Wladimir Klitschko

Wladimir Klitschko was born March 25, 1976 in Semipalatinsk (Kazakhstan). Father - Vladimir Rodionovich - Colonel Aviation. Mother - Hope Ulyanovna - attendant. Together with his parents and brother Vitali Vladimir traveled much of the Soviet Union. In 1985 they moved to Ukraine.

Children's classes different types of martial arts gradually developed into a serious passion for boxing. In the seventeen years he became the champion of Europe among juniors, . a five time champion of Ukraine in boxing, . I champion World Military Games in the heavyweight category (Italy, . 1995), . silver medalist of European Championship Boxing (1996).,

. Winning the gold medal in the heavyweight category at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Wladimir Klitschko became the first white-heavyweight Olympic champion in 36 years
. In four Olympic fights he won the Lawrence Clay-Bey of the United States, Attila Levin of Sweden, Alexei Lezina from Russia and YAP Volgramma from Tonga. Then amateur career ended with Vladimir, for which he had 140 bouts. In 134 fights he won, 6 lost. Only about half of them won battles were completed ahead of schedule, . and the glory nokautera, . as intimidating martial nickname, . Vladimir appeared only after the transition to the professionals - as once happened to the champion in six different weight classes by the legendary Thomas Hearns, . suddenly discovered their 'shock' after the power is not marked by lots of KO's amateur career.,

. Despite this great achievement, PhD in the field of physical culture and sports, defended his degree from Kiev University in 2001, had not planned to become a boxer
. 'I became interested in the sport in 14 years, but never counted on that'll do some serious success in the amateur or professional boxing, - said Vladimir. - Actually, I would like to become a doctor. I thought that in life I will deal with it medically. Of course, I dreamed about all that laid him - to become an astronaut or a soldier, but a boxer? No, this was not '.

Vladimir professional debut on 16 November 1996, the same day profdebyutom his older brother Vitali. In the German city of Hamburg Vladimir knocked Fabian Mesa in the first round of meetings.

From that date to 2004, Vladimir and Vitali are soldiers of the German promotional company Universum Box-Promotions running Klaus-Peter Kohl.

Sixteen subsequent bouts ended in KO Vladimir in his favor. The exception was a story with Carlos Monroe, the first fight which ended with a disqualification from the American to deliberately hitting his head. About a year later, Vladimir met again with Monroe and won by TKO.

In 1998, Klitschko won the title of interim WBC International, kayo Marcus McIntyre in the second round. The first opponent, who succeeded dostoyat until the end of the fight with Vladimir, was Everett Martin, whom Klitschko won a unanimous decision in eight rounds.

In the next six fights Klitschko wins by KO. Only in a duel with Steve Pannelom, held on 19 September 1998, there has been little trouble - Vladimir was the first of his career down, but in the same round opponent sent to the floor of the ring and finished off in the next round.

Impeccable record Klitschko was spoiled December 5, 1998, when he lost by technical knockout in round 11 American veteran Ross Puritty. This was the first professional performance of Klitschko in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, which is considered the home town of Vladimir. Poor physical training has played a major role in the defeat of Vladimir. Prior to this fight Klitschko never had boxing longer than eight rounds of. Throughout the fight Klitschko dominated Puritty by a wide margin on points, but literally collapsed on the apron of the ring at the end of the battle due to the complete loss of strength. He fell twice in the tenth round (although only one was counted as a knockdown), and a 16-second of the 11 th round of the fight was stopped by his then-coach Fritz Zdunek, ran into the ring and squeezed between Klitschko and his opponent.

'Despite the fact that I lost, this battle has made me stronger - said Klitschko. - I feel like a winner in the sense that I learned a lot. I've been involved in this promotion of a battle in Kiev. I wanted to impress the native audience. But I did not have proper concentration. I am not prepared to fight physically and psychologically, as it should, and as a result simply spent all the forces. I was only only 22 years. I was arrogant and overconfident, and paid a high price. But it was a positive experience. Nobody likes to lose, but this defeat made me a better fighter than before. I felt invincible. I thought that with me nothing can happen. I felt like maybe Lennox Lewis felt before the first fight with Hasim Rahman. But boxers sometimes useful to play. I myself know what it means to be a professional. It must always be hard and difficult to train, which I often did, including before this fight. Therefore, despite the fact that I lost, I won in another. I will do everything to these lesions in my future career was not '.

After the defeat Puritty Vladimir won 16 consecutive bouts, 15 of them - KO.

September 25, 1999 Vladimir defeated Axel Schulz, among the military trophies which were ex-WBA champion James 'Mean Machine' Smith, and recently received recognition by the victory over Mike Tyson Irishman Kevin McBride. Schulz also had a very hard battle with George Foreman, after losing a controversial decision of the majority of judges, and for refusing to give Schulz a rematch Big Joji deprived IBF title. The bout with Wladimir Klitschko became the last in the career of Axel Schulz (in late 2005, Schultz announced his desire to return to the ring), who twice was in a bout and lost by technical knockout in the eighth round.

November 12, 1999 held the first performance of Vladimir in Las Vegas. Rival Klitschko has experienced American Phil Jackson, who met with such renowned fighters as Donovan Ruddock and Chris Byrd, and unsuccessfully tried to challenge the league title at the Lennox Lewis. Vladimir knocked out Jackson in the second round.

4 December of that year he had a defense against the EBU European title Lajos Eros, who also managed to stay only two rounds.

March 18 next year, Vladimir stunned his Olympic rival YAP Volfrgamma (amateur fight ended with a score of 7.3 in favor of Vladimir). In just 90 seconds Vladimir managed to inflict every conceivable attack, and bleeding Volfgramm met through the '10 'on all fours.

April 29, 2000 Vladimir opening for a rematch between Lennox Lewis and Michael Grant in New York. Rival Klitschko was David Bostice. Vladimir sent him four on the floor of the ring, twice in the first round and twice in the second, after which the referee stopped the bout.

July 15, 2000, Vladimir was made in London, kayo American Monte Barrett. Five times Barreto had to get up from the floor until the referee stopped the fight is not in the seventh round.

. In the next match, Vladimir not only won the title of WBO heavyweight champion, but avenged the defeat of his brother Vitali, who was forced to withdraw after nine rounds with Chris Byrd because of shoulder injury
. Byrd have lasted until the final bell, but he had twice visited the floor ring - in the 9 th and 11 th rounds. Wladimir beat Byrd's much easier and more confident than many expected - the final judges read through 120-106, 119-107 and 118-108. Both eyes Byrd was almost closed because of hematoma. In the future, Byrd used this fact for the prosecution of Vladimir in the use of a caustic ointment, which he inflicted on his gloves, which led to the appearance of swelling around the eyes Byrd.

'With Byrd fight was harder than it might seem from the outside - he said later, Vladimir. - I had to control his emotions as he was very quick and slippery. This victory was special because he beat my brother, but I do not feel a personal dislike to Chris. Our fight was called 'Revenge of the brother', but I think it's too pretentious, does not correspond to reality, the name. I find it too brutal. Significance were two aspects: first, it was a title fight, which I always tried. Secondly, Byrd did not really beat my brother, because Vitali had to abandon the fight because of a serious shoulder injury. I believe that the victory over Byrd is proof that my brother - not mollusks Europeans, as we began to talk. I am the world champion heavyweight, and I love my brother '.

. In the first defense of their title, Vladimir had an impressive performance against high enough then quoted nokautera Derrick Jefferson, generating interest in this fight their big promises to destroy Vladimir
. Almost equal to Klitschko in the growth of Jefferson seemed a serious threat to the Ukrainians, but Vladimir just crushed him for two rounds. Klitschko has shown great patience and endure and double sent Jefferson to the ground strokes on the right - in the first and second rounds. After another drop and American broke the referee stopped the fight.

'This victory was very necessary to me, - said Vladimir after fight. - It is a lot of chatter before the fight. Well, the funeral to be delayed! "

Vladimir second time he defended his title by defeating August 4, 2001 in Las Vegas, American Charles Shafforda. This was the second speech of Vladimir in Las Vegas, and this time he arrived in Nevada for two months before the fight in order to acclimatize and get used to the local heat. 'I really like Las Vegas, but the heat is just terrible, - said Vladimir. - I have met here a lot of interesting people. It is a pity that I do not have doctoral degrees in English to communicate freely with them. But I managed. "

Vladimir dominated throughout the fight, which lasted six rounds, and three times sent Shafforda in knockdown. Klitschko chose to act solely on a far distance, which aroused dissatisfaction with the audience demanding more resolute action by both competitors. Already in the second round Shafford missed a forehand, which knocked him off his feet and threw the ropes. Similarly blow Klitschko sent him a second knockdown in the next round. Vladimir not force events until the sixth round, which knocked Shafforda short left hook to the chin.

'This battle was important because it was my league debut in America, - said Vladimir. - I knew that it would look a lot of people. I wanted to win convincingly and make a good impression. I'd really like to show viewers a more interesting battle, but it is difficult to look good against a boxer who puts their own safety above all. So I had to fight with the mind and pick him key. During training, I particularly worked hard left hook that had decided the outcome of the battle. But I knew that would be nice to win easy. I knew that I would have to be patient and wait for the right moment. But overall I was satisfied with his performance '.

On December 1, 2001 was scheduled next defense of Vladimir, which was to be held in New York against the Nigerian David Ayzona. But Vladimir had to give up this fight because of shoulder injury, received during one sparring.

'To say that this upset me - nothing to say - later recalled Vladimir. - I was very glad that a statement in New York that I'll be there to defend his title. At the press conference I said that I will dedicate this fight to all the people who have suffered from a terrorist attack that took place in New York on September 11. Naturally, I was very upset because of the need to abolish. And it happened in a very inconvenient time - just three days I was going to fly to New York '.

Klitschko was injured by a blow on the back of his left shoulder during one of his sparring. "The most annoying that I have nearly completed preparations for battle and spent almost all heavy sparring. I immediately sensed that something was wrong, but continued to box, hoping that the pain go away by itself. But when I realized that I could not penetrate even the jab, I had to stop. Very strange and unexpected injury, because the blow was not even a particularly strong '.

Klitschko has been tested in a hospital in Hamburg, during which it became clear that he had received a strain of muscle tissue in his left shoulder. "Vladimir wanted to get out of this battle, despite the trauma - the doctor said Benkendorf - But this would lead to a complete rupture of muscle. This means that instead of two or three weeks, he would have to recover entire six months'.

Thus, the third defense WBO title held only on 16 March 2002 in the German city of Stuttgart, where Vladimir knocked out former IBF champion Francois Bota. The one-sided bout was stopped in round 8 after a single knock-down, in which Vladimir sent a backhand Bota. Klitschko won every round of this battle, despite the nine-month break.

'It took me a few rounds in order to shake off the stupor associated with a long break, but after I warm up, everything went just fine, - said Vladimir. - By the fifth round, I found my rhythm, became more confident to beat Jeb and I knew that the victory over Botha - a matter of time. In the end, I was even surprised that he managed to hold out for so long. He missed quite a few hard blows. I expected that Botha will try to strike a stray hit, and my expectations were completely justified - it is just this, and counted. Throughout the fight he tried to catch me swinging swing. So I did not want to uselessly risk, especially since I have not come out into the ring and did not know how my body would behave after injury '.

. 'My trainer, Abel Sanchez, said he had never seen me in better shape, and I spent one of his best fights, - said after the fight Botha
. - But Vladimir - great fighter. I wish him to do everything that he had planned. "

June 29 of that year, Wladimir Klitschko became the first boxer, knocked out former WBO champion Ray Mercer. This fight took place in Atlantic-City and broadcast on HBO. Klitschko dominated the tough veteran Mercero from the beginning, sending it into a knockdown in the first round in the same left hook. The one-sided bout was stopped in the sixth round, when Mercer stopped responding to the attacks of Vladimir, has caused 104 power stroke of 167. To date, this statement is considered one of the best in the career of Vladimir and special commendation is deserved American coach Tommy Brooks, who replaced German Fritz Zdunek. Among the beneficiaries Brooks were celebrities such as Evander Holyfield, Mike McCallum, Pernell Whitaker, Hasim Rahman and Mike Tyson. Brooks also developed a winning strategy, Junior Jones, has caused the first defeat of the legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera.

'I got great pleasure from this battle, - said Vladimir. - I've never met with such skillful boxers, as Mercer. I will always treat him with great respect. He is one of the toughest chins in boxing! "

. The next opponent of Vladimir became the American giant Jameel McCline, who was considered one of the few heavyweight able to compete with 'Ukrainian Express', as the two brothers were called in the overseas press
. McCline With victories over Michael Grant, Lance Whitaker and Shannon Briggs, many believed that he would be the most serious obstacle on the way to Vladimir fight with Lennox Lewis. Victory over McCline said Vladimir in the informal title of "heir to the throne ', as even a very small number of specialists brilliant future Klitschko doubt.

. Duel with McCline, passed on December 7 2002, not quite met expectations of fans
. The soldiers carefully worked over 10 rounds. Klitschko was dictating the pace and put into practice a strategy of controlled aggression and pressure, and McCline banal avoided confrontation. At the end of 10 rounds, Vladimir sent a constantly elusive goal in the knock-down, and during the break between rounds McCline refused to continue the fight.

"I'm just afraid of him - confessed a few years McCline. - I thought to myself: My God! It's the same monster, . who smeared Byrd, . Bostice, . Barrett and Mercer! I very much hoped, . that he would become an absolute champion of the world, . and then I would be able to say: what you want from me, . people, . But I lost a champion! ",

. The path to a more prestigious titles and achievements for Vladimir was now open, but with Lewis, had other plans
. In order not to stand for nothing, Vladimir agrees to warm-up fight with former WBO Champion Corrie Sanders of South Africans. It was believed that inveterate golfer Sanders, who noted on the day for 37 days of birth, much more prefer to drive balls on the lawn or shoot antelope hunting on his farm than to jump on the boxing ring with gloves and underpants. As a result Klitschko lightly treated the South Africans, as reflected, inter alia, that the day before the battle in the training of Vladimir somehow entered the race on the sandy jeep 'buggy'.

March 8, 2003 pet of millions of women around the world and the hope of an entire battalion was in a knockout. With some delay turned out that Sanders is the owner of one of the most rapid and severe blows to the heavyweight. It turned out that Sanders is a lefty. The standard approach Klitschko 'jab plus a left hook' proved fatal to Vladimir, unprepared to counter attack the opponent with his left hand. Four times Vladimir turned out on the floor of the ring, twice in the first round and twice in the second, after which the referee stopped the bout. Between jumped in the ring, Vitali Klitschko and Sanders, the winner took a small conflict, but it quickly faded away. Above all, Vladimir lost in this battle WBO title.

'Throughout my more than twelve-year career as a boxer with me does not happen. Even my loss Puritty was something other than losing Corrie Sanders. I started the fight with sufficient reliability and dominated until the moment when he slept blow. And instead of to start boxing, I made a mistake, and that affected the outcome of the fight. I have tried to rehabilitate himself, having played in losing the episode began with chopped Corrie ', - said Vladimir after the battle.

This defeat instantly thrown Vladimir far back in its ambitions for world domination. At the same time began to come talk about the need to change the coach. Experts argued that Fritz Zdunek with its European philosophy of boxing is not suited to Vladimir and could not adequately prepare the Ukrainians to the peculiarities of boxing in America.

To return has been chosen sufficiently strong champion Argentine Fabio Moli, never at that time not been in a knockout. August 30, 2003 Moli was in a knockout in the first round. Many believe that the Argentine simulated knockout, and today the name of Fabio Moli has become almost a household word. In an interview after the fight Wladimir joked: 'Damn it, thanks to me this Moli became a celebrity! "

. December 20, 2003, met with Vladimir technically American Danelli Nicholson who won a few years before that future WBA champion John Ruiz
. Before the battle with Vladimir Nicholson only play strong opponents, among whom were a Pole, Andrew Golota, a New Zealander David Tua, Kirk Johnson, and Canadian. During all four rounds with Vladimir Nicholson behaved like a condemned to death, and was eventually knocked out.

April 10, 2004 Vladimir tried to regain lost his WBO title. He met with American Lamon Brewster, and the events that followed immediately after the battle, became one of the biggest scandals in modern history of professional boxing. It also became the first battle of Vladimir, . conducted under the guidance of the legendary American coach, . member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame Emanuel Steward, . among the beneficiaries of which were champions such as Thomas Hearns, . Ray Leonard, . Lennox Lewis, . Michael Moorer, . Julio Cesar Chavez, . Oscar De La Hoya, . Gerald McClellan, . Wilfred Benitez and others,
.

The first four rounds were held under the dictation of Vladimir. In the fourth round twice Brewster is on the floor, but the referee decided that the first fall was the result of impulse. The American managed to hold out until the gong. In the fifth round, the spectators have witnessed the strange metamorphosis in the state of Vladimir, whose hands were hung with whips, his feet began to totter, and he seemed quite exhausted, just as in the eleventh round of a long-standing battle with Ross Puritty. Brewster pounced on Klitschko with a series of strikes, managed to shake his two left side and clutched at the rope. Referee stopped fight and counted Vladimir standing knockdown, finding that only the ropes Klitschko kept from falling. Coma Vladimir, meanwhile it became increasingly evident. During the remaining few seconds before the gong Brewster tried to finish Klitschko, but never managed to get a clean hit. Nevertheless, while gong Vladimir fell to the floor of the ring, tripped over the leg referee. He could not get up without assistance. Seeing the state of Ukrainian, the referee gave a visual signal the end of the fight between rounds. 'I have never stopped the fights so', - said in a post-match interview struck by Robert Byrd.

Immediately following the events of the battle became the subject of the most heated debate in okolobokserskom world for several years. Emanuel Steward said after the fight: 'It was not that he missed the blow - his body just totally turned off! It started from the second round. This is impossible, because I saw how he trains, and I swear that nobody is practicing as hard as he. I remember, for example, the fight with George Foreman Muhammad Ali, but where George threw a million powerful blows - not surprisingly, his strength left! But this fact is another matter. Vladimir told me that was bad to feel more in the second round. "

As a result of the Klitschko camp received information that they suspect a possible poisoning

. - Clinic, in which Vladimir taken immediately after the battle, conducted an analysis of his urine and blood has not revealed them in the presence of toxic substances
. However, in response to a request from Klitschko to ship samples to one of his personal physicians, Vladimir, Robert howl, the clinic went to a violation of its own rules and eliminated those samples without explaining its actions;

. - Bookmakers in Las Vegas was recorded a sharp jump in rates in this fight that occurred just before the fight
. First, Vladimir was the favorite of 11:1, and then suddenly dropped to rate 3,5:1. According to Bernstein, this could only happen in the event of someone's one-time big bet on the victory of Brewster;

. - One member of the team Klitschko was unable to enter the space arena reserved Vladimir and his entourage as his ID card taken away a man, whose identity has not been set
. According to Bernstein, that someone could easily use the card in order to penetrate into the locker room and Vladimir, for example, replace the bottle with water

. To investigate joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but to this day the real circumstances under which this fight took place, remains unclear.

. New WBO champion Lamon Brewster was very dissatisfied with the team Klitschko, believing that Ukrainian attempts to overshadow the significance of his victory
. Brewster took the suspect Klitschko as a personal insult, and said he did not give him a rematch, while he did not earn him a public apology and did not recognize his victory uncontested.

All these developments have adversely affected both the physical and emotional state of Vladimir. October 2, 2004, he went into the ring against American Devarrila Williamson and holds the most inarticulate in his career fight, . who gave a lot of reasons to be even more severe criticism is now not only by the U.S. media, . but also from the Russian and Ukrainian, even the press and television,
. Klitschko is very uncertain and hesitant acted during the whole match, . often sank in the attacks and showed such flaws in the technique, . that under the question mark was put even the competence of Emanuel Steward, . despite all his achievements and accomplishments,
. After another miss Klitschko loses balance and simultaneously transmits an accurate blow to the chin. In order not to fall, he had to touch the glove sex, and the referee counted him knockdown. Men smelled blood Williamson rushed forward, but Vladimir had given unexpected rebuff. Klitschko was fighting as if this battle depended on his entire career and life. In truth, it was so. Under the impression remained even judges, one of them instead of a knock-down in the case of accounts in favor of Williamson 10.8 set 10.9. The fifth round was held in a very slow pace, and the battle suddenly ended a second before the bell - the soldiers very experienced heads, resulting in the forehead Klitschko formed a deep dissection. Dr. Margaret Goodman, a tour of Vladimir, and stated that she sees the bone. In its request the referee stopped the fight and the judges recorded the victory for Klitschko technical solution.

Later, Williamson said that he deliberately tried to hold out until the later rounds, when Klitschko gets tired, and that he would certainly have knocked Ukrainian. Emanuel Steward replied: 'How can you say that you want someone to knock out, if you are four and a half round, and only do that run around the ring backwards? "

Vneringovye clash with Williamson on this has not stopped. The fact that Vladimir was going to agree to re-fight with IBF champion Chris Byrd and his title challenge. However, the IBF has updated its ratings, in which Williamson was one row above Vladimir. From the team Klitschko was followed by a statement of claim, which had not been met. Williamson still has a right to the title fight against Byrd, and lost him in the 12 most boring, according to the absolute majority of the spectators, rounds the past few years.

The next opponent of Vladimir was named Belarusian heavyweight Sergei Lyakhovich, unexpectedly won shortly before the rising, but has not arisen star Dominick Guinn. But this time the battle was not destined to happen, because the problem with the passport are not allowed to leave Lyakhovich in Germany, where he planned to hold this meeting on the basis of financial considerations.

However, 2004 ended on a positive note as for Vladimir, and for Vitali Klitschko, who at that time was already the reigning WBC and had a successful defense against Briton Danny Williams. The fact that the brothers managed to terminate their relationship with the German promotional company Universum Box-Promotions and become free agents. To achieve this, it took a whopping eight trials, covering the time almost two years.

. As a result of this victory, Klitschko brothers based promotional company K-2 Promotions began to live a full life and has managed to organize a series of fights with Vitali Klitschko, . Miguel Cotto, . Timur Ibragimov, . Sultan Ibragimov, . Bobby Pacquiao (younger brother of Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao) and Taras Bidenko,
.

Finally, the fight with Klitschko agreed Cuban Eliseo Castillo, speaking before predominantly in the first heavyweight, but won a landslide victory on points over former IBF and WBA champion Michael Moorer. Already in the next fight Moorer kayo Basil Zhirova, passed some time ago in the heavyweight division.

At the beginning of negotiations with Castillo Klitschko team counted on the fact that this fight will be appointed by the selection of versions of IBF, and the champion will be in the result must meet with the winner. However, despite the victory over Moorer Castillo did not get places in the ranking IBF, so Klitschko hopes were not justified. Actions of the IBF reiterated the organization's unwillingness to give Klitschko pretendentsky status.

Before the fight Emanuel Steward reassured fans Ukrainian statements that "Vladimir was able to solve their doubts and fears'. In one of the pre-match interview Steward said: "I have repeatedly said that I think Vladimir best heavyweights in the world. He proved it by knocking out Castillo, and by the end of this year he will win one of the world titles. "

. Past April 23, 2005 fight with Castillo has become through the efforts of the German organizers of grandiose presentation entitled 'He came back! " In the course were put laser show, loud music and other special effects
. However, the match itself did not convince the skeptics that Klitschko really 'back'. Over four rounds Klitschko cautious 'fingered' Jeb rival, which has two or three years ago would have knocked a few seconds. Vladimir took only two good ball to the right to send Castillo knocked out.

We had a stronger statement, rather, needed a more credible opponent. At this time appeared on the horizon 'Nigerian Nightmare' Samuel Peter, nicknamed the new hope of the heavyweight division.

. Peter quickly won the hearts of the general American public because of its intimidating appearance and above all - lethal blow with both hands, the likes of which boxing fans not seen since the heyday of David Tua
. His strike power of Peter is very clearly demonstrated in a duel with the famous American once Jeremy Williams, whom he sent into deep knockout with only one good ball to the left. It quickly became a Nigerian apply such epithets as 'new Foreman' and even 'new Mike Tyson'. Do not confused the public and the fact that Peter is nevpechatlyayusche looked in the duel against Charles Shafforda, over which he has won quite uncertain victory on points.

The news that Wladimir Klitschko and Samuel Peter are going to meet in the qualifying 12-round bout at once in two versions, IBF and WBO, has caused great interest among the fans of boxing. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of analysts are predicting a victory for the Nigerian, and not later than the second round.

Almost unnoticed, and the fact that Klitschko and Peter have met in the ring, though not in actual combat, but in sparring. Disregarded her also on the eyewitness who claimed that Vladimir easily understood with Peter, and even sent him home before the contractual term, as incompetent. Some experts have argued that it was a long time ago, and since then Peter has become better, Klitschko - worse.

Nevertheless, Vladimir prepared for this battle so as not ready either to one another for his entire career. Emanuel Steward took him high-altitude training camp in Poconos, where they often trained Lennox Lewis, and where special emphasis was placed on the development of endurance, Vladimir. In addition, he held 130 rounds of sparring - the highest number in the career. The team of Vladimir also has a new chef and a physiotherapist. Before the fight Steward said that Vladimir will make Peter look like a helpless child in the ring. From the camp, Peter meanwhile came the promise to knock out Klitschko.

, Held in Atlantic City on Sept. 24, 2005 bout was one of the most dramatic in the career of Vladimir Klitschko. As expected, Vladimir quickly found the correct distance and for the majority of rounds supervised by Peter Jeb and powerful right crosses. But Vladimir had to go through three knock-down: two in the fifth round and one in the tenth round. However, Klitschko was able to recover and spent the last two rounds in style, and almost sent the Nigerian was knocked down for a few seconds before the end of battle. In the end, the judges unanimously Klitschko recorded a victory on points with the same score on all three cards: 114-111.

As a result of this fight Klitschko took from Peter championship NABF, and secured first place in the ratings of the IBF and WBO.

Vladimir lot of interests and hobbies, not related to boxing. He loves skiing and snowboarding, playing soccer, watching adventure films, listen to different music and to play chess. He once fought by Garry Kasparov (although during simul). The forces were unequal, of course - told Vladimir about his feelings on the game with a grandmaster. - The party ended very quickly. But it was interesting! "

With regard to the personal beliefs of Vladimir, he considers himself to the people of philosophical mindset. 'I believe in God and in themselves, - said Vladimir. - During the Soviet people could not speak openly about their religious. But life without faith is pointless. For me, it does not matter, a Buddhist man, Muslim or Christian. A man must have faith, dreams, hopes. However, unlike other boxers - and I would not call anyone's name - I can not stand religious parade and feel no desire to preach to other people and to mention God in every sentence. My personal beliefs belong to my inner world '.

Wladimir Klitschko: "I admire people who have good, but strong soul. By those who have dreams and the desire to achieve them '.