Wladimir Klitschko
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Wladimir Wladimirowitsch Klitschko | |
 |
|
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Klychko |
| Nickname | Dr. Steelhammer |
| Weight | Heavyweight |
| Nationality |  Ukrainian |
| Birth date | March 25, 1976 (age 31) |
| Birth place | Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan |
| Style | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 51 |
| Wins | 48 |
| Wins by KO | 43 |
| Losses | 3 |
| Draws | 0 |
| No contests | 0 |
Dr. Wladimir Wladimirowitsch 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
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 exactly 6' 7"(200 cm) in height, Wladimir is tall, even for a heavyweight, and has a 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, 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 the then-lightly regarded American Lamon Brewster. For the first four rounds of the fight Wladimir 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 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. At the hospital after the fight, 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 for the IBF and WBO number-one contender ranking. Despite being floored three times during the match, Wladimir went on to win a 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 devastating right-hand in the 7th round. [1] After his impressive victories over Byrd and Brock, Wladimir was once again considered one of the finest heavyweight boxers in the world, and the "man to beat" in the division.
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. [2]
[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.
- Wladimir is an avid chess player.
- Started and ended the televoting with his brother Vitali Klitschko at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kiev.
- He is actually known as "Dr. Steel Hammer" and is introduced as "The Steel Hammer, Dr. Wladimir Klitschko"
[edit] External links
- The Official Site of Klitschko Brothers (German/English/Ukrainian/Russian).
- Wladimir Klitschko Fight-by-Fight Career Record
- Boxing Record
| 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 |
