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The WBC feels sadness for the retirement of the heavyweight champion of the world, Vitali Klitschko, who created a good name for boxing in his career, but we consider that there is nothing more important in life than the physical and mental health of boxers as the human beings that they are. This position by Vitali Klitschko shows that he is a man of pride, dignity, and honor as a champion of the world of the WBC, as instead of fighting for the multimillion dollars that he was going to make, he preferred to respect the sport of his love and the boxing fans of the world by acting with dignity, and decided to retire.
Vitali Klitschko is not a quitter, as the world saw when he fought and was defeating Lennox Lewis, considered the very best heavyweight at least of the last decade. Klitschko strongly objected to have Dr. Wallace stop that fight in Los Angeles, when he had a very dangerous cut on his eyebrow.
Vitali Klitschko, WBC champion of the world, from Ukraine, is retiring as a champion without losing his title in the ring.
WBC President Jose Sulaiman
«Have you ever heard an American fighter being called gutless? Part of it is frustration. People want to see a definite champion and it's perfectly understandable. Along with that, there's a calculated disinformation strategy. The accusations are not sustainable. Don King and other heavyweights say things because they're unhappy Vitali is perceived to be the top heavyweight out there. There's a certain kind of envy that the Klitschkos are the only heavyweights that can generate any kind of revenue, that there are no American popular heavyweight fighters. There's envy and frustration. There's also an American sense that we've dominated the heavyweight division for most of the century and that someone has anointed Klitschko. But to suggest that there's no real injury is crazy. I spoke to the surgeon who did his back surgery and he said there was a bone spur on a nerve. The operation wasn't major as far as spinal operations go but it required three months to heal. How can I question that this guy has a torn meniscus? And the implication that he's scared of Rahman, who hasn't beaten an A list heavyweight in four years? (Laughs heartily) How nuts is that? It's every man for himself and people see things through the lens of self-interest. They either want to fight him or they're miffed he gets more attention than they do. It's fair to ask the question, is he like Grant Hill, or Ken Griffey and Steve Young or Troy Aikman, who later in their careers they start breaking down and become injury prone? There's a legitimate question about that. And it remains to be seen how a promoter works with a guy he's not sure is going to show up (healthy). Does it affect the potential gate until he goes out and fights? But the notion that he lacks courage to fight Rahman, that has to be some kind of joke. Why would he walk away from a purse of eight million dollars if he could hobble in there?»
Larry Merchant, HBO
I don't think there are too many guys that are defending a title who are going out there at less than 100%. A guy that is regarded by many as the best in the division, why risk losing a foothold? Guys who go out week after week, who have to make money now because the opportunity might not be there later might go out there. But I don't think anyone that's not flat broke or crazy would fight at less than 100%. In our culture people have this 'fight to the death mentality,' 'nothing is more important than victory.' In European sport, that isn't taught. They say it's better not to risk further injury. He got vilified (for retiring against Byrd) as a quitter, that's a cultural difference. Any question about heart was solved in the Lennox Lewis fight.
Jim Lampley, HBO
The heavyweight division is in shambles and Vitali's condition isn't helping. The division sucks. There's no clear champion who has captured the public and that's a huge problem. I know the Klitschkos and I've thought of them as honorable, so I'm not going to question Vitali's injury or his heart. Certain guys will fight through injuries, others won't fight through injuries and lose a belt. I questioned Vitali's rotator cuff injury (when Klitschko quit after the ninth round in his fight with Chris Byrd on April 1, 2000, earning his first professional loss) and made some nasty comments, but now I understand why he did it. But I'm not going to second guess a fighter's health and safety.
Promoter Lou DiBella, “DiBella Entertainment”
"I spoke to Vitali Klitschko today. I thanked him for all the great moments he gave us in the ring and wished him well and a speedy recovery. All of us at HBO Sports wish him the very best."
President of HBO Sports Ross Greenburg
«Vitali called me and we had a good conversation. I'm glad he reached out and contacted me. I have nothing but respect for him».
Promoter Bob Arum, “Top Rank”
“As long as a champion has a legitimate injury, I don't think he's really sitting on the title,” Ring Magazine Editor-in-Chief Nigel Collins responded when asked that question. “It would be different if he just refused to fight for no good reason. Klitschko's latest injury is unfortunate for all concerned, including the fans, but I don't think it's a scam to avoid fighting Rahman.
So while this is just as hard on Klitschko as it is on anyone else involved (after all, he is the one who has to recover from a bum knee), after four postponements, not one, two, or even three, of the same fight, would there ever come a point where enough is enough, even for The Ring Magazine?
“We have to take each case in its individual, but, off hand, I can’t think of a case where an injury would affect The Ring's championship policy, unless it was a career-ending injury,” said Collins, who also acknowledges that support for Vitali as a fighter and a champion will suffer some fallout.
“I think this latest postponement will reinforce anti-Klitschko sentiment among those who already felt that way and probably turn some additional fans against Vitali,” he says. “But world championships are not won and lost in the court of public opinion; they are won and lost inside the ring. The problem is that people want instant gratification, and tend to overreact when they don't get it. The Ring can't afford such an immature attitude. We're in this for the long haul and have to consider the big picture, not start changing our championship policy every time things get uncomfortable.”
Ring Magazine Editor-in-Chief Nigel Collins
The WBC feels sadness for the retirement of the heavyweight champion of the world, Vitali Klitschko, who created a good name for boxing in his career, but we consider that there is nothing more important in life than the physical and mental health of boxers as the human beings that they are. This position by Vitali Klitschko shows that he is a man of pride, dignity, and honor as a champion of the world of the WBC, as instead of fighting for the multimillion dollars that he was going to make, he preferred to respect the sport of his love and the boxing fans of the world by acting with dignity, and decided to retire.
Vitali Klitschko is not a quitter, as the world saw when he fought and was defeating Lennox Lewis, considered the very best heavyweight at least of the last decade. Klitschko strongly objected to have Dr. Wallace stop that fight in Los Angeles, when he had a very dangerous cut on his eyebrow.
Vitali Klitschko, WBC champion of the world, from Ukraine, is retiring as a champion without losing his title in the ring.
WBC President Jose Sulaiman
«Have you ever heard an American fighter being called gutless? Part of it is frustration. People want to see a definite champion and it's perfectly understandable. Along with that, there's a calculated disinformation strategy. The accusations are not sustainable. Don King and other heavyweights say things because they're unhappy Vitali is perceived to be the top heavyweight out there. There's a certain kind of envy that the Klitschkos are the only heavyweights that can generate any kind of revenue, that there are no American popular heavyweight fighters. There's envy and frustration. There's also an American sense that we've dominated the heavyweight division for most of the century and that someone has anointed Klitschko. But to suggest that there's no real injury is crazy. I spoke to the surgeon who did his back surgery and he said there was a bone spur on a nerve. The operation wasn't major as far as spinal operations go but it required three months to heal. How can I question that this guy has a torn meniscus? And the implication that he's scared of Rahman, who hasn't beaten an A list heavyweight in four years? (Laughs heartily) How nuts is that? It's every man for himself and people see things through the lens of self-interest. They either want to fight him or they're miffed he gets more attention than they do. It's fair to ask the question, is he like Grant Hill, or Ken Griffey and Steve Young or Troy Aikman, who later in their careers they start breaking down and become injury prone? There's a legitimate question about that. And it remains to be seen how a promoter works with a guy he's not sure is going to show up (healthy). Does it affect the potential gate until he goes out and fights? But the notion that he lacks courage to fight Rahman, that has to be some kind of joke. Why would he walk away from a purse of eight million dollars if he could hobble in there?»
Larry Merchant, HBO
I don't think there are too many guys that are defending a title who are going out there at less than 100%. A guy that is regarded by many as the best in the division, why risk losing a foothold? Guys who go out week after week, who have to make money now because the opportunity might not be there later might go out there. But I don't think anyone that's not flat broke or crazy would fight at less than 100%. In our culture people have this 'fight to the death mentality,' 'nothing is more important than victory.' In European sport, that isn't taught. They say it's better not to risk further injury. He got vilified (for retiring against Byrd) as a quitter, that's a cultural difference. Any question about heart was solved in the Lennox Lewis fight.
Jim Lampley, HBO
The heavyweight division is in shambles and Vitali's condition isn't helping. The division sucks. There's no clear champion who has captured the public and that's a huge problem. I know the Klitschkos and I've thought of them as honorable, so I'm not going to question Vitali's injury or his heart. Certain guys will fight through injuries, others won't fight through injuries and lose a belt. I questioned Vitali's rotator cuff injury (when Klitschko quit after the ninth round in his fight with Chris Byrd on April 1, 2000, earning his first professional loss) and made some nasty comments, but now I understand why he did it. But I'm not going to second guess a fighter's health and safety.
Promoter Lou DiBella, “DiBella Entertainment”
"I spoke to Vitali Klitschko today. I thanked him for all the great moments he gave us in the ring and wished him well and a speedy recovery. All of us at HBO Sports wish him the very best."
President of HBO Sports Ross Greenburg
«Vitali called me and we had a good conversation. I'm glad he reached out and contacted me. I have nothing but respect for him».
Promoter Bob Arum, “Top Rank”
“As long as a champion has a legitimate injury, I don't think he's really sitting on the title,” Ring Magazine Editor-in-Chief Nigel Collins responded when asked that question. “It would be different if he just refused to fight for no good reason. Klitschko's latest injury is unfortunate for all concerned, including the fans, but I don't think it's a scam to avoid fighting Rahman.
So while this is just as hard on Klitschko as it is on anyone else involved (after all, he is the one who has to recover from a bum knee), after four postponements, not one, two, or even three, of the same fight, would there ever come a point where enough is enough, even for The Ring Magazine?
“We have to take each case in its individual, but, off hand, I can’t think of a case where an injury would affect The Ring's championship policy, unless it was a career-ending injury,” said Collins, who also acknowledges that support for Vitali as a fighter and a champion will suffer some fallout.
“I think this latest postponement will reinforce anti-Klitschko sentiment among those who already felt that way and probably turn some additional fans against Vitali,” he says. “But world championships are not won and lost in the court of public opinion; they are won and lost inside the ring. The problem is that people want instant gratification, and tend to overreact when they don't get it. The Ring can't afford such an immature attitude. We're in this for the long haul and have to consider the big picture, not start changing our championship policy every time things get uncomfortable.”
Ring Magazine Editor-in-Chief Nigel Collins
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