Wladimir Klitschko
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Wladimir Wladimirowich Klitschko | |
 |
|
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Wladimir Wladimirowich Klitschko |
| Nickname | Dr. Steelhammer/ Waldo |
| Weight | Heavyweight |
| Nationality |  Ukrainian |
| Birth date | March 25, 1976 |
| Birth place | Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan |
| Style | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 50 |
| Wins | 47 |
| Wins by KO | 42 |
| Losses | 3 |
| Draws | 0 |
| No contests | 0 |
Dr. Wladimir Wladimirowich Klitschko (Ukrainian: Володимир Володимирович Кличко, Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Klychko); born March 25, 1976 in 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.
[edit] Biography
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 at 6' 6" (1.98 m), Wladimir is large, even for a heavyweight, yet has a lean and muscular frame.
Klitschko turned professional with Universum Box-Promotion in Hamburg, Germany under the tuteledge 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 Corrie Sanders left hand in the first, and barely escaped the round. Wladimir was ultimately knocked down 4 times in total en route to a second round TKO loss.
After two minor bouts in Germany, Wladimir again fought for the vacated WBO Title on April 10, 2004 in Las Vegas. He was defeated by TKO at the end of fifth round by American Lamon Brewster. Klitschko fell to the canvas in exhaustion after the end of the fifth round and remained prone on the floor for several seconds. The fight was stopped by the referree when Klitschko appeared exhausted and non-responsive. Speculative accusations that Klitschko had somehow been drugged were never proven, however after being admitted to a hospital following the bout, low blood sugar levels were reported.
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 at for the IBF and WBO number-one contender ranking. Despite having had 3 knockdowns counted against him 3 times during the match, replays of the knockdowns revealed that the referee was in error, as two of the knockdowns were actually caused by rabbit punches, and revealed Klitschko did not go to the canvas as a result of a legal punch. 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 devastating right-hand in the 7th round. [1]
[edit] Trivia
He studied sports science and philosophy and received a doctorate degree in sports science from the University of Kiev in January 2001.
Klitschko has appeared in a sparring match against Lennox Lewis in the motion picture Ocean's Eleven. A real-world match between them fell through after Wladimir lost to Corrie Sanders.
Vitali and Wladimir are both avid chess players.
Started the televoting at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kiev
| Previous champion Chris Byrd |
WBO World Heavyweight 12th Champion October 14, 2000 - March 8, 2003 |
Next champion Corrie Sanders |
| Previous champion Chris Byrd |
IBF World Heavyweight 18th Champion April 22, 2006 - |
Next champion Incumbent |
| Previous champion Lennox Lewis |
IBO World Heavyweight 8th Champion April 22, 2006 - |
Next champion Incumbent |
