Anniversary of Legend Vitali

Twenty-one years ago, the Great ”Doctor Ironfist” Vitali Klitschko won the WBC heavyweight Green and Gold Belt, defeating South Africa`s southpaw master blaster Corrie Sanders at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The victory was sweet, because Corrie had TKO`d Vitali`s younger brother Wladimir in two blistering rounds. Big Brother was fighting for the World Boxing Council`s greatest accolade, but also for family pride. Corrie wobbled him with a mighty left in round one, but Vitali, who is as smart as he`s strong, swivelled and evaded, recovered his compose, regrouped boxed beautifully, regained the impetus and with it the initiative. In so doing he used his six feet seven inches height and his eighty inches reach to the fullest extent. By round eight he was targeting a tiring Corrie almost at will and Referee Jon Schorle, stepped in to declare a TKO win for the Pride of Ukraine. Blue and Yellow-Gold and Green Achievement.

Vitali`s most famous fight was against WBC Champion and another all time Great Lennox ”Lion” Lewis. Lennox was to have fought Kirk Johnson, who suffered an injury, so Vitali decisively stepped in at just a few days of notice and gave the mighty Champion the fright of his life! Vitali took the fight to Lennox in the first two rounds, stunning him in the second and opening up a cut under Lennox`s left eye. Then the course of the fight and destiny radically altered in a split second during round three, when Lennox connected with a corkscrew right hand, deeply gashing Vitali`s left eyelid. Another punch cut him under that same eye.

Undaunted, Vitali continued to attack, but the injury significantly worsened. In the minute of rest prior to round seven the Ring Doctor recommended to the Referee that the fight be stopped. Undistilled drama. At that point Vitali was ahead on all three Judges` scorecards.

A first triumphant reign as Champion. But then, the WBC declared Vitali a Champion in Recess, after he snapped an anterior cruciate ligament, preparing to fight Hasim Rahman. Four years later, Vitali came back and magnificently regained the World Boxing Crown, overwhelming Samuel Peter after eight rounds. Nine successful defences followed and then Vitali hung up his gloves, announcing his retirement on December 15th 2013. His magnificent record is 45-2, 41 KO`s. That`s a KO ratio percentage of 91.11 percent.

Vitali Klitschko is not a man to rest on his laurels. With a deep and abiding love for his homeland and a cast iron sense of civic responsibility and duty, he ran for the job of Mayor of Kyiv. This is a post he holds today, having been re-elected several times by his fellow citizens. He was the magnificent Host of the WBC Convention in 2018. Vitali has been a leader and a rally point throughout the War Ukraine is suffering.

He himself has said: ”I tell you very openly, it`s much easier to be a Heavyweight Champion of the World, than the Mayor of Kyiv.

”I remember the day Ukraine became independent. I was twenty. Now I`m older than forty, yet it has been like a second. Time goes by so fast. Yet if we wait, the next years will go by. We have a choice. To wait or to fight for a better future. I know better than anyone…No Fight, No Win.”