KLITSCHKO. Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kiev and former professional boxer, is on the front line in the war between Ukraine and Russia and is even ready to die on the front lines.
World boxing champion and even legend of his discipline in the 2000s, Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kiev, is one of the symbols of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Ready to take up arms to “fight”, the former sportsman speaks regularly to take stock of the situation. “We are preparing and defending our city” he explained this Wednesday, March 2 in a new video. “I will defend Kiev, arms in hand. I train all the time, I do training as a former officer and head of territorial defense. I haven’t lost my skills, I’m perfecting myself all the time. time. I know how to shoot with almost any weapon. (…) Any aggressor must know it: it will not be a ride, it will cost him dearly, we will not surrender” he also explained there. a few days.
This weekend, he and his brother went to the front line in Kiev, dressed in a bulletproof vest and ready to die for their country. “I’m very proud to see how patriotic people are,” he told CNN. “We are not interested in the strength of the Russian army, we are ready to fight. And we are ready to die for our country of origin and for our families, because this is our home. This is our future and someone wants to come to our house and steal our future.”
Boxing legend Vitali Klitschko has become Ukraine’s second politician. The boxer declared himself a candidate for mayor of Kiev in 2006, before being elected pro-European deputy in 2012. During the Euromaidan revolution of 2014 (name given to the pro-European demonstrations in Ukraine, which began on November 21 2013 following the decision of the Ukrainian government not to sign an association agreement with the European Union in favor of an agreement with Russia), the boxer established himself as one of the main leaders and would have was able to run for president in 2014, before retiring in favor of Petro Poroshenko. In “compensation”, the former boxer took over the mayor of Kiev, the city where he was re-elected twice.
What is Vitali Klitschko’s boxing career like?
Before becoming a politician, Vitali Klitschko was therefore a boxing legend. As an amateur, the boxer dominated his category and even crushed the competition with a record of 195 victories for 5 defeats. Favorite for the Olympic title, the Ukrainian had missed the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 for a positive nandrolone test, it was his brother Wladimir who finally won the gold. After this failure, the man launched himself into professional boxing with success. During his career, he will obtain numerous WBO (1999-2000) and WBC (2004-2005, 2008-2013) heavyweight world champion belts with the second highest knockout percentage in history (87.23%) .
Who is his brother Wladimir Klitschko?
If Vitali Klitschko is a boxing legend and an important figure in Ukraine, so is his brother, Wladimir Klitschko. Engaged in the army, Wladimir follows the path of his brother and uses a strong notoriety to defend his country.
“I call on all international partners to observe this tragedy unfolding today in Ukraine and this senseless war, which will have no winners, only losers. We must remain united against this aggression, against Russian aggression. Don’t let this happen and continue in Ukraine. Don’t let this happen in Europe, in the end, all over the world. United we are strong. Support Ukraine.”
On the sporting level, Wladimir Klitschko is a double world heavyweight champion, from 2000 to 2003 and from 2006 to 2015, he held the WBA (Super), WBO (Super), IBF and minor IBO belts at the time. . He also holds the second longest consecutive reign as world heavyweight champion (nine years and seven months).