28.10.05 – VITALI KLITSCHKO: Good afternoon everybody, Vitali Klitschko talking from Los Angeles. And I am really happy to talk with everyone and explain, to give an answer for many questions and to, yeah I want to say hello everybody and I am ready to explain how doing with preparation, how I see the fight and yeah to give you answer for a lot of questions.
BERND BOENTE: Lee, and also we would like to have Fritz (sp) say some words, his coach.
LEE SAMUELS: Yes, Fritz?
FRITZ ZDUNEK: Hello everybody, my name is Fritz. I work with Vitali nine years together. My English is not so good, I only speak German or (inaudible).
BERND BOENTE: And I will translate for Fritz.
FRITZ ZDUNEK: (German)
BERND BOENTE: We had a great preparation for form.
FRITZ ZDUNEK: (German)
BERND BOENTE: We’re working together here since October 1st in Los Angeles.
FRITZ ZDUNEK: (German)
BERND BOENTE: Now we’re in the hard sparring sessions.
FRITZ ZDUNEK: (German)
BERND BOENTE: And Vitali is improving day by day and we prepared 100% come November 12.
FRITZ ZDUNEK: (German)
BERND BOENTE: We rate Hasim Rahman very high.
FRITZ ZDUNEK: (German)
BERND BOENTE: But we have sparring partners which have exactly Hasim Rahman’s style.
FRITZ ZDUNEK: (German)
BERND BOENTE: Vitali has a great stamina and his conditioning is great.
BERND BOENTE: (German)
VITALI KLITSCHKO: And we will stay heavyweight champion of the world, that’s for sure. Thank you.
BOB ARUM: Thank you Fritz and thank you Bernd and Jeanie, why don’t we open up for questions.
OPERATOR: Thank you. At this time I would like to remind everyone if you would like to ask a question press star then the number one on your telephone keypad. We’ll pause for just a moment to compile the Q&A roster.
The first question is coming from Kevin Ioli (sp), please go ahead.
KEVIN IOLI: Hi Vitali, how are you.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Good, I am fine thank you.
KEVIN IOLI: My question is now that you have been in camp for a while what are the effects of the layoff that you had with the surgery and the time. It’s been eleven months since you’ve been in a ring, what have been the things that you had to overcome from being off for a while?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: The, I think right now it I feel very well. I don’t have a problem anymore. I don’t think about my injury anymore and right now I concentrate and looking forward to the fight. You, everybody’s sport injuries and you know, in sports sometimes it happens to the injury and with every sportsman it happens story and my breaks were for long but its not depend on me and depend on this injury and right now I feel great and top form and I’m ready to fight again. Yes of course the break was a little bit long, almost 11 months, but anyway I have my experience. I train all the time and I am ready to show great performance in November 12th.
KEVIN IOLI: Did it affect your timing being off as long as you were?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: You know what, break is not so long break is not good but anyway I feeling good, feeling great and I thinks it will be not big deal (inaudible). I’m really hungry right now about boxing because of the break was so long and I am enjoy every training and I’m, I want as fast as possible to be in the ring.
KEVIN IOLI: And one last question, I know the last time you fought the elections in the Ukraine were going and you were so concerned about that and everything. Now that that’s been resolved how involved are you in the day to day, what’s going on over there and are you happy with the reforms that have been made in the country since the election?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: It’s not sports and political, sports questions, no political questions and I am involved and all process in what happened in Ukraine is, yes of course is interesting me very much what happened right now in the Ukraine and which direction we go and I am really happy the President elections we won the democratic, a democratic, right now we I fight for. I fight for democracy against utter treason and I am really happy we won this election and right now Ukraine developed to democracy ways. The ways not, not sharp it, we can’t to be in from one to another day democracy country but it’s very, very important for our country and for (inaudible) everyday the, our government, our President make more and more movement towards democracy and its long process but we’re very happy with that. Many, many countries I see how many years the United States need to, to work with democracy and to other states work with democracy today and our country, the Ukraine is very young country and that’s why we need a little bit more time. But if I can I help a lot because I have a little bit more experience. I lived a long time in democracy countries in Germany, in United States and I know how work democracy in this countries and I try to bring, be a good example to Ukraine. It’s like, like ambassador because the sport is worldwide, the sport is global and I travel a lot around the world.
KEVIN IOLI: Thank you Vitali, good luck.
BOB ARUM: OK, thank you Kevin.
OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from Dan Raphael with ESPN. Please go ahead.
DAN RAPHAEL, ESPN: Thank you. Hey Vitali, how are you?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Good afternoon, I’m fine.
DAN RAPHAEL: Hey Vitali when you first you fought Lennox Louis and didn’t win the fight, we all know the circumstances there, but then your next two fights again Williams and Corey Sanders, both not that well known in America, both foreign fighters. How important is it for you to be fighting Hasim Rahman who’s American and is a well known name in the division, highly respected and all, being also American and also a former heavyweight champion. How important is that for you to put a big name like that on your record to, you know, to continue to show the boxing public that you are the best of all the heavyweights out there?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: For boxing public it’s not important which nationality do I have, do we have. It’s very important to show a good performance and very interesting fight for all boxing audience. And it is most important point and for me it’s not important against who I fight, against British guy, South African, or from some other countries of the world. It’s very important to show good emotional fight for all boxing audience and the people who buy the tickets. The people who watch TV have to be happy and want to see the fight again. And the most important question and that’s why if I fight against Hasim Rahman, it’s my personal opinion he’s strong, it’s not just my personal opinion, it’s the opinion of all boxing experts. He’s one of the strongest fighters, heavyweight, in the world right now the fight will be very interesting. And for me it’s not important which nationality have Hasim Rahman. In sport it is not important.
DAN RAPHAEL: OK Vitali. One thing, Hasim Rahman has been stopped in previous fights; Lennox Lewis knocked him out in the rematch. He’s been knocked out in other fights. Is there any pressure, do you put any on yourself to not only win the fight but to knock him out and to do it in style?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Its biggest mistake what I can do is if I underestimate Hasim Rahman. He’s strong fighter and you know what it is boxing is heavyweight and who has every single punch can decide result. It can decide the fight and that’s why I prepare for this fight very well and I know Hasim Rahman is big puncher. I know he’s good boxer and I know it will be not so easy and that’s why I prepare for this fight very tough.
DAN RAPHAEL: OK, thank you Vitali, good luck to you.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Thank you.
OPERATOR: Your next question is coming from George Dansna (sp), please go ahead.
GEORGE DANSNA: You are going to be the most fundamental skills that you’ll be using in there during your match against Rahman. For example can we expect more in the maneuverability in the presentation for your boxing more?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: You know what, we prepared, we developed a strategy for this fight in different. We have option A, option B, option C and we developed these strategy for every participation in the ring. I will be great condition for all twelve rounds but I don’t believe the fight will be all 12 rounds. And I, we have a strategy, I don’t want to explain our strategy what I have to, what I want to do in the ring because I want to, I want to present my strategy inside the ring.
GEORGE DANSNA: Very good answer. I wanted to ask you also is there by any chance a rematch (inaudible) in the works should Rahman defeat you coming November 10th?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: It’s, I think I don’t need that.
GEORGE DANSNA: OK, very good. God bless you and good luck.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Thank you, thank you.
OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from Lem Satterfield with Baltimore Sun, please go ahead.
LEM SATTERFIELD: Hi Vitali, how you doing?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Hi, I’m fine thank you.
LEM SATTERFIELD: Good, hey Dan was talking about how you know trying to finish off Rahman and knock him out. And Rahman has made some, like you that it’s not going to go twelve rounds. Is it, does it favor you if Rahman tries to come out and knock you out and go for the KO?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Could you repeat it? Sorry we had a very bad reception here at the moment.
LEM SATTERFIELD: Does, does it favor you if Hasim Rahman tries to come out and go for the knock out rather than boxing you?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Yes of course. If Hasim Rahman tries to use his skills and his strong punch and I know he’s very dangerous but I don’t want to underestimate Hasim Rahman and I want to use experience of Lennox Lewis where we shoot together in Ocean’s Eleven in Las Vegas and a week or ten days before Rahman fight in South Africa and ask Lennox why, what are you doing here, you have to be in South Africa to fight Hasim Rahman. He underestimated Hasim Rahman, he tell me he’s just one or maximum two rounds and yeah, and I was not, I was not surprised that Hasim Rahman knocked Lennox Lewis out because it was Lennox was not 100% concentrate for this fight. And of course Rahman fight. And I know his Hasim is very good fighter, big punch and give all best, giving all his skills to be world champion but I don’t give him this chance.
LEM SATTERFIELD: Also you mentioned Lewis; you have as an advisor you have mentioned to us that Emanuel Steward will be your advisor? How’s that going and are you able to implement any of his instructions in training?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: I went, I work with Fritz Zdunek, he’s my head coach and a trainer of my brother, Emanuel Steward and right now I’m in LA and he’s in our training camp. He work like advisor, he gives advice for me on how better to make analytic with Emanuel and Emanuel has big experience and he prepared Lennox Lewis twice for Rahman fight and it’s my personal opinion it’s very helpful to work with Emanuel in this way.
LEM SATTERFIELD: Fritz, same think I mean, are you guys able to implement some of the suggestions that Emanuel has give to you guys about Rahman?
FRITZ ZDUNEK: (German)
BERND BOENTE: We analyze the fights of Lewis versus Rahman together, first Fritz talking, and him and Steward.
FRITZ ZDUNEK: (German)
BERND BOENTE: Yeah, we both have the same resolve. We saw exactly to analyze those fights and we know what we have to do.
LEM SATTERFIELD: Last question, Vitali said that Lennox underestimated Rahman. Does he buy the notion that maybe Lennox Lewis because he was prepared to fight a different fighter than Vitali, does he buy that maybe Lennox underestimated him too?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: You know what it is a good question, but it is not for me. Good questions for, for Lennox or for you, you are the boxing expert, you writers you understand a lot of boxing and my personal opinion is Lennox Lewis was never so heavy like he is last fight against me and my personal opinion, Lennox was not great condition in this fight. And the doctors stopped the fight and yeah and my personal opinion I am more than sure the doctors stopped the fight and Lennox Lewis don’t have condition for all 12 rounds with this weight. It was above 265 pounds and yeah, we have exactly the same situation as I prepare for another fighter and Lennox Lewis prepared for Gil Jolsen (sp) and just ten days, two weeks before the fight we decide to fight each other then and we have exactly, exactly the same type condition.
LEM SATTERFIELD: Thanks a lot Vitali that wasn’t meant to take anything away from your performance against Lennox. Good luck.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Thank you, thank you very much I appreciate your question.
OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from Robert Morales, please go ahead.
ROBERT MORALES: Hey Vitali, how you doing man.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Good afternoon, I’m doing well.
ROBERT MORALES: Good, listen you know, you’re generally considered the best heavyweight in the world right now. The best of all the champions but the division as a whole is down compared to other eras. What do you think needs to happen for the heavyweight division for it to recapture some of its previous glory?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: You know what it’s, it’s general questions about heavyweights. You know what, I’m just a fighter and I give for my best for every fight and I’m ready to fight everyone. It’s my personal opinion how many, if many fight who be in the future. For example the next Wladimir fight, if Wladimir fight for world title against Chris Byrd or Lamon Brewster, it will be very interesting fight and usually it’s we give. I’m like sportsman give my best show good performance and my brothers and what about another fighter is tough questions and is it. I have many examples is that people seem in the past time people were more stronger than today. It’s always people thinking, think stuff and I’m and my brother give the best to bring in heavyweight division more expect, more attention, more energy and more emotion for all boxing audience. And we give the best and yes of course we try to do with that.
ROBERT MORALES: One last question Vitali, or Vitali. We all know that Hasim Rahman does have the type of punch that can probably knock out any heavyweight out there. Is that your biggest concern how hard he hits?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Hasim Rahman has a lot of good skills and don’t want to explain, I don’t need to explain how many good skills Hasim Rahman has, I prepare for that. And you know what I explain and want to repeat again it’s heavyweight division and every heavyweight have a lot of power to knock somebody out. If you miss the punch and the game is over. Hasim Rahman or somebody else is not important. I have a lot of experience, I have fight against many fighters who’s very strong punchers, Corey Sanders, strong puncher, Lennox Lewis, strong puncher and Danny Williams, big puncher and I have experience with that and I prepare, I prepare for to surprise my opponent always.
ROBERT MORALES: Thank you Vitali, appreciate it.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: If my opponent can use his weapon.
ROBERT MORALES: All right, thank you.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: You’re welcome.
OPERATOR: Thank you, your next question is coming from Lewis Candon (sp). Please go ahead.
LEWIS CANDON: Hello Vitali, how you doing.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Hi, I’m doing fine.
LEWIS CANDON: OK, even though you’re universally recognized as the heavyweight champion of the world, the major obstacle in your path to getting that unification bout is basically Don King. How do you see yourself working around that obstacle to solidify your status as the heavyweight champion?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: I give my best in my fights and right now I have to defend my title against Hasim Rahman and after that yes of course we will be very interesting to see the elimination fight. The world champion against world champion and it will be very interesting cause my brother Wladimir, my brother is going to fight against in match against Lamon Brewster or Byrd and for example if Wladimir fight Byrd it will be very interesting for me to fight Brewster. If Wladimir fight Brewster it will be very interesting to fight against Byrd because it leaves open between me and Byrd and we need, actually boxing audience need very interesting fight, champions against champions. And lets see, let’s see what happens, but anyway I don’t want to think about that right now. It’s for me step by step for me it’s very important. I believe to talk about it without win against Hasim Rahman. And that’s why I’ll be ready to give answer exactly for my next fight and just after Hasim Rahman step by step but I explain my dreams to, to be, to fight in a unification fights against another world champion.
LEWIS CANDON: OK.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: And I will do it exactly the same like Lennox Lewis, keep all belts in my hand or hands of my brothers anyway future for family.
LEWIS CANDON: Yes, Hello? Like keep it in the family, I understand. Of the new talent that is coming up thought, for example Luis the WBA champion is going to be fighting Nicolay Valuev. That’s a new blood that’s coming into the heavyweight division. Do you see any of these new heavyweights that are in an opposing figure for you?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: You know what it’s, I know so many new heavyweight fighter, this new generation growing up and it’s very difficult to say who will be big world champion because everyone have big advantage to be the world champion and in professionals the way to world titles is to very long and lets see who is next couple of years will be the strongest in the world. I know many, many young guys who have big potential to want to use his potential in the future but let’s see, nobody, nobody know, you know, every fight can stop the boys. Its, its very philosophic question but I know many young people who ready to show great performance. In Germany, in Russia, in Ukraine and right now it’s many, many fighters from east try to be world champions, Nicolay Valuev is against, Luis will be fight and let see if have a chance to be world champion.
LEWIS CANDON: It’s funny, one last question. It’s funny that you just finished saying that about Germany and Russia, like these new guys that are coming from Europe. Do you think that, the new tide of heavyweights are going to come more from Europe and kind of leave America in the dark?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: To be honest, to be honest, I know a couple of guys who have really big, big potential and amateur career behind and right now have plans to be professional and reach the goals. Yes of course in United States a lot of new generation too but I know the guys very well and I think if right now boxing is so, especially professional boxing is so popular in East and boys give the best to, to take a chance to fight for world title and to be world champion. And the new generation is very hungry and I don’t want to, its very philosophic questions, nobody know what happens tomorrow but anyway I see how big is potential. Is potential doing more for five or ten years ago but right now it’s starting big way.
LEWIS CANDON: Right, well thank you very much. I wish you the best on your fight, good luck and God bless.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Thank you very much for your question.
LEWIS CANDON: Take care, bye.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Bye.
OPERATOR: OK, your next question is coming from Dave Ginsberg (sp). Please go ahead.
DAVE GINSBERG: Today Rahman said that he expected to really hit you early and that you would not be able to come out for the tenth round. How do you, what do you think of that prediction and what is your prediction for the fight?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: You know what, if I want to give the comment for Rahman inside the ring. And you know what I don’t want to give comment here about it. Let’s see, let’s see and I try to do it exactly the same or (inaudible) as Rahman.
LEE SAMUELS: OK, David another question?
DAVE GINSBERG: No, I’m fine thank you.
LEE SAMUELS: OK, thank you David.
OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from Lem Satterfield. Please go ahead.
LEM SATTERFIELD: Hey Vitali, in other words you’re not going to, you’re not going to talk smack on the conference call right? Is that what you’re saying?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: We have very bad reception here, what was the question?
LEM SATTERFIELD: I was saying he wouldn’t talk smack on the conference call. Rahman was kind of talking smack about how he was going to knock him out he wouldn’t reciprocate; he was going to wait until he gets into the ring.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: He answered that question already right?
LEM SATTERFIELD: Right, right. What, Vitali why do you feel that you should be, well you are recognized universally as the champion. Why do you feel that is just and why not any of the others, Brewster, Byrd or Ruiz?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: It’s not question for me. It’s, I’m, I’m very happy that boxing expert and public and boxing audience expect me like the heavyweight world champion. And Lem it is not for me, it depends on my fight years of course but its decision of boxing.
BOB ARUM: Hello?
LEE SAMUELS: Yes Bob.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: You call me?
BOB ARUM: I’m sorry actually.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: It’s depend on not of me it depend on boxing experts, boxing audience, public who like boxing. And yes of course I give my best in the fights the people decide who.
LEM SATTERFIELD: Right but then we think, Bob can also address that, why is Vitali considered the world champion?
BOB ARUM: Cause he’s the best fighter, heavyweight fighter in the world. I mean that’s why I, Top Rank was motivated to bid on the fight is because it matches the two best heavyweight in the world, the champion, true champion Vitali Klitschko and Hasim Rahman the dangerous challenger. It’s as simple as that. I mean I don’t know anybody out there who has any kind of chance to beat Vitali with the possible exception of Rahman and that’s only because of the fact that he knocked out Lennox Lewis. So I mean as far as I’m concerned that’s how I answer the question.
LEM SATTERFIELD: But what I am trying to do is, you know, a lot of boxers, and I know Vitali’s not prone to doing this, but a lot of boxers will tell you, you know, why they think they’re the best. If he could just step outside of his self and look at himself and give me an appraisal of himself just to say, you know, what he does well, why he, you know, he believes that people believe he’s the best. That’s all I wanted, I want to see if he could give me that assessment.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: I don’t want to, to give me this, I don’t want to praise myself, (inaudible) and the second it will be great I talk about unification fight and this unification fight against another world champion I can show for everyone, I give my best to show I am the strongest in the world.
LEM SATTERFIELD: OK, thanks a lot Vitali, I appreciate it.
LEE SAMUELS: Thank you Lem.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: You’re welcome.
OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from William Trillio (sp). Please go ahead.
WILLIAM TRILLIO: Hello I have a question for all three, Vitali, Bob and Tom. I’ll start with Vitali. Before the, the Monty Barrett fight with Rahman for the unification I know you said that you were hoping that Rahman would win because he had said some things about you that you wanted to prove were wrong. Are you still using Rahman’s disrespect for you as a source of motivation for this fight? Don’t tell me I lost them.
LEE SAMUELS: Vitali?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: One second I, the reception was very bad. It’s a, Hasim Rahman talk a lot and talk if I (inaudible) was suspicious of Hasim Rahman I’d tell the, it as I see them. He’s world champion by talking and he talk a lot. He don’t believe I have an injury, he’s explain for everybody I’m afraid to fight him. He’s almost beat me many, many times and it’s sometimes it’s worth, always it’s worth not correct and he’s starting to explain he beat everyone and I never will fight against him and that’s why I wish him and we can meet each other inside the ring. He wins his Monty Byrd fight and right now I am ready to give him answer inside the ring, for his questions.
WILLIAM TRILLIO: Excellent I’m looking forward to that answer myself. Mr. Arum I just wanted to touch a little bit more on this promotion. And I think you caught some people by surprise when you came in and outbid everybody for this title fight and if you could just expand on why it was so important for you and Top Rank to nail this one down, I’d appreciate it.
BOB ARUM: Well I look at Vitali Klitschko as the true heavyweight champion. I’m not going to screw around like I haven’t done with the heavyweights for years because I came into this business with Mohamed Ali and then I had the privilege of promoting George Foreman and I’m not going to get involved with guys who say their champions because some of these alphabet soup organizations call champions. I look at Vitali Klitschko as a true champion and I look at Rahman as the throw back real good fighter who could have competed when he’s right. When Rahman is right, could have competed with the fighters in Ali’s hey day. And therefore I wanted to do this fight because I think it’s a quality fight and I think from here on in, hopefully whoever wins this fight will fight the best fighters out there and will stop fooling around with nonsense fights. Mandatory stupid fights that organizations fixate that the public doesn’t want to see because boxing depends on the heavyweight division for its popularity. And I think this is an opportunity that the heavyweight division, the heavyweight championship match can be called to the attention of everyone in this country and around the world and I think that’s good for boxing.
WILLIAM TRILLIO: I do too. Last but not least, Tom, Bob just said how important the heavyweight division is and as you know, I don’t have to tell you Italy’s brother just beat Samuel Peters and he fought through K2 promotions. Vitali’s got this fight coming up. So K2 promotions although you’re not promoting this fight in words has a lot to do with this and how much does this actually mean for you and K2 in regards to having the Vitali part of the Top Rank promotion?
TOM LOEFFLER: Well this is a big fight for us. We’re actually the deal that we worked out with Bob is that we’re co-promoting the fight and we’re really excited about working together with Top Rank. But building on what you said about Wladimir’s fight. You know Wladimir has a lot of momentum going for him now with his win over Samuel Peter and that’s tearing into this fight, where Klitschko brothers are back on top of the division. Vitali’s recognized as the best heavyweight in division and Wladimir is now number one contender so it really bodes a lot of momentum for the Klitschko brothers and for K2 promotions and we’re very excited about this fight. Excited about going back to Las Vegas where the title bout fight was. We’re excited about the Wynn Casino hosting this fight and it’s going to be a great show.
WILLIAM TRILLIO: All right I got (inaudible) all three of you guys, I wish you all the best of luck and I really look forward to this promotion and I know it’s going to be outstanding. Have a great day.
BOB ARUM: Thank you.
LEE SAMUELS: Thank you William.
OPERATOR: Thank you. Your next question is coming from Peter Hicks (sp). Please go ahead.
PETER HICKS: Hi Vitali, it is Peter Hicks here from the Mail on Sunday in England. I wanted to ask you a question about your fight with Danny Williams. To ask you what state you thought you left Williams in after the fight. He took a pretty severe beating and there was some people who would thought he would retire after the fight but now he’s due to fight Audley Harrison in what is going to be a big fight here in Britain and I wonder if you could give your opinion on whether he was wise to continue his career and how you think that fight may go?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: It’s a very difficult question for me as I don’t like, I don’t like to give the commentary for another fighter and, and I don’t like to give prediction for the next fight and so just one point and Danny Williams has very strong chin and if it was not so easy for me to knock him out in last fight and he’s, he was very strong opponent and the fight he have big heart coming again and again after knock downs and it will be, if he prove right now on Harrison and to let’s see, lets see. I don’t like to prediction and that’s why I don’t give, I don’t give prediction for the next fight but it’s boxing, it can happen every thing and special Danny Williams have strong punch and big heart, good chin and for Harrison this will be not so easy and I hope this fight will be very interesting for everybody.
PETER HICKS: Do you think Danny Williams will be able to have recovered from the fight that he had a year ago against you or will it have a serious affect, will it be you know one tough fight too far maybe?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: It’s good question for Danny Williams’ coach and I don’t think about that and I’m not ready to give you answer for this question.
PETER HICKS: All right, thanks Vitali.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Thank you.
OPERATOR: This question is coming from Eddie Goldberg, please go ahead.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: Hi it’s Eddie Goldman. Hi Vitali, how you doing this afternoon?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Good afternoon, I’m doing well thank you.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: Great. The question I have is first about Hasim Rahman. In his last several fights over the last several years he’s been very inconsistent. The first fight with Lennox Lewis of course he trained hard and he got a knock out, the second fight he really couldn’t do very much and he just seems to have been up and down. Recently when he fought Kali Meehan he seemed to be sharp that night and the more recent fight he had with Monte Barrett he seemed to be flat. What do you expect Rahman to come in terms of how sharp he’s going to be? Obviously this is a tremendously important fight but how do you prepare for a guy that sometimes he comes in very sharp and sometimes he comes in very flat.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: We study Rahman and we’re aware, I watch many fights of Rahman and, and we do have a strategy and explained we have option A, option B and option C and it’s depend on, all situations depend how good will be Hasim Rahman. We strategy to use Hasim Rahman in this fight and that’s why let’s see, let’s see. I don’t want to make prediction but the strategy almost ready for recitation and very important for me to win this fight and beat Hasim Rahman. I am great condition for all 12 rounds but I’m ready to knock him out in every round if I, if I use his mistake and I, I use his mistake and if Hasim Rahman make mistake I use his mistake and knock him out in every round from first to twelve.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: On the issue of being the world champion, who’s recognized as the world champion? I know the arguments that you’ve made for that and every independent poll that’s taken place puts you as number one in the heavyweight division. The problem is I talk to a lot of fans who maybe used to watch boxing back in the day that Bob Arum was talking about with Mohammed Ali and they’ll ask me, who’s the heavyweight champion of the world today? A lot of the public doesn’t understand it and then you have to start to explain well there’s a WBC and a WBA and an IBF. Do you see that there’s a need for you or perhaps you and your brother to unify the titles so that the no argument, like in other sports like, you have the world cup, or in the United States you have the World Series now. The best play the best and at the end you could say this is the one world champ.
BOB ARUM: OK, listen to me. This is Bob Arum. Before he answers that question, I hope you’ll tune in November 12th and you’ll see who’s the best, best heavyweight is. I mean in the years that Ali was fighting there wasn’t any disgrace to boxing like the IBF and these other organizations that make champions and then through politics make guys have mandatory. When Wladimir Klitschko beat this Williamson and they put Williamson ahead of Wladimir to make Chris Byrd fight Williamson rather than Wladimir because one guy is promoted by Don King and the other guy isn’t. You tell me what credibility these cockamamie titles have. And just watch on November 12th on whether it’s Vitali or Rahman you’ll see the true heavyweight champion of the world. And Lee I think it’s about time to maybe take one more question and let’s wrap it up.
LEE SAMUELS: OK, Eddie, thank you, good questions and reminder Seek and Destroy, Saturday November 12th Top Rank K2 your friends at Cesar’s Palace and Wynn Las Vegas will be live on HBO Pay Per View. We’ll be coming from the Thomas & Mack Center on November 12th. Genie let’s have one more question before we wrap it up for the champ.
OPERATOR: Thank you, your last question is coming from Mr. Mike Houser (sp). Please go ahead.
MIKE HOUSER: Good afternoon Vitali.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Good afternoon.
MIKE HOUSER: Tell me how inspired where you by watching your brother take apart Samuel Peter?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Let me tell you the reception here is very bad right now.
MIKE HOUSER: OK, can you hear me know.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Yeah, can you repeat the question please.
MIKE HOUSER: Yeah sure. I’d like to know how inspired Vitali was by watching his younger brother Wladimir do so well against Samuel Peter.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: It was very important fight for Wladimir and Samuel Peter is a new generation. It was undefeated and first time in my brother career that Wladimir was underdog in his fight and many people drew questions over Wladimir have chin or have good heart and Wladimir show for everybody he can fight and show his skills in this fight and right now he’s official challenger for world title. It makes the next fight will be for world title and it’s very interesting right now who Wladimir fight and I’m more than sure Wladimir will be world champion because I explained many times and want to repeat Wladimir have much more boxing skill than me.
MIKE HOUSER: Final question for you Vitali. Tell me about what kind of legacy you want to leave in boxing and how Rahman fits into all that.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Yes of course its legacy is very, very important for, for everyone. You know what it’s you build your name long time and you can break your name for one second. It’s I give my best, you know what I don’t think right now about that because I don’t think about retirement and it’s very, very philosophic question and – hello?
MIKE HOUSER: Yeah go ahead Vitali.
BOB ARUM: Lee?
VITALI KLITSCHKO: It’s very, very tough questions but I give my best to be, to have a good name and it’s very important for my future this fight, especially this fight against Hasim Rahman, I’m, I have exactly the same opinion like Bob Arum and for example to fight John Ruiz for example, John Ruiz is long time world champion but also big attention for John Ruiz and he loose many times is my opinion his fights but anyways they stay world champion it’s not interesting for example for me to fight against John Ruiz and right now the interest from boxing at public is much more for these special, especially for this fight Klitschko against Hasim Rahman. It’s anyway you have or you don’t have world title if the boxing audience recognize you, if boxing audience, boxing experts and public want to see this fight. This fight is the real heavyweight world champion.
MIKE HOUSER: Thank you for your time.
LEE SAMUELS: Michael, thank you very much. Bob, do you want to say some closing remarks?
BOB ARUM: Well said Vitali, that’s a good way to end this call. I want to remind the media that Vitali’s media day will be in Los Angeles a week from today, where he’ll do a work out for the media that’s present in Los Angeles. I want to thank you all for being on the call and I want to thank the champion. Thank you very much.
VITALI KLITSCHKO: Thank you for everybody and thank you for your questions and sorry for somebody who, if we don’t have chance to give you answer for your questions but anyway I give you right answer for every questions on November 12th inside the ring.