From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wladimir Klitschko Statistics Real name Vlodymyr Vlodymyrovych Klychko Nickname(s) Dr. Steelhammer Rated at Heavyweight Height 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)[1][2] Reach 200 cm (78.7 in) Nationality  Ukraine Birth date 25 March 1976 (1976-03-25) (age 31) Birth place Solnechnoe, Semipalatinsk,  Kazakh SSR Stance Orthodox Boxing record Total fights 52 Wins 49 Wins by KO 44 Losses 3 Draws 0 No contests 0

Olympic medal record Competitor for  Ukraine Men's boxing Gold 1996 Atlanta Super heavyweight European Amateur Championships Silver Vejle 1996 Super heavyweight

Dr. Wladimir Wladimirowich Klitschko (Ukrainian: Володимир Володимирович Кличко, Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Klychko); born March 25, 1976 in Solnechnoe, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan) is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer, former WBO and the current IBF and IBO World Heavyweight Champion. Though a major celebrity in his former adopted home of Germany, in 2004 he moved with his older brother, former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, to Beverly Hills, California. Their father, Wladimir Rodionovich, was a Soviet Air Force Colonel. Their mother is Nadezhda Ulyanovna. In the summer of 1996 Wladimir graduated from the Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky Pedagogical Institute (Ukraine) and was accepted into the postgraduate study program at Kiev University. On January 18, 2001, in a conference hall of Kyiv University of Physical Science and Sports, Klitschko presented his doctorate dissertation and was given a PhD in Sports Science.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Amateur Highlights 3 Trivia 4 References 5 External links

Now known as "Dr. Steelhammer," Klitschko first achieved world attention at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He defeated Paea Wolfgramm in the finals for the Super-Heavyweight gold medal. Standing 2.05 m (6 ft 8+¹⁄₂ in)^[3] in height, Wladimir is tall, even for a heavyweight, and has a muscular frame, weighing 243 lbs ^[4](110 kg).^[5] He wears European size 48 shoes (US 14, UK 13.5).

Klitschko turned professional with Universum Box-Promotion in Hamburg, Germany under the tutelage of Fritz Sdunek. On October 14, 2000, in Cologne's Kölnarena (Germany), Klitschko won the WBO heavyweight championship from American Chris Byrd (who had won it from Vitali six months earlier). After five successful defenses of the WBO belt, Wladimir suffered an upset loss to South African Corrie Sanders on March 8, 2003, in Hannover, Germany. Wladimir was caught by a left hand in the first round and barely escaped the round. Klitschko was ultimately knocked down four times in total en route to a second round TKO loss.

After two minor bouts in Germany, and also obtaining the services of legendary boxing trainer Emmanuel Steward, Wladimir again fought for the vacated WBO title on April 10, 2004, in Las Vegas against Lamon Brewster. For the first four rounds of the fight Klitschko easily outclassed Brewster, knocking Brewster to the canvas in the fourth round. However things turned around in the fifth when Brewster began landing heavy punches. Near the end of the round, Klitschko was floored by a heavy right hand. Barely beating the count, Klitschko fell to the canvas at the end of the round, after a barrage of punches by Lamon Brewster shook him up.

After defeating American DaVarryl Williamson on October 2, 2004, and the previously undefeated Eliseo Castillo on April 23, 2005, Klitschko faced Nigerian Samuel Peter on September 24, 2005, in Atlantic City, New Jersey in an eliminator match for the IBF and WBO number-one contender ranking. Despite being floored three times during the match, Wladimir went on to win an unanimous decision.

On April 22, 2006, in Mannheim, Germany, Klitschko again defeated Chris Byrd, this time by technical knockout, after a decidedly one-sided contest for the IBF and the previously vacated IBO world heavyweight championships. Referee Wayne Kelly stopped the fight in the seventh round after a punishing knockdown that severely lacerated and bloodied the face of Byrd.

In a decisive victory, Wladimir defeated Calvin Brock by knockout on November 11, 2006, at Madison Square Garden with a right hand in the 7th round. [5]

Wladimir Klitschko defeated mandatory challenger Ray Austin on March 10, 2007, at the SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany by a second-round knockout with four consecutive left hooks to Austin's head. It was Wladimir's second successful defense of the IBF heavyweight title. [6]

Wladimir avenged his loss against Lamon Brewster in a rematch, on July 7, 2007, in Cologne. Klitschko used his jab to control the action from the first bell until Brewster's corner asked the referee to stop the fight at the end of the sixth round. It was later revealed that Klitschko fought most of the fight with a broken middle finger on his left hand.

Klitschko is currently scheduled to fight WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden in New York City on February 23, 2008. The Klitschko-Ibragimov fight will be the first heavyweight unification since Holyfield-Lewis in 1999.

• 1993 won the Junior European Championships as a Heavyweight. Results were:
  • Defeated I. Fakazde (Georgia) RSC-1
  • Defeated Valentin Savescu (Romania) RSC-2
  • Defeated Serguei Lopatinski (Russia) PTS (5-2)
• 1994 2nd place as a Heavyweight at Junior World Championships in Istanbul. Results were:
  • Defeated Konstantin Onofrei (Romania) PTS (14-5)
  • Defeated Rustan Tuzsenchanov (Kazakhstan) PTS (11-9)
  • Defeated Andrei Kambarov (Russia) PTS (8-4)
  • Lost to Michel Lopez (Cuba) PTS (2-7)

• 1995 competed as a Heavyweight at World Championships in Berlin. Results were:
  • Defeated Igor Kschinin (Russia) RSCI-2
  • Defeated Jan Bezvoda (Czech Republic) PTS (2-0)
  • Lost to Luan Krasniqi (Germany) PTS (2-6)
• 1995 won the gold medal at the Military Championships in Ariccia, Italy at Heavyweight. Results were:
  • Defeated Song-Geoi Jang (North Korea) PTS (14-2)
  • Defeated Igor Kshinin (Russia) RSC-2
  • Defeated Sinan Samil Sam (Turkey) PTS (12-2)
  • Defeated Luan Krasniqi (Germany) PTS (13-12)
• 1996 2nd place as a Super Heavyweight at European Championships in Vejle, Denmark. Results were:
  • Defeated Sean Murphy (Ireland) DQ-2
  • Defeated Adaliat Mamedov (Azerbijan) RSC-3
  • Defeated Attila Levin (Sweden) PTS (7-0)
  • Lost to Alexei Lezin (Russia) PTS (1-6)
• 1996 Representing the Ukraine, Klitschko won the the Super Heavyweight gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, United States. Results were:
  • Defeated Lawrence Clay-Bey (United States) PTS (10-8)
  • Defeated Attila Levin (Sweden) RSC-1
  • Defeated Alexei Lezin (Russia) PTS (4-1)
  • Defeated Paea Wolfgramm (Tonga) PTS (7-3)

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• He studied sports science and philosophy and received a doctorate degree in sports science from the University of Kiev in January 2001.
• Klitschko appeared with Lennox Lewis in the motion picture Ocean's Eleven.
• Wladimir is an avid chess player.
• Started and ended the televoting with his brother Vitali Klitschko at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kiev.
• The Klitschko brothers have created their own design collection of men's sports and leather clothes with HUGO BOSS.
• The Klitschko brothers have been involved in charitable activities dedicated to support the needs of schools, churches and children. In 2002, the Klitschko brothers announced that they had agreed to work specifically for the UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) which supports more than 180 projects in 87 countries.

• The Official Site of Klitschko Brothers (German/English/Ukrainian/Russian).
• Wladimir Klitschko Fight-by-Fight Career Record
• Professional boxing record for Wladimir Klitschko from Boxrec

Preceded by Chris Byrd

IBF Heavyweight Champion April 22, 2006 – present

Incumbent