the school personnel assumed he was old enough. Upon closer examination of his application, however, they realized he was too young.
“The lady said to me, ˜you are just 14. You cannot get into medical school.” I was very disappointed,” he said. It was always one of my goals to become a doctor.”
Wladimir says becoming WBO champion gave him a platform to stress the value of education. “You just cannot get up in front of people and say, ˜Learn, learn, learn,” he said. “They will look at you funny and wonder about you. You present yourself in a certain way, however, show interest in how things are going on in the world, have a conversation about serious subjects and they will take notice.”
Earning his Ph.D. meant as much to Vitali as winning the WBO title. “The emotions were running through me so fast,” he said. “This was something I wanted to do. It was like winning the championship. You have a goal for a long time, and when you get it, it means so much.”
OH, BABY: On Nov. 23, 2002, three hours before becoming the first boxer to knock out Larry Donald, Vitali was informed that his wife, Natalie, had given birth to the couple’s second child.
“We named her Elizabeth Victoria and she was born in Los Angeles,” the proud papa said after his 10th-round TKO victory. “My wife was not due until the next day at the earliest. When she called me before my fight, she said, ˜OK, we just had a baby.” It is now my wish that you go out and win this fight and to come home with a big victory for our family.”
“I did not think I needed any more incentive than I had, but hearing the news from Natalie, just hearing her voice gave me so much extra motivation. I took the first direct flight out of Germany on Sunday to be with them. We decided on the middle name of Victoria after my victory over Donald.”
The couple’s four-year-old son, Egor-Daniel, also was born in Los Angeles.
AUTHOR AUTHOR: In July 2002, Vitali and Wladimir co-wrote a book, “Fitness Together With Us.” It twice has been on the best-seller list in Germany.
KEEPING UP WITH THE KLITSCHKOS: The hardest working guys in boxing between fights, the brothers are true ambassadors and humanitarians.
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,” whose purpose is to assist school projects aimed at teaching street children.
Vitali and Wladimir travel all over the world reaching out to the needy and poor and raising money for the cause. In December 2002, the Klitschkos visited children in numerous Brazilian slums. This summer, they are scheduled to visit various school projects for street kids in Romania.
For their dedicated work and commitment, UNESCO honored the Klitschko Brothers as “Heroes For Kids.”
Add Honors: In early August 2003, the brothers received the “Sport-Bild Award” from Europe’s biggest sports weekly for their exceptional charity work with UNESCO and other charity projects. The next month, they were recipients of the New York Daily “News Front Page Award.” The Klitschkos were honored for “being a role model for young people and their world-wide humanitarian efforts for UNESCO.”
Oktoberfest 2003: Along with an estimated six million visitors, the brothers spent a weekend in Munich at the world’s largest festival. Their three-day stay, which included a visit to the Oktoberfest, a golf tournament and a gala show, was organized by former German tennis superstar Boris Becker for the world-known Laureus Sports For Good Foundation.
The Klitschkos also took part in a charity supper where they auctioned off two tickets for each of their upcoming fights, as well as a two-hour training session in which they will serve as the instructors.
The bidding for the right to work out with the Klitschkos became one of the most expensive — selling for $25,000.
“The auction brought in around $210,000 that was given to a fund for children with disabilities,” Vitali said. “We are glad to be able to help kids in need. In the near future, we are going to organize a similar event in Kiev and invite famous athletes, artists and politicians to participate.”
WLADIMIR REACHES OUT TO THE WORLD: In late January 2002, Wladimir read his thesis before more than 700 people at the House of German History in Bonn, the former capital of Germany.
“This was very exciting because Germany has been the new home for my brother and me for some time,” he said. “I presented my thesis the first time in February of 2001 in Kiev.”
The well-spoken, charming Klitschko Brothers were named “Ambassadors For Integration” by German President Johannes Rau later in year.
“The focus and the message of what we talked about was integration,” Wladimir said. “It is important that people from other countries learn about Germany “ the history, the language, the way Germans live today. But it is also important that Germans accept people from other countries. It goes both ways.”
“These are the kinds of things I love to do when I am not boxing. Muhammad Ali, who is one of my biggest idols, made quite an impression on the world. I am no Ali — no one is — but I like to think I am a role model who can play a part in perhaps making the world better for some people.”
ENDORSEMENTS/PARTNERSHIPS: The brothers are well known in the United States. However, they remain even more popular and in huge demand in Germany where they have been featured in television commercials for Hugo Boss, Proctor & Gamble, Kellogg’s and Ferrero.
APPEARANCES: Wladimir and Vitali have appeared on numerous television talk and game shows, including Germany’s most popular TV game show, “Wetten dass” three times. On one occasion, the 16 million viewers who regularly tune in to the program saw them square off against the likes of Hall of Fame rock music heavyweights Paul McCartney and Elton John, opera legend Placido Domingo, as well as Destiny’s Child and Robbie Williams.
The Klitschkos surprised the TV viewers with a magic trick in which they made a Coca-Cola bottle fly and then “ poof — disappear.
In December 2001, the Klitschkos participated in ~Future Forum~ in Augsburg, Germany. The event featured speakers such as former President Bill Clinton and Professor Dr. Herman Simon (Harvard University). More than 7,000 of Europe’s most influential and important leaders in various fields attended a conference that focused on world politics, athletics, culture, entertainment, the sciences and economy.
“This was a worthwhile venture and one we were honored to participate in,” Wladimir said. “My brother and I were involved in two of the roundtable discussions on stage. The aim of the convention was to provide help and guidance in giving people a better idea and perspective of what is going on in the world and how to improve it for the future.”
“All of the money from tickets sold to ~Future Forum~ went to German charities,” Vitali added.
ALI’S BIRTHDAY PARTY: Wladimir attended the gala 60th birthday party for Muhammad Ali at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, Calif., the second week of January 2002.
“It was thrilling, exciting and an honor for me,” he said. “My brother, Vitali, and I met Ali the first time after a fight in Las Vegas. We could not believe it when he invited us to his birthday party. To me Muhammad Ali is not only the greatest boxer of all time, in and out of the ring, but one of the greatest people in sports ever. His impact on the world has been enormous.”
Vitali could not make the trip to America.
“I was very disappointed that I could not attend, but I was in the midst of preparing for a fight a few weeks later,” Vitali said. “Ali is my all-time favorite fighter, but I could not take the time off to travel from Germany to the United States and back.”
MAXED OUT: The day the brothers met Schmeling: “An hour spent with Max passed like one second,” Wladimir said. “I was really impressed by his precise mind and energy. I have had many heroes, my brother Vitali and other people from all walks of life. But Max has always been my No. 1 idol. He is 98 now and still very strong. He has a great personality. He was a successful boxer and businessman who received many honors for his humanitarian work.”
REVENGE OF THE BROTHERS: When Vitali took on Ross Puritty on Dec. 8, 2001, in Germany, it had payback written all over it. As if looking to go 3-0 since coming back from shoulder surgery was not significant enough, it gave Vitali an opportunity to exact revenge on the first boxer to defeat his “little” brother. Puritty beat Wladimir on Dec. 5, 1998. Vitali’s 11th-round TKO over Puritty also squared things with Wladimir, who captured the WBO belt by dominating Byrd. Vitali lost to Byrd in a bout April 1, 2000, in which Vitali suffered a torn rotator cuff.
OCEANS ELEVEN: Working Wladimir’s corner for his fight scene with Lennox Lewis was Vitali, which he also does in real life. It was their cinematic debut.
“The fact they were in that movie was great,” said Bernd Boente, the Head of Boxing at Sportfive, the company that represents the Klitschkos in PR and Marketing. “They are superstars in Germany and Europe, but their dream is to become popular in the United States. Being in such a high-profile movie presented an ideal opportunity. They always liked the movie business, but only as fans. Now, they are supporting players.”
WLADIMIR ON RELIGION: Regarding his personal beliefs, he is philosophical and confident. “I believe in God and in myself. During the Soviet era people did not have much chance to practice religion. Life without belief is meaningless. To me it does not matter if you are Buddhist, Jew, Muslim or Christian, or whatever you put your faith in, a man needs to have beliefs, hopes, and dreams. Still, unlike some other boxers, I do not make an issue out of religion nor do I feel the need to preach it, or mention my faith in every sentence. My personal beliefs belong to my inner world.”
SLAM DUNK: On the fact the heavyweight division seems to be getting bigger, Wladimir said, “It looks like a basketball team. A lot of the boxers are very tall. But it is very difficult to be a boxer at 6-6 or 6-7. You have to move good and you have to have good condition. It is not so easy. But everybody gives their best and the competition is fierce. I just want to be the bigger and stronger one.”
BOXER SHORTS: When Wladimir fights in Germany, women have been known to throw their undergarments into the ring. “I have heard this,” he said, “but I have never asked them to do it.”
ADD BOXER SHORTS (Hittin’ On Wladimir): “In Germany, we have two round card girls per fight,” the younger Klitschko recalled. “Before one of my fights, one of the round card girls started talking to me. ˜I love you, I am really a big fan,~ She was a beautiful girl, but a little bit too forward. And then she said, ˜I will give you the keys to my place when I come into the ring between rounds.~ I thought she was joking. But I was scared she would really do it. But I scored a knockout in round one and I never saw her again.”
For more information on the Klitschko Brothers, please go the official Klitschko website WWW.KLITSCHKO.COM