The biography of Vitali Klitschko is not so simple and interesting that people in many corners of the Earth have recently been interested in it. This man reached not only significant heights in boxing, but also became a kind of “phenomenon”, having left professional sports in the politics of the country, which by and large has never been his homeland.
Family of future boxing star
Like many Soviet children, Vitali Klitschko knew all the joys and hardships of the Pioneer-Komsomol childhood. He was born on 07/19/1971 in the village. Belovodskoe. This settlement was located in the then
Kyrgyz SSR. At that time, families of Soviet troops lived on its territory. Parents Vitali Klitschko: father - Vladimir Rodionovich (died in 2011) was a descendant of an impoverished Cossack family. He served as a pilot, and ended his career as a major general, military attache of Ukraine in Germany. The mother of the boxer Nadezhda Ulyanovna worked as a teacher.
The homeland of the ancestors of Vitaly was Kiev region. His great-grandfather and other relatives suffered during the mass repressions of the 30s of the 20th century. Ancestors on the mother's side were shot by the Nazis during the Holocaust. It is the references to these relatives that have now been developed. So, many argue that Klitschko by nationality is closer to Jews than to Ukrainians.
Relocation to Ukraine
The biography of Vitali Klitschko is baffling many. Some people cannot understand why this former athlete has such a love for Ukraine. This is because the citizenship of Vitali Klitschko, especially recently, has caused many people an increased interest, which is not confirmed by official information. In fact, the love of this country appeared in the future boxing star in childhood, when his family moved to Ukraine in 1985. After the endless steppes of Vitaliy’s true Homeland and other charms of garrison towns, the green and flourishing Ukraine simply could not but cause delight and love in the teenager. And even if the life of the Soviet military was far from comfort and luxury, at that time it was normal.
With his outstanding data, Vitaly simply could not help but get into sports. A prominent and very capable boy with the blessing of his parents began to engage in various martial arts. In the 80s of the twentieth century. kickboxing was very popular, which the future boxer preferred. This kind of martial arts so captured the guy that he devoted all his free time to him. After several years of hard training and thanks to his desire to win at all costs, Vitaly became the world champion.
The collapse of the USSR and moving to Germany
Biography of Vitali Klitschko since 1991, like millions of other Ukrainians, has changed dramatically. After the collapse of the USSR, everyone who lived on the territory of Ukraine at that time and had no objections accepted the citizenship of this country. So, most people born in the Soviet Union became citizens of the republics in which they were at the time of the collapse of this huge country.
After spending some time in Ukraine, Vitali Klitschko, a biography whose family was closely connected with Germany (in the new service of the boxer's father), decided to move to this country to develop his professional career. There, his first coach was Fritz Zdunek. For the years spent in this country, Vitaly received a residence permit in Germany. There is evidence that he pays all taxes on his income there. Vitali Klitschko’s citizenship has always been of particular interest, since under the laws in force in Ukraine, foreigners cannot apply for the post of President of the country.
Education Vitali Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko, whose biography is rich not only in sports, but also in other events, has a higher education. In 1995, he graduated from the Pedagogical Institute in the city of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky (Ukraine) and received a diploma "Teacher of Physical Education". After that, he successfully entered graduate school at the National University of Physical Education and Sports. The training was successful, so in 2000 Vitaliy defended his thesis, the theme of which was quite predictable: “Methodology for determining the abilities of boxers in a multi-stage selection system.” After graduating from the National Academy of Public Administration, Vitaliy received a master's degree. His specialty is Management of Public Development.
Physical parameters of Vitaliy
By its constitution, this athlete always resembled an epic hero. His height is 202 cm. Usual weight during a sports career is 112-114 kg. It was such physical data that led to his transition to the heavyweight category.
Professional career
Being a three-time champion of Ukraine among amateurs, Vitaliy since 1996 became a professional athlete. He twice received the world title in kickboxing among amateurs and four times among professionals. In addition, he won first place in the games of the military, which featured athletes from around the world. Since 1998, the boxer began to hold his fights in the United States. After that, he began to play for the Universum Box-Promotion club, where he achieved very prestigious titles. In 1998, Vitaliy was recognized as the WBO Intercontinental Champion. Its distinguishing feature has always been the brevity of fights. Moreover, almost all of them were won by knockout in the first rounds. Thanks to such "lightning" victories, his name was entered in the Guinness Book of Records. He is listed as an athlete who has won 26 knockout fights in the least number of rounds. In the same year he becomes the champion of Europe.
In 2002, having defeated Larry Donald, Vitaly won the WBA world title. This was not his last luck. The 2004 victory over
Corey Sanders earned him the WBC title.
In the amateur ring, he spent 95 fights (80 - victory, of which 72 - knockout). He participated in 47 fights in a professional ring (45 - victory, 41 of them - knockout).
The defeat of Vitali Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko’s fights were not always victorious for him. In his professional career, there were loud defeats. So, during a fight with Chris Byrd, he injured his shoulder and for the first time lost to his serious opponent. The legendary fight with Lennox Lewis, in which Vitaly received many cuts, but did not want to stop the fight, further raised his authority in the boxing environment, despite his defeat.
Care and return to professional boxing
The biography of Vitali Klitschko is very reminiscent of a rollercoaster. Unlike the “calm” sports career of his younger brother - Vladimir, who is quite happy with everything and so, his older brother could not stop at boxing. His ambitions in 2004 pushed him to an unexpected step - he announced his retirement from professional sports. Possessing the honorary title of world champion, Vitaly decided to go headlong into the big politics of the country, of which he became a citizen back in 1991. Despite the fact that his opposition comrades, whom he supported during the mass protests on Maidan in 2004, won and ruled Ukraine, he did not get a prestigious place among this elite at that time. Vitaly had to be content with the title of deputy of the Kiev city council. In 2006, he fought for the post of mayor of the
capital of Ukraine, but took second place. It was because of failures in his political career in 2007 that he again resumed his sports career.
Returning to big boxing was not without incidents. The first battle announced was never held due to some disagreement between the opponents. And the next fight was canceled due to the injury received during training. In 2008, Klitschko lost the fight to Samuel Peter, but then returned to the WBC world title. His last battle took place on September 8, 2012.
Awards Vitali Klitschko
He is an Honored Master of Sports of Ukraine. This eminent athlete has national awards. Among them, the orders of “For Courage” and “For Merit” are the most honorable. He also has the title of “Hero of Ukraine”.
Social activities and hobbies
Together with his brother Vladimir Vitaly founded the International Fund for the Promotion of Sports. Since 2002, he became UNESCO Special Commissioner for the Education for Poor Children program. Since 2003, Klitschko is the head of the board of the Klitschko Brothers Fund. Since 2005, Vitaliy has been a member of the NOC of Ukraine.
In his free time from politics and boxing, he is interested in chess, surfing, diving, volleyball, athletics, basketball, cycling. Vitaly loves to listen to music.
Klitschko in politics
The Udar Party, Vitali Klitschko, during the recent parliamentary elections in Ukraine, with rather great results, entered the Supreme Council of Ukraine. This abbreviation stands for "Ukrainian Democratic Reform Alliance." A serious political career of a boxer began in 2006. At that time, he ran for elections to the Kiev Council and the Supreme Council of Ukraine. Today, he is the leader of the Udar faction. In his parliamentary activities, Vitaly was remembered for his regular blocking of the speaker’s rostrum and not very intelligible and not constructive speeches.
Vitali Klitschko on the Maidan
The recent events that shocked not only Ukraine, but the whole world, began with the President’s refusal from the urgent signing of agreements with the EU that was not favorable for Ukraine and typical of the political life of normal democratic countries. Sluggish confrontations between supporters of the European Union and law enforcement agencies, which began in late autumn 2013, on February 20, 2014 turned into real combat battles on the main square of the capital of Ukraine. And all this time Vitali Klitschko with his opposition comrades-in-arms (A. Yatsenyuk and O. Tyagnibok) from constantly growing barricades urged everyone to disobey the authorities and revolutionary actions.
When the first victims appeared, no matter how he guaranteed to prevent further bloodshed, but could not fulfill this promise. As a result of the clashes that had already managed to arm themselves at the call of the protesting radicals and police forces, more than 100 people (civilians and law enforcement officers) died in a few days. There are still hundreds of victims in hospitals. Today, mass protests continue in all regions of the country. It is sad that now everyone stands for something of their own, and opponents do not want to hear each other. The awakened "self-awareness" of the people of Ukraine cannot calm down in any way, therefore Russia and the whole world are already involved in the conflict between citizens. Apparently Vitali Klitschko, urging people to the barricades, did not expect such a massive result of his slogans. He realized this even when the raging Protestants of him, such a famous and democratic person, poured out of a fire extinguisher, when he asked them not to attack the police.
Political ambition
After the events in Ukraine 2013-2014. Vitali Klitschko announced his intention to fight for the presidency in the early presidential elections, although his political strength has not received a single seat in the newly formed government. In fact, Vitaly’s political career after the terrible events that took place this year is a big question, since many of his former supporters were completely disappointed in him, but he never got any new ones.
A family
Vitaly is married to Natalya Egorova (former fashion model). He has two sons - Yegor (2000), Maxim (2005), and also daughter Elizabeth (2002).