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by T.K. Stewart
For former heavyweight titlist Vitali Klitschko, a product of the old sport schools from the glory days of the Soviet Empire, his has been a boxing career that is sometimes seen as a secretive, KGB-like journey through the murky underworld that is professional boxing.
Klitschko, the son of a former Soviet Air Force Colonel, makes his long awaited return to the squared circle in less than two weeks and for his rabid fans it will be a much celebrated occasion. He has been away from the rigors of the ring for nearly four years, but because of his favored status with Jose Sulaiman's WBC, he will go straight to Berlin, Germany and into a title shot against Samuel 'The Nigerian Nightmare' Peter.
Vitali and his younger brother Wladimir (the belt holder of the IBF and WBO titles) are aiming to fulfill a boyhood fantasy of holding versions of the heavyweight championship simultaneously.
"Without dreams, life is boring," says the 37 year old Vitali. "For years it has been my dream to be a world champion at the same time as my brother."
Klitschko retired from boxing in 2005 because he was repeatedly stricken with a host of training injuries. He suffered from everything to a bum shoulder to a bad back to a thigh injury to a creaky knee. Some blamed the injuries on anabolic steroids and Klitschko once tested positive for the banned substances as an amateur. In 2005 he went through a period where his enormous body (6'7 1/2" tall and 250 pounds) was breaking down on him all at once. Instead of continuing, Klitschko, then the WBC heavyweight titlist, simply retired.
What was interesting to watch, is that each time he was injured, Klitschko would be quickly whisked off by his handlers to a clandestine hospital somewhere in the heart of Europe - or even Southern California (What's the difference?). It was tough to determine whether he was operated on, simply rehabbed or if he was really injured at all as he was usually kept far from the peering eyes of the free press. [details]
For former heavyweight titlist Vitali Klitschko, a product of the old sport schools from the glory days of the Soviet Empire, his has been a boxing career that is sometimes seen as a secretive, KGB-like journey through the murky underworld that is professional boxing.
Klitschko, the son of a former Soviet Air Force Colonel, makes his long awaited return to the squared circle in less than two weeks and for his rabid fans it will be a much celebrated occasion. He has been away from the rigors of the ring for nearly four years, but because of his favored status with Jose Sulaiman's WBC, he will go straight to Berlin, Germany and into a title shot against Samuel 'The Nigerian Nightmare' Peter.
Vitali and his younger brother Wladimir (the belt holder of the IBF and WBO titles) are aiming to fulfill a boyhood fantasy of holding versions of the heavyweight championship simultaneously.
"Without dreams, life is boring," says the 37 year old Vitali. "For years it has been my dream to be a world champion at the same time as my brother."
Klitschko retired from boxing in 2005 because he was repeatedly stricken with a host of training injuries. He suffered from everything to a bum shoulder to a bad back to a thigh injury to a creaky knee. Some blamed the injuries on anabolic steroids and Klitschko once tested positive for the banned substances as an amateur. In 2005 he went through a period where his enormous body (6'7 1/2" tall and 250 pounds) was breaking down on him all at once. Instead of continuing, Klitschko, then the WBC heavyweight titlist, simply retired.
What was interesting to watch, is that each time he was injured, Klitschko would be quickly whisked off by his handlers to a clandestine hospital somewhere in the heart of Europe - or even Southern California (What's the difference?). It was tough to determine whether he was operated on, simply rehabbed or if he was really injured at all as he was usually kept far from the peering eyes of the free press. [details]
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