Vitali Klitschko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hero of Ukraine
Vitali Klitschko
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Віталій Кличко
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Klitschko in 2014
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| Mayor of Kyiv | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 5 June 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Halyna Hereha (acting) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head of the Kyiv City State Administration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 25 June 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Volodymyr Bondarenko | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy of the Kyiv City Council | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th session | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office April 2006 – June 2008 |
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| Constituency | Klitschko Bloc "PORA–ROP" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th session | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office June 2008 – December 2012 |
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| Constituency | Vitali Klitschko Bloc | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| People's Deputy of Ukraine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th convocation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 12 December 2012 – 5 June 2014 |
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| Constituency | UDAR, No.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 19 July 1971 Belovodskoye, Kirghiz SSR, Soviet Union |
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| Citizenship |
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| Political party | Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform |
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| Other political affiliations |
Petro Poroshenko Bloc "Solidarity" (2015–2016) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Natalija Jehorova
(m. 1996; sep. 2022) |
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| Children | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater |
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| Signature |  |
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| Scientific career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thesis | Методика визначення якостей боксерів у системі багатоетапного спортивного відбору (2000) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union Ukraine |
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| Service/ |
Soviet Army Ukrainian Ground Forces |
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| Years of service | 1989–1991, 2022–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank |  Major |
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| Battles/wars | Battle of Kyiv (2022) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Vitali Klitschko (born 19 July 1971) is a famous Ukrainian politician and a former professional boxer. He is currently the Mayor of Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine. He has also been the head of the Kyiv City State Administration since June 2014.
Before becoming a full-time politician, Klitschko was a world champion in heavyweight boxing. He held titles from the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and the World Boxing Council (WBC). He and his younger brother, Wladimir Klitschko, were known for dominating heavyweight boxing for many years, a time often called the "Klitschko Era." Vitali retired from boxing in 2013 to focus on his political career. He also has a PhD in Sports Science.
Klitschko started his political journey in 2006. He founded the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) party in 2010. He was a key leader in the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests in Ukraine. He was first elected Mayor of Kyiv in May 2014 and has been re-elected twice since then. After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Klitschko became a symbol of Ukrainian strength and resistance.
Contents
Boxing and Kickboxing Career
Vitali Klitschko started boxing because other combat sports like karate and kickboxing were not allowed in the Soviet Union at the time. He was trained by Anatoliy Klimanov, a former Soviet boxer. When kickboxing became allowed, Klitschko also joined the Soviet kickboxing team. He was very good at both boxing and kickboxing.
He won many awards as an amateur. He won a gold medal at the first Military World Games in Italy in 1995. He also won a silver medal at the 1995 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Germany. Vitali was a kickboxing world champion six times. In 1996, he became a professional boxer.
Professional Boxing Highlights
Vitali Klitschko began his professional boxing career in 1996. He won his first 24 fights by knockout. He and his brother Wladimir became very popular in Germany. On 26 June 1999, Klitschko won the WBO heavyweight title by knocking out Herbie Hide. He defended this title twice.
Losing and Regaining Titles
In April 2000, Klitschko faced Chris Byrd. Vitali was winning the fight, but he had to stop because of a serious shoulder injury. This was his first loss. After recovering, he won five fights in a row, which led to a big fight against WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.
The fight with Lennox Lewis happened on 21 June 2003. Klitschko was doing well and was ahead on points. However, a deep cut above his eye caused by Lewis's punches led the ringside doctor to stop the fight. Lewis won by technical knockout. After this, Lewis retired, and Klitschko got a chance to fight for the vacant WBC title.
On 24 April 2004, Klitschko fought Corrie Sanders for the WBC heavyweight championship. Sanders had previously defeated Vitali's brother, Wladimir. Vitali won the fight in the eighth round, becoming the WBC champion.
Defending the WBC Title
Klitschko defended his WBC title against Danny Williams on 11 December 2004. He won by technical knockout in the eighth round. Vitali dedicated his victory to democracy in Ukraine and supported the Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko.
In November 2005, Klitschko announced his retirement from boxing due to injuries and to focus on politics. The WBC gave him "champion emeritus" status, meaning he could challenge for the title again if he returned.
Return to Boxing
On 11 October 2008, Vitali Klitschko returned to boxing to fight Samuel Peter for the WBC heavyweight title. Peter was the reigning champion. Klitschko won the fight after Peter's corner stopped the bout in the eighth round. This made Vitali one of the few boxers to hold a world heavyweight title three times.
He continued to defend his title against tough opponents. On 26 September 2009, he defeated Chris Arreola in Los Angeles. On 12 December 2009, he beat Kevin Johnson.
In 2010, Klitschko defeated Albert Sosnowski and Shannon Briggs. After his fight with Briggs, Briggs said, "I've fought George Foreman, I've fought Lennox Lewis, and Vitali's the best."
His next fight was against Odlanier Solís on 19 March 2011. Klitschko won by knockout in the first round.
Final Fights and Retirement
On 10 September 2011, Klitschko, at 40 years old, defended his WBC title against Tomasz Adamek in Poland, winning by TKO in the 10th round. In 2011, Vitali and Wladimir entered the Guinness World Records as brothers with the most world heavyweight title fight wins.
On 18 February 2012, Klitschko fought Derek Chisora and won by unanimous decision. His last fight was on 8 September 2012, against Manuel Charr in Moscow, Russia. Klitschko won by technical knockout.
On 15 December 2013, Vitali Klitschko officially retired from boxing to focus on his political career in Ukraine. The WBC named him "champion emeritus," meaning he could challenge for the title again if he ever decided to return.
Political Career
Vitali Klitschko became involved in Ukrainian politics in 2004, openly supporting Viktor Yushchenko during the Orange Revolution. In 2005, he became an adviser to President Yushchenko.
Klitschko first ran for Mayor of Kyiv in 2006 but came in second. He was elected as a deputy to the Kyiv City Council that year. He ran again in 2008 and was re-elected to the Kyiv City Council.
In April 2010, Klitschko became the leader of the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR). This party gained support and won seats in local and regional governments.
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In 2012, Klitschko was elected to the Ukrainian parliament as the top candidate for UDAR. He became the leader of his party's group in Parliament.
Klitschko was a very important figure in the Euromaidan protests that took place in Ukraine from 2013 to 2014. These protests led to big changes in the country's government.
Mayor of Kyiv
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On 29 March 2014, Klitschko announced he would run for Mayor of Kyiv. He won the election on 25 May 2014 with almost 57% of the votes. He officially became mayor on 5 June 2014. The Ukrainian parliament then ended his role as an MP, as he could not hold both positions.
On 25 June 2014, President Petro Poroshenko appointed Klitschko as the head of the Kyiv City State Administration.
In August 2015, Klitschko's UDAR party joined with the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, and Klitschko became the new leader of this combined party. He was re-elected as Mayor of Kyiv on 15 November 2015. In May 2019, Klitschko revived the UDAR party and left the Petro Poroshenko Bloc.
Klitschko was re-elected for his third term as mayor in the 2020 Kyiv local elections, winning over 50% of the votes in the first round. As of 2025, he is one of the longest-serving mayors of Kyiv since 1900.
Role During the Russian Invasion
In February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Vitali Klitschko and his brother Wladimir promised to defend Kyiv. Klitschko regularly updated the public on the situation in the capital. He announced curfews to keep people safe. By the end of March 2022, Russian forces had pulled back from Kyiv.
Vitali and Wladimir also worked to raise money for Ukraine. They raised €100 million through a fundraising campaign in Germany. Klitschko has continued to speak out about the war and represent Ukraine on the international stage, attending events like the World Economic Forum and the 2022 NATO Madrid summit.
Sporting Legacy
Vitali Klitschko is known for being a very tough boxer who was never knocked down in his professional career. His high knockout percentage is one of the best in heavyweight boxing history. He was also known for winning rounds easily.
Both Klitschko brothers are considered among the best heavyweight boxers of their time. They were undefeated for most of their careers and never fought each other, as their mother made them promise not to. In 2011, they were recognized by Guinness World Records for having the most world heavyweight title fight wins as brothers.
The Klitschko brothers are seen as national heroes in Ukraine. Their boxing matches attracted millions of viewers in Ukraine and Germany. They are also known for their charity work, supporting schools and children. In 2002, they became UNESCO Champions for Sport.
Vitali Klitschko has defeated 15 boxers for world heavyweight titles, which is one of the highest numbers in history. He is also the only heavyweight boxer to have been a world champion in three different decades.
Personal Life
Vitali Klitschko's father, Volodymyr Rodionovych Klitschko, was a Soviet Air Force major general. His father was involved in the cleanup efforts after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and later passed away.
Vitali married Natalija Jehorova in 1996. They have three children. In August 2022, Vitali announced that he and Natalija were divorcing.
Klitschko earned his PhD in Sports Science in 2000 from Kyiv University. He has lived in Germany for many years but considers Ukraine his home.
Both Vitali and his brother Wladimir enjoy playing chess. Vitali believes chess is similar to boxing because you need to plan ahead and think about your opponent's moves.
Klitschko can speak four languages: Ukrainian, Russian, English, and German.
Awards and Honors
- In 2010, Klitschko received the German Cross of the Order of Merit for his work in society and politics.
- In 2013, he was given the Georgian Presidential Order of Excellence.
- In 2016, the WBC named him "The Eternal world heavyweight champion."
- In 2018, Vitali was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
- In 2022, he received the Arthur Ashe Award For Courage at the ESPY Awards.
Titles in Boxing
Major World Titles
- WBC heavyweight champion (2 times)
- WBO heavyweight champion
The Ring Magazine Titles
- The Ring heavyweight champion
Regional and International Titles
- WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight champion
- WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight champion
- European heavyweight champion (2 times)
Honorary Titles
- WBC Eternal Champion
- WBC Emeritus Champion
Images for kids
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Vitali Klitschko's signature
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Ukrainian Major rank insignia
See also
In Spanish: Vitali Klichkó para niños
- List of The Ring world champions
- List of world heavyweight boxing champions
- List of mayors of Kyiv
