Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschkois a Ukrainian professional boxer. He is a former world heavyweight champion of four sanctioning bodies, having held the titles of the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO, in addition to holding the lineal championship, and being recognized by The Ring magazine as its world heavyweight champion. A highly strategic boxer, Klitschko is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time, and is also thought to be among the hardest punching knockout artists in the history...
NationalityUkrainian
ProfessionBoxer
Date of Birth25 March 1976
CitySemey, Kazakhstan
CountryUkraine
I've fought everybody without ducking anyone. I have beaten 10 undefeated guys, and I never was comparing myself to the greatest in the sport. I was not thinking of breaking any records. I'm just enjoying my time in boxing.
I think a fight with David Haye, even if he is not American, is going to give positive vibes about the heavyweight division for the American fans and fans worldwide.
I think that there's only one nationality and one language in the sport, and you call it performance.
I think we have tremendous media covering the sport of boxing, even if boxing is a little bit lost in popularity with MMA sports. And I think that with the show 'Lights Out' it's going to get more attention to the sport, and it's going to put more attention to the problems that athletes in general have.
I think that boxing is actually not as dangerous as the politics. In boxing, you're gonna get a bloody nose or a black eye. In politics you can obviously get either dioxin in the food or bullet in the head.
I know he's retired, but I'm a big fan of Shaquille O'Neal, his game and his personality. I have a pair of his shoes in my office. You see the size of his shoe and think, 'This is not real, this couldn't belong to a human being.' But he is human!
It is up to the people and boxing fans to give me the respect I deserve once I have finished my career. I personally do not think about my legacy.
I've been many times to Dubai and the U.A.E., and I have friends that live there. It would be exciting to stage world heavyweight championship fights in the Arab world. It's something Muhammad Ali achieved when he fought in Zaire or the Philippines. It's absolutely exciting to fight in countries where you have never fought.
He's a fighter with a big, big heart. But he provoked me.
From nothing to everything is a long way, ... From everything to nothing is one stop.
I can fight 12 rounds, no problem, as you can see. I enjoyed the fight.
My height is an advantage, if I want to use it. Short guys have short hands and short feet and they come up quick. Taller guys, they use their advantage. Everyone tries to use their advantages. He's going to have trouble with me. I'm going to win the fight.
My grandmother always told me: 'If you're a man, it's enough if you look a little bit better than an ape.'
I have a Ph.D. in philosophy and sports science. At 14, I went through this really tough Soviet training system. A lot of my roommates got psychologically broken or physically injured. Either you came through, or you were out. I made my Ph.D. work in the field of young athletes aged 14-19 because at this age any human is changing.