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Baddest Man On The Planet
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 331
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Wladimir Klitschko Profile
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.
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 6' 6" (198 cm) in height, Vladimir is tall, even for a heavyweight, and has a muscular frame, weighing 111kg. He wears European size 48 shoes (US 15, UK 14).
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. However, it should be noted, that many people felt that Peter had used dirty tactics like "rabbit punching" and hitting on breaks. Cleary two of the knockdowns were from illegal blows to the back of Klitschko's head.
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.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. Wladimir did not use his right hand once during the fight, doing all his work with his jab and left hook. It was Wladimir's second successful defense of the IBF heavyweight title.
Wladimir will get a chance to redeem himself as he will fight Lamon Brewster on July 7, 2007 in Cologne.
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Wladimir Klitschko Profile
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