Vitali Klitschko has been describing the illness which forced his younger brother Wladimir to withdraw from this Saturday's world championship defense against Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck. The match was called off after the Ukrainian underwent surgery to have a kidney stone removed in Dusseldorf, Germany last Saturday.
"This was unexpected," said Vitali, speaking in Kiev. "Wladimir had never thought he would have such issues. The small stone, three to four millimetres, was successfully removed by endoscopic method. But unfortunately there was a complication related to renal inflammation which required treatment with high doses of antibiotics. Fighting in such conditions is too risky."
Despite 60 professional bouts, Vitali says his younger brother had not experienced discomfort anything quite like it.
"He says he has never felt such pain," said Vitali. "Even though he is used to enduring pain being in such a sport. However, this is now in the past and he has only a few days of therapy left."
The 35-year-old Vladimir Klitschko, who holds the IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA versions of the title, was looking to clinch his 50th knockout from 60 professional bouts against former cruiserweight world champion Mormeck.
Vitali, holds the only other major heavyweight belt, the WBC title.
The Klitschko brothers promote Ukranian welterweight Maxim Bursak, who was showing his World Welterweight Championship belt to the media in Kiev.
