Vitali Klitschko

Ukrainian politician and former professional boxer. He currently serves as Mayor of Kyiv and head of the Kyiv City State Administration, having held both offices since June 2014. Klitschko is a former leader of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc and a former Member of the Ukrainian Parliament. He became actively involved in Ukrainian politics in 2005 and combined this with his professional boxing career until his retirement from the sport in 2013.

As a boxer, Klitschko won multiple world heavyweight championships. He held the WBO title from 1999 to 2000, the Ring magazine title from 2004 to 2005, and the WBC title twice between 2004 and 2013. Overall, Vitali defeated 15 opponents in world heavyweight title fights and made 12 successful title defences. In 2011, Vitali and his younger brother Wladimir Klitschko entered the Guinness World Records as the pair of brothers with most world heavyweight title fight wins (30 at the time; 40 as of 2020). From 2006 until 2015, Vitali and Wladimir (also a multiple-time world champion) dominated heavyweight boxing, a period typically known as the "Klitschko Era" of the division.

Klitschko is the only heavyweight boxer to have reigned as world champion in three different decades. Along with Oliver McCall and Nikolai Valuev, he is also one of two world heavyweight champions to have never been knocked down in any fight. Klitschko and George Foreman are the only heavyweight boxers in history to defend a world title after turning 40. Being the first professional boxing world champion to hold a PhD degree, and in reference to his punching power, Klitschko's nickname was "Dr. Ironfist".

Klitschko formally began his political career in 2006 when he placed second in the Kyiv mayoral race. In 2010, he founded the party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) and was elected into parliament for this party in 2012. He was a leading figure in the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests, and he announced his possible candidacy for the Ukrainian presidency but later withdrew and endorsed Petro Poroshenko. He was elected Mayor of Kyiv on 25 May 2014. Klitschko headed the election list of the winner of the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election, the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, but he gave up his parliamentary seat to stay on as Mayor of Kyiv. On 28 August 2015 the UDAR party merged into Petro Poroshenko Bloc. Klitschko thus became the new party leader. Klitschko was reelected as mayor on 15 November 2015. Klitschko revived UDAR, and left Petro Poroshenko Bloc with it, in May 2019 and simultaneously announced that UDAR would take part in the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election autonomously. UDAR however failed to win any seats.

Klitschko Vitaly Vladimirovich: mayor of Kyiv

Married to Natalya Valerievna Klitschko, his wife is three years younger. Previously, she also went in for sports, worked as a model. Father of three children: Egor (born 2000), Liza (born 2002) and Maxim (born 2005).

Brother - Wladimir Klitschko, Olympic boxing champion (1996), WBO, IBF, IBO and WBA heavyweight champion, world record holder for the longest championship belt possession (for 12 years), 69 fights, 64 wins, 54 knockout.

He received the specialty of a teacher of sports education at Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky State Pedagogical University named after. G. Skovoroda in 1995. He defended his Ph.D. thesis in the field of physical education and sports in 2000. He received his master's degree in 2011 from the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine. Specialty - "Management of social development".

Sport and Rybka

Vitali Klitschko was born into a military family, so before settling in Ukraine in 1984, he and his family traveled a lot around the world. At the age of 14, Klitschko began to play sports. At first, the advantage was given to kickboxing. Later he switched to boxing.

The Klitschko brothers refute information about the involvement of Rybalka in their sports career. However, their joint photos from New York were published in the press. In 1996, Rybka took the brothers to America to introduce them to the famous sports promoter Don King. They did not sign a contract with King, since Rybalko considered it unprofitable. According to another version, they were refused by the promoter himself, who did not want to get involved with the mafia.

For supporting Klitschko, they not only gave Rybka part of the income, but also allegedly earned money as racketeers in his gang. Cooperation ended in 2005, when Rybalka was shot in the center of Kyiv, not far from Vitali Klitschko's apartment.

Friendship with Igor Bakai

Igor Bakai, the former head of the board of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine and the former chairman of the State Administration of Affairs, helped the Klitschko brothers achieve real success in professional boxing. It was he who found them the European promoter Klaus Peter Kohl.

In 1997, the boxers signed an agreement with Bakai, according to which they transferred 50% of their income to Igor Mikhailovich, and he undertook to provide them with everything necessary for sports development. The amounts were in the tens of millions of dollars.

Friendship with Bakay Klitschko was not hidden. In 2002, the brothers even came to Rivne to support "their friend" in the parliamentary elections.

However, Bakai lost the election, and in 2004 he was accused of corruption and put on the wanted list. After that, Klitschko tries not to mention his sponsor, who is still on the international wanted list and, according to the latest information, is hiding in Russia.

Vitali Klitschko has held the WBC belt twice. He first won the title in 2004 in a fight with Corrie Sanders. Subsequently, he defended in a duel with Danny Williams.

In 2005, due to an injury, Klitschko was forced to end his career. However, three years later he returned to the ring and in the first fight with Samuel Peter returned the championship belt.

In the professional ring, Vitali Klitschko received 45 victories and suffered only two defeats. The first occurred as a result of an injury in a fight with Chris Byrd, the second - through a cut eyebrow in a meeting with Lennox Lewis.

In December 2016, at the 54th Congress of the World Boxing Council, Vitali Klitschko was awarded the title of eternal world heavyweight champion.

Klitschko began to actively engage in social activities in 2003. Together with his brother Vladimir, he founded the Klitschko Brothers Foundation charitable organization.

During the Orange Revolution, boxers supported Viktor Yushchenko. Having become president, he appointed Vitaly Vladimirovich as his adviser.

In December 2005, Klitschko first declared himself as a politician, becoming the leader of the Pora-PRP bloc. In 2006, he headed the bloc's list in the parliamentary elections. The first step in politics was unsuccessful. The bloc did not get into parliament.

After an unsuccessful attempt to become a people's deputy, Klitschko tried to realize his political ambitions at the level of the capital. He ran for mayor of Kyiv twice and lost twice to Leonid Chernovetsky. In March 2006, Vitaly Vladimirovich took second place in the mayoral elections, and in 2008 - third. However, he managed to get his block into the Kiev City Council.

In April 2010, Klitschko led the UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms) party. At the same time, information appeared about Klitschko's negotiations with the Party of Regions for their rapprochement and even the appointment of Vitaliy Vladimirovich as a secretary or head of the Kyiv city administration. However, Klitschko denied everything.

Two years later, with a new political force, he again tried to get into the Verkhovna Rada. This time, in the parliamentary elections, his party won almost 14% of the vote and received 42 mandates of people's deputies.

As part of the Verkhovna Rada of the VII convocation, he was the chairman of the UDAR faction and a member of the Committee on State Building and Local Self-Government.

During the Revolution of Dignity, Vitaly Vladimirovich was an active participant in the protests. As a result, his rating has increased significantly. However, Klitschko refused to run for president and spoke out in support of Petro Poroshenko.

In May 2014, Vitali Klitschko was elected mayor of Kyiv. He was supported by more than 57% of the people of Kiev. He retained his position in the 2015 elections. Klitschko is still the mayor of Kyiv.

On June 25, 2014, by order of President Petro Poroshenko, he was appointed chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration.

On August 28, 2015, after the unification of the parties UDAR and the Petro Poroshenko Bloc "Solidarity", he was elected chairman of the BPP party.

In January 2016, Vitali Klitschko headed the Association of Ukrainian Cities. According to the Charter of the organization in force at that time, only the head of local self-government with at least five years of experience in self-government bodies could head it, four of them as mayor. Klitschko did not meet these criteria, so the Charter was changed.

Members of the Association opposed this and argued that the changes were made on an unspoken order from Bankova in order to establish control over the organization.

In May 2016, he announced his decision to resign as chairman of the BPP party.

Vitali Klitschko in 2020 for the fifth time took part in the election of the mayor of Kyiv. He was nominated from his party "BLOW". In the elections, the candidacy of Vitali Klitschko was supported by the party of Petro Poroshenko "EU". He won the election, gaining more than 50% of the vote in the first round. And the party "UDAR" entered the city council with the second place. So, in December 2020, the third mayoral term of Vitali Klitschko started.

A professional boxer who performed in the heavy weight category, a kickboxer. The holder of the titles of "Honorary" and "Eternal" world boxing champion in the WBC version[13]. World boxing champion among professionals according to WBO (1999-2000), according to The Ring magazine (2004-2005) and WBC (2004-2005, 2008-2013), European boxing champion among professionals according to EBU. Defeated 15 fighters for the world heavyweight title[14]. Six-time holder of world titles in kickboxing according to versions of various organizations (four times among professionals and twice among amateurs).

Vitali Klitschko was born on July 19, 1971 in the village of Belovodskoye, Moscow Region, Kirghiz SSR, in the family of a military man.

Married to Natalya Valerievna Klitschko, his wife is three years younger. Previously, she also went in for sports, worked as a model. Father of three children: Egor (born 2000), Liza (born 2002) and Maxim (born 2005).

Brother - Wladimir Klitschko, Olympic boxing champion (1996), WBO, IBF, IBO and WBA heavyweight champion, world record holder for the longest championship belt possession (for 12 years), 69 fights, 64 wins, 54 knockout.

He received the specialty of a teacher of sports education at Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky State Pedagogical University named after. G. Skovoroda in 1995. He defended his Ph.D. thesis in the field of physical education and sports in 2000. He received his master's degree in 2011 from the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine. Specialty - "Management of social development".

Sport and Rybka

Vitali Klitschko was born into a military family, so before settling in Ukraine in 1984, he and his family traveled a lot around the world. At the age of 14, Klitschko began to play sports. At first, the advantage was given to kickboxing. Later he switched to boxing.

Kyiv crime boss Viktor Rybalko, nicknamed "Rybka", helped him take his first steps in big boxing.

The Klitschko brothers refute information about the involvement of Rybalka in their sports career. However, their joint photos from New York were published in the press. In 1996, Rybka took the brothers to America to introduce them to the famous sports promoter Don King. They did not sign a contract with King, since Rybalko considered it unprofitable. According to another version, they were refused by the promoter himself, who did not want to get involved with the mafia.

For supporting Klitschko, they not only gave Rybka part of the income, but also allegedly earned money as racketeers in his gang. Cooperation ended in 2005, when Rybalka was shot in the center of Kyiv, not far from Vitali Klitschko's apartment.

Friendship with Igor Bakai

Igor Bakai, the former head of the board of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine and the former chairman of the State Administration of Affairs, helped the Klitschko brothers achieve real success in professional boxing. It was he who found them the European promoter Klaus Peter Kohl.

In 1997, the boxers signed an agreement with Bakai, according to which they transferred 50% of their income to Igor Mikhailovich, and he undertook to provide them with everything necessary for sports development. The amounts were in the tens of millions of dollars.

Friendship with Bakay Klitschko was not hidden. In 2002, the brothers even came to Rivne to support "their friend" in the parliamentary elections.

However, Bakai lost the election, and in 2004 he was accused of corruption and put on the wanted list. After that, Klitschko tries not to mention his sponsor, who is still on the international wanted list and, according to the latest information, is hiding in Russia.

Vitali Klitschko has held the WBC belt twice. He first won the title in 2004 in a fight with Corrie Sanders. Subsequently, he defended in a duel with Danny Williams.

In 2005, due to an injury, Klitschko was forced to end his career. However, three years later he returned to the ring and in the first fight with Samuel Peter returned the championship belt.

In the professional ring, Vitali Klitschko received 45 victories and suffered only two defeats. The first occurred as a result of an injury in a fight with Chris Byrd, the second - through a cut eyebrow in a meeting with Lennox Lewis.

In December 2016, at the 54th Congress of the World Boxing Council, Vitali Klitschko was awarded the title of eternal world heavyweight champion.

Political ring

Klitschko began to actively engage in social activities in 2003. Together with his brother Vladimir, he founded the Klitschko Brothers Foundation charitable organization.

During the Orange Revolution, boxers supported Viktor Yushchenko. Having become president, he appointed Vitaly Vladimirovich as his adviser.

In December 2005, Klitschko first declared himself as a politician, becoming the leader of the Pora-PRP bloc. In 2006, he headed the bloc's list in the parliamentary elections. The first step in politics was unsuccessful. The bloc did not get into parliament.

After an unsuccessful attempt to become a people's deputy, Klitschko tried to realize his political ambitions at the level of the capital. He ran twice for mayor of Kyiv and twice lost to Leonid Chernovetsky. In March 2006, Vitaly Vladimirovich took second place in the mayoral elections, and in 2008 - third. However, he managed to get his block into the Kiev City Council.

From the capital council to the Verkhovna Rada

In April 2010, Klitschko led the UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms) party. At the same time, information appeared about Klitschko's negotiations with the Party of Regions for their rapprochement and even the appointment of Vitaliy Vladimirovich as a secretary or head of the Kyiv city administration. However, Klitschko denied everything.

Two years later, with a new political force, he again tried to get into the Verkhovna Rada. This time, in the parliamentary elections, his party won almost 14% of the vote and received 42 mandates of people's deputies.

As part of the Verkhovna Rada of the VII convocation, he was the chairman of the UDAR faction and a member of the Committee on State Building and Local Self-Government.

During the Revolution of Dignity, Vitaly Vladimirovich was an active participant in the protests. As a result, his rating has increased significantly. However, Klitschko refused to run for president and spoke out in support of Petro Poroshenko.

Mayor of Kyiv

In May 2014, Vitali Klitschko was elected mayor of Kyiv. He was supported by more than 57% of the people of Kiev. He retained his position in the 2015 elections. Klitschko is still the mayor of Kyiv.

On June 25, 2014, by order of President Petro Poroshenko, he was appointed chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration.

On August 28, 2015, after the unification of the parties UDAR and the Petro Poroshenko Bloc "Solidarity", he was elected chairman of the BPP party.

In January 2016, Vitali Klitschko headed the Association of Ukrainian Cities. According to the Charter of the organization in force at that time, only the head of local self-government with at least five years of experience in self-government bodies could head it, four of them as mayor. Klitschko did not meet these criteria, so the Charter was changed.

Members of the Association opposed this and argued that the changes were made on an unspoken order from Bankova in order to establish control over the organization.

In May 2016, he announced his decision to resign as chairman of the BPP party.

Vitali Klitschko in 2020 for the fifth time took part in the election of the mayor of Kyiv. He was nominated from his party "BLOW". In the elections, the candidacy of Vitali Klitschko was supported by the party of Petro Poroshenko "EU". He won the election, gaining more than 50% of the vote in the first round. And the party "UDAR" entered the city council with the second place. So, in December 2020, the third mayoral term of Vitali Klitschko started.

Vitaly Vladimirovich Klitschko (Ukrainian Vitaliy Volodymyrovich Klitschko; born July 19, 1971, Belovodskoe, Kyrgyz SSR, USSR) - Ukrainian statesman, politician. Kyiv Mayor since June 5, 2014. Head of the Kiev City State Administration since June 25, 2014. Hero of Ukraine (2004).

A professional boxer who performed in the heavy weight category, a kickboxer. The holder of the titles of "Honorary" and "Eternal" world boxing champion in the WBC version[13]. World boxing champion among professionals according to WBO (1999-2000), according to The Ring magazine (2004-2005) and WBC (2004-2005, 2008-2013), European boxing champion among professionals according to EBU. Defeated 15 fighters for the world heavyweight title[14]. Six-time holder of world titles in kickboxing according to versions of various organizations (four times among professionals and twice among amateurs).