The Wladimir Klitschko boxing career was one to remember for him and his country in Ukraine.
He’s retired a little while now but important to remember how good Klitschko was when looking at the current undisputed heavyweight champion in today’s times Usyk.
A fellow Ukrainian countryman of Klitschko of course.
Klitschko represented Ukrainian sport with distinction, class and genuine merit as a boxer.
A decorated amateur, the real glory came as a professional years later in truth.
He was an Olympic gold super-heavyweight champion for Ukraine in the 1996 Atlanta Games.
The last great Olympics where Muhammad Ali was the torch bearer at the opening ceremony.
A serviceman in the army for Ukraine, he also won Gold medals for Ukraine in the 1995 Military World Championships in Ariccia and Gold in the Military World Games in Rome the same year.
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In many ways Wladimir Klitschko was a late bloomer in professional boxing however.
Starting off his career he had success and world titles early with the WBO but a series of knockout defeats to the likes of Cory Sanders and Lamon Brewster and others before that — forced him to re-evaluate his fight style.
These defeats really made Wladimir Klitschko.
Unlike his brother Vitali, he adopted his fight style to a more safety first one after this.
Boxing on the outside using his range and incredible jab, he regained the world title against Chris Byrd in 2006 and dominated the division for years after.
Also avenging his defeat to Brewster with his new safety first style.
He held the world heavyweight titles remarkably up to 2015 then until Tyson Fury took them off him in Germany on points.
He then fought one final time in 2017 in a sold out 90,000 attended super fight at Wembley Stadium in London against Anthony Joshua.
Although Joshua beat him and stopped him inside the distance he had Joshua on the canvas also in the fight and the bout is regarded as an iconic one for the sport ever since.
A formidable sportsman for Ukraine and Ukrainian citizen who can speak many languages and has many ventures outside of boxing.
He showed athletes can be very educated people after ending their careers at the highest level of gruelling professional sports such as boxing.
Wladimir Klitschko retired with a professional boxing record of 64-5-53 KO.
All in all the Wladimir Klitschko boxing career was one to remember and an all-time great.
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