![Віталій Володимирович Кличко на фоні прапора України](https://biography.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/vitalij-volodymyrovych-klychko-1140x637.png)
Vitali Klitschko
Good afternoon, dear readers! Today we would like to tell you about the biography of one of the most prominent personalities of modern Ukraine – Vitali Klitschko. He is a famous boxer, politician, philanthropist, scientist and mayor of Kyiv. His name is known not only in Ukraine, but all over the world as a symbol of strength, courage, intelligence and patriotism. How did he become such a person, what stages did he go through in his life, what achievements does he have and what goals does he set for himself? You will learn about all this in our article, which is based on authoritative sources of information.
Childhood and family![Vitali Klitschko with his brother Volodymyr Klitschko and mom and dad](https://biography.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/vitalij-volodymyrovych-klychko.webp)
Vitali Klitschko was born on July 19, 1971, in the village of Bilovodske in the Kyrgyz SSR, where his father, a military pilot, Volodymyr Rodionovych Klitschko, served. His mother, Nadiia Ulyanivna Klitschko, was a teacher. Vitali has a younger brother, Volodymyr, who also became a famous boxer, and an older sister, Iryna. The Klitschko family moved frequently due to his father’s place of service, so Vitali managed to visit different parts of the USSR. In 1985, they settled in Kyiv, where Vitali graduated from secondary school No. 216.
Since childhood, Vitaliy has been interested in sports, especially martial arts. He started kickboxing and boxing, where he showed his talent and will to win. He became a world champion in kickboxing among amateurs and professionals, and also took part in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, where he lost only in the semifinals.
In 1996, Vitaliy married Natalia Yegorova, a theater and film actress, whom he met on the set of an advertisement. They had three children: sons Yegor-Daniil and Maxim-Alexander, and daughter Elizaveta-Victoria. The children have American citizenship, as they were born in the United States, where Vitaliy spent a lot of time because of his boxing career.
But in 2022, they divorced, Vitaliy’s quote:
“It’s no secret that we have been living for many years not only in different cities, but also in different countries. For many years we have had different interests, different lives. And we have decided to formalize it. This is the desire of both parties. We still have good relations, we respect each other, the children are already adults, and life goes on,” Klitschko said.
Education
Vitali Klitschko is not only physically strong, but also smart. He graduated from Pereyaslav-Khmelnytskyi Hryhorii Skovoroda State Pedagogical University with a degree in physical education in 1996. In 2000, he graduated from the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine with a degree in boxing coaching. In 2001, he defended his PhD thesis on “Professional training of boxers in different weight categories”. In 2005, he entered the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Faculty of Sociology, graduating in 2008. In 2015, he became a student at the National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, where he is studying for a Master of Public Administration.
Career
Vitali Klitschko is one of the most successful and recognized boxers in the world. He became the world boxing champion in the heavyweight category according to the WBO, WBC and The Ring. He has fought 47 professional fights, winning 45 of them, 41 of them by knockout.
He has the highest percentage of victories by knockout in the heavyweight division at 87.23%. He is also the only heavyweight boxer to become world champion three times after being defeated.
He is known for his powerful stroke, high technique, endurance and courage.
He has fought such stars as Lennox Lewis, Chris Byrd, Samuel Peter, Corrie Sanders, Juan Carlos Gomez, Kevin Johnson, Tomasz Adamek, Dereck Chisora, Manuel Charr and many others.
Vitali Klitschko is not only an outstanding athlete, but also an active public and political figure.
He took part in two revolutions in Ukraine – the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity – advocating for democracy, freedom and the European choice of his country.
He also founded the UDAR political party, which aimed to reform Ukraine into a modern, legal, social, and pro-European state.
He ran for president of Ukraine in 2004 and 2010, but did not win.
In 2006 and 2008, he was elected to the Ukrainian Parliament.
In 2014, he became the mayor of Kyiv, a position he holds to this day. As mayor, he is committed to improving the capital’s infrastructure, transportation, education, healthcare, environment, culture and tourism.
He also actively cooperates with international partners, in particular with Germany, where he has personal connections.
Achievements
Vitali Klitschko is one of the brightest and most influential personalities of modern Ukraine. He has many achievements that have set him apart from other representatives of boxing, politics and society. Here are some of them:
- He has never lost a world title in a fight, but only vacated it due to injury or refusal to defend it.
- Together with his brother Volodymyr, he simultaneously held all the world championship belts according to the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring.
- He won the world title in three different decades: 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.
- He earned a doctorate in sports and sociology.
- He became the mayor of Kyiv, one of the largest and most important cities in Europe.
- He received Germany’s highest award, the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
- He became the founder and chairman of the Boxing Without Borders World Organization, which aims to popularize boxing among children and youth, provide them with sports equipment, coaches, medical care, education and social support.
- He has become a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, UNICEF, UNESCO, the European Union, the German Children in Need Foundation, the International Heart for Children Foundation, the International Federation of Sport for All and many other organizations involved in the protection of human rights, assistance to children, the fight against poverty, violence, drug addiction, AIDS, cancer, environmental issues and terrorism.
Conclusion
Vitali Klitschko is an outstanding, talented, courageous and influential personality who has made a significant contribution to the development of boxing, politics and society. He is a role model, a defender of his country, a friend of his people, and a leader in his industry. He has high moral qualities, deep knowledge, broad interests, a big heart and a strong spirit. He does not rest on his laurels, but constantly strives for new challenges, goals and dreams. He embodies the ideals of dignity, honor, courage, intelligence and love.
He is the pride of Ukraine and the whole world.
We hope that you found our article on Vitali Klitschko’s biography useful and interesting. We would like to end it with a few quotes from Klitschko that reflect his outlook on life:
- “If you want to change the world, start with yourself.”
- Boxing is not only a sport, but also a school of life.”
- “The most important thing is to believe in yourself and not give up.”
- “A true champion is someone who gets up after falling down.”
- “Life is a fight, and a fight is life.”
- “I love my country and am ready to defend it from any threat.”
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Dmytro Komarov
![Іван Франко](https://biography.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ivan-franko-75x75.jpg)