Wladimir Klitschko

At 48 years old, Wladimir Klitschko has this physical status:

Amateur career

Klitschko started training in amateur boxing with Brovary Olympic Reserve School in the late 1980s. Klitschko was coached in Poland's Gwardia Warszawa boxing club in the early 1990s, where, according to Jerzy Kulej, "he and his brother used to demolish our boys." He gained the Junior European Championships as a heavyweight in 1993. He finished second at the Junior World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1994, losing to Cuban Michel López Nez in the finals. He captured the gold medal at the Military Championships in Ariccia, Italy, beating Luan Krasniqi, who had lost in the third round of the World Championships in Berlin, Germany earlier this year. He took 2nd place at the European Championships in Vejle, Denmark, defeating Alexei Lezin in the finals. In the semi-finals at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, he defeated Lezin later that year. He had a 134–6 record as an amateur.

He first attracted worldwide notice at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. He defeated Paea Wolfgramm to win the Superweight gold medal.

Here are a few of Wladimir Klitschko's most notable contributions in amateur boxing:

Professional career

Klitschko, a former employee of Universum Box-Promotion in Hamburg under Fritz Sdunek's tutelage, is often seen on battle cards alongside his elder brother Vitali. He lost his first game to 24-13–1 Ross Puritty in what was Klitschko's first and only professional fight in Ukraine, after building an undefeated record of 24–0 with 21 KOs. Purity compelled Klitschko to punch himself out after being unable to go beyond eight rounds at the time. Klitschko started to be overwhelmed in the tenth round and collapsed twice, but was allowed to continue. With Puritty's land hard punches notwithstanding, Klitschko's boss, Fritz Sdunek, entered the arena and suspended the match, leaving Puritty dead on the eleventh round. Vitali Klitschko's brother Vitali stopped Puritty in the eleventh round himself three years ago. Klitschko defeated Paea Wolfgramm, a fellow wrestler who had competed previously in the 1996 super-heavyweight Olympic finals. Klitschko beat Wolfgramm out in the first round of a professional match.

On October 14, 2000, Wladimir Klitschko had a chance to fight for the world heavyweight championship against WBO champion Chris Byrd. Byrd, one of the most feared fighters in the heavyweight division at the time, took the title six months earlier on April 1st, being a late replacement for Donovan Ruddock. Byrd was trailing on the scorecards (83–88, 82–89, & 82–89), but the winner was declared the champion after Vitali retired on his stool between 9th and 10th rounds due to shoulder injury. "Reality Of The Brother" was scheduled to take place at Kölnarena in Cologne by Byrd's title defense against Wladimir. Wladimir claimed the WBO world heavyweight championship from Byrd by a wide unanimous decision (UD) with scores of 120–106, 107–107, and 118–108, flooring his opponents twice, in a fight that was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United Kingdom.

Klitschko's first WBO title defense came against Derrick Jefferson on March 24, 2001. Jefferson, a large and athletic brawler as well as a fan-friendly attraction, was winning in 26 bouts, with 19 of them winning within the first three rounds (11 of them in the first round). Jefferson was best known for his sixth-round (KO) of Maurice Harris, which was dubbed The Ring Knockout of the Year in 1999. He was 4–2 in the first six fights, losing by technical foul out (TKO) to David Izon in a match he was winning on the scorecards but collapsed himself out in round four, and Oleg Maskaev was fourth in round four after breaking an ankle during the first knockdown in the first round.

Jefferson weighed in at 260.25 pounds, the heaviest in his career and 20 pounds heavier than his previous bout. The added weight seemed to be muscle mass. There were only two rounds in the match. Klitschko beat Jefferson down with a short left hook in the first round. Jefferson's left eye was swollen after the first round. Klitschko knocked him down twice more in round two, once with a straight right hand and again with another left hook, with the game being called off after the last knockdown, declaring Klitschko the winner by TKO in the second round. Klitschko received $1 million for the fight.

Klitschko's next title defense was set less than five months later on August 4, 2001. Charles Shufford, a hometown fighter, was defeated at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Paradise, Nevada, on Monday. Shufford had a 17–1 record at the time, coming off victories over Jimmy Thunder and Lamon Brewster. Shufford weighed in at 234 pounds, 17 pounds lighter than in his previous match. Shufford, who had appeared in Ali's film George Foreman, met Smith by his side. Klitschko knocked Shufford down three times, once in round two, and once in round three with a left hook), and then in round six with a left hook, with referee stopping the match after the third knockdown. Klitschko delivered 58% of 262 punches (22%) and Shufford connected on 16 of 190 (8%), according to punch estimates.

Klitschko returned to Germany for his second round of the WBO Championship over Francois Botha. The fight took place in Stuttgart, Germany, where Botha had defeated Axel Schulz for the IBF title six years ago in the most watched boxing match in German television history. Botha was in the best shape of his career, according to Botha's coach Abel Sanchez. In the first round, the South African contender was trying to hit Klitschko with the right hook but Klitschko was able to keep him at the end of his jab. Klitschko caught him with a counter right hand and then struck Botha with multiple shots, knocking him down with a left hook in the eighth round. Botha got up, but the referee brought the fight to a halt, but he was unsteady on his feet and had both eyes swollen.

Klitschko's next title defense was scheduled three months later, against former WBO heavyweight champion Ray Mercer on June 29, 2002 at Etess Arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Klitschko competed for the first time in his professional career when he met an Olympic Gold medalist. Since being battled Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield throughout his career, the 41-year old Mercer's career was expected to be a tough challenge for Klitschko, his second common opponent (along with Francois Botha) and a match similar to Lewis versus Tyson. Mercer referred to Klitschko as "Russian Tommy Morrison" during the match's build-up. Mercer had won four fights against journeymen, three of whom had been eliminated in two rounds prior to the Klitschko bout in 2001.

Klitschko dominated Mercer throughout the entire tournament, defeating Mercer in the sixth round. Klitschko dropped Mercer with a left hook at 2:48 of the first round, making him only the second man to drop Mercer. Klitschko was often landing combinations of stiff left jabs, left hooks, and straight right hands during the fight. By the fifth round, Mercer's face had swollen and his right eye had been cut. Klitschko unleashed a barrage of punches in the sixth ringing, causing the referee to call off the match. Klitschko became the first fighter to defeat Mercer within the distance. According to CompuBox results, Klitschko delivered 193 total punches out of 429 (104 power punches out of 167), while Mercer fired 54 shots out of 124 (only 5 power punches were thrown out of 104).

Klitschko returned to Mandalay Bay Event Center for his sixth defense against Jameel McCline on December 7, 2002. Since beating Michael Grant and then halting him in 43 seconds, McCline, who made his professional boxing debut in 1995, became a leading candidate. McCline had defeated two more heavyweight opponents, Lance Whitaker and Shannon Briggs, by wide unanimous decisions prior to fighting Klitschko. McCline was of equal height and a longer reach than Klitschko, but also being 22 lbs heavier. According to several opinion polls, Klitschko had a 60–40 edge over McCline. Floyd Mayweather Jr. appeared in the main event of the card against Jose Luis Castillo, who was also defending the WBC lightweight champion.

Klitschko won almost every round with his jab and good footwork, but the match was tense. Klitschko staggered McCline with a slew of left hooks and overhand rights, and then smashed him down with a left-right combination at the end of the tenth round. McCline's team threw in the towel before the eleventh round, giving Klitschko his 36th career victory by stoppage. The scorecards were 98–91, 99–90 (twice), all in favour of the champion at the time of the suspension. According to CompuBox results, Klitschko landed 181 of his 433 punches fired (42 percent), and McCline landed 60 percent of 307 (20%).

Chris Byrd, whom Klitschko defeated for the WBO world championship, beat Evander Holyfield the following week.

Universum then signed a 4-fight contract with Corrie Sanders, who was ranked No.9 by WBO at the time, after struggling to reach an understanding with Kirk Johnson, Fres Oquendo, Lou Savarese, and Danny Williams. Sanders' first fight was supposed to be for the WBO world heavyweight championship, according to the pact. The brawl was set to take place in Hanover, Germany, on March 8, 2003. Klitschko later admitted that he was unmotivated and was already planning about the holiday after the war. Klitschko lost a TKO to Sanders in a thrilling TKO draw. With thirty seconds remaining in the first round, Wladimir fired a jab at Sanders, but the Klitschko pushed back with a big left hook, forcing Klitschko to face Klitschko. Sanders landed another left hook in the clinch, sending Klitschko to the canvas. Klitschko got up but was then dismissed almost immediately. Sanders continued his assault on a physically injured Klitschko, knocking him twice more at the start of the round. After the fourth knockdown, the referee called it off. By The Ring in 2003, the combat was dubbed Upset of the Year.

Klitschko defeated Lamon Brewster in Las Vegas on April 10, 2004, after winning two minor bouts and enlisting legendary boxing coach Emanuel Steward. Klitschko ruled Brewster through the first four rounds, sending him to the canvas in the fourth; however, the fifth brought Klitschko to a halt; Brewster's punches began backing him up. Klitschko took a standing eight count, despite not protecting himself and leaning on ropes for assistance. Klitschko collapsed to the ground after the alarm, and the referee called off the fight for his safety. "Wladimir was in phenomenal shape" when speaking about the war, Emmanuel Steward said. I've never seen anything like this in my life. I know how a boxer feels when it comes off punches. Wladimir's problems were undoubtedly caused by something else.

Klitschko was admitted to the hospital shortly after the incident. Klitschko's blood sugar levels were almost two times higher than the permissible average, according to an investigation. Klitschko had been "inches away" from going into a diabetic coma, according to Klitschko's team, and the doctor said Klitschko had been "inches away" from falling into a diabetic coma, and that with a blood sugar level that high, Klitschko would have been unfit to handle a single proper training session. He became sick with nausea after returning from the hospital, which was followed by physical exhaustion. He arrived in Las Vegas on April 12 and donated blood and urine samples for an independent examination that was supposed to be carried out by Donald Katlin, who specialized in such situations. There were no signs of anabolic steroids in his blood, according to Katlin, but Klitschko may have been poisoned with Haloperidol. There is no taste or smell of the drug, and it causes mental disorders that are often associated with a lack of coordination, weakening reaction, and general physical impairment. Klitschko ordered that the tests performed by the Medical Center of South Nevada and the Nevada Quest Diagnostics be sent to Dr. Robert Wow for further study, but the A sample had already been returned to the Medical Center of South Nevada and the Nevada Quest Diagnostics for further study, although the B sample, which was supposed to be stored for years, was destroyed. Dr Margaret Goodman, the chairwoman of the Nevada State Athletic Commission's medical advisory board and Nevada's chief ringside physician, was in the ring and attending Klitschko seconds after the referee called the contest off. After further tests, she was confirmed as having a Grade 3 concussion. Goodman was skeptical of the allegations that Klitschko had been drugged.

FBI opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the conflict. Judd Bernstein, the counsel representing Klitschko, argued he was a victim of an ongoing battle fixing in Las Vegas (which also contained fraudulent medical records), which was investigated by the FBI at the time. Bernstein and several other journalists pointed out that the betting odds in favour of Klitschko have fallen dramatically from 11-to-1 to 3,5-to-1 in the last 48 hours leading up to the fight. According to journalist Keith Teixeira, a group of about 40 people associated with Brewster's manager Sam Simon bet from $50,000 to $100,000 on Brewster's victory. Members of Klitschko's team also pointed out that a security camera caught a moment when two people entered Klitschko's booth and waited for four minutes. These people had badges, but they weren't members of Wladimir's staff. Vitali, the boxer's assistant's, had already been registered on someone else, and that such card would allow the owner of the building to access any sporting hall.

Joe Souza, the Wladimir's cutman, was shot and killed after the brawl. Souza used vaseline on Wladimir's face but also his body during the war, something that hadn't been done in any of Klitschko's previous battles. Jacob "Stitch" Duran was brought on as a replacement.

Klitschko started his journey back to the top of the heavyweight division after losing to Brewster. He met DaVarryl Williamson, a hard-hitting player. The machinists took place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Williamson was knocked out of the second round by a mere forty seconds, but the remainder of the match was tense. Klitschko bleeding from a cut above his right eye in the closing seconds of the fifth round due to an accidental headbutt. Due to the cut, the match was postponed, with Klitschko being proclaimed the champion by technical decision. Two of the judges scored the match identically 49-46 in favour of Klitschko, while the third judge had Williamson defeated 48–47.

Klitschko signed to face Samuel Peter in an IBF and WBO eliminator after defeating Eliseo Castillo by fourth-round TKO. Klitschko was seen by some as the underdog in the match against the 7-to-five favorites Peter who had won all of his 24 fights, with 21 of them ending within the distance. Samuel Peter was considered one of the top candidates in the heavyweight division at the time. Peter was expected to win by Distinguished boxing coaches Angelo Dundee and Teddy Atlas. The Wladimir's crew, as well as his brother Vitali, was worried about Wladimir and refused to participate in this conflict, and they were opposed to it. However, Wladimir kept fighting Peter, claiming that beating a feared, hard-hitting fighter like Samuel Peter would help him regain his confidence and make him a legitimate contender for two heavyweight belts.

The first four rounds were tentative, with Klitschko playing behind the jab not allowing Peter to close the distance. Peter staggered Klitschko with a strong left hook at the end of the third series. Klitschko was struck again in the fifth by a new left hook, throwing Klitschko and Klitschko to the ground with the rabbit punch. The referee described it as the knockdown. After Klitschko got up, Peter went for the gun and let him know with the rabbit punch. It was the second knockdown, according to the referee. Klitschko regained confidence and outboxed Peter through the ninth round, with Peter frequently hitting Klitschko with the rabbit punch while recovering from a clinch. Nearly at the end of the tenth round, Peter staggered Wladimir with a hard right hand, eventually leading Klitschko to the canvas with a different right as Wladimir came back to the table. Klitschko was trying to keep Peter at bay by punching him in the 11th and 12th rounds. In the last round, Peter was catching him on a left hook but was unable to profit from it. Klitschko got him with a brutal counter left hook of his own, stubbing Peter for the first time in the fight. Klitschko eventually won the contest by a clear majority decision (UD). The judges rated the match identically 114–111.

Klitschko met Chris Byrd for the second time in Mannheim, Germany, on April 22, 2006, this time for the IBF heavyweight championships. Byrd was rated as the best heavyweight by The Ring at the time of the fight, while Klitschko came in eighth, while Klitschko was ranked eighth. Klitschko was considered the favorite going into the match. Many analysts expected Klitschko to win Byrd in the same way as in their first match.

In the seventh round, Klitschko defeated Byrd by TKO, becoming a two-time world champion in the process. Klitschko dominated the fight with his jab and superior reach, knocking Byrd down twice, once in round five and once in round seven. After the second knockdown, Byrd beat the count, but his face was battered and bloody, and the game was called off. Judge Roy Francis was the challenger in every round, at the time of the suspension, though two other judges, Steve Epstein and Robert Hoyle, allotted Klitschko to just one round.

Klitschko made his first title defense against then-undefeated heavyweight contender Calvin Brock. Brock was considered one of the most promising and coveted American heavyweight prospects at the time, with a record of 29–0, 22 KOs. Mike Tyson and Samuel Peter were named as his favorite fighters from the new crop of heavyweights in an ESPN interview in July 2005. Brock demonstrated his confidence in his abilities in the build-up: "I can adapt to any style." He's big like Jameel McCline but he's a good fighter. I will defy the world's best heavyweight champion. Klitschko has a good jab, but Timur's best weapon, according to them, was his jab. I have a good jab myself. "I can adapt to anybody's style, anyone's strength, and then turn their weapon against them." "The heavyweight division is stacked with a lot of talent," he denied claims that the division lacks significant competition." It's not weak, but it is certainly not poor. The division is very tight, and that's why the title keeps changing hands."

The fight took place in Madison Square Garden on November 11, 2006. With Wladimir's inability to fully establish his rhythm in the first rounds, Brock's economical and efficient movement made Klitschko reluctant to punch punches. Klitschko's boss, Emmanuel Steward, pleaded with Wladimir to press the fight in the third and fourth rounds. Klitschko started fighting more often, even causing Brock multiple times with the right cross. Brock suffered a cut in the fifth round under Klitschko's left eye, which began bleeding heavily in the sixth. In the seventh round, Wladimir caught Brock with a counter-right hand before leading him to the canvas with a different straight right. Brock was able to get up but he was unable to stand up because of his feet, prompting the referee to call a halt to the match.

On March 10, 2007, Klitschko met mandatory challenger Ray Austin at the SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany. Austin, 36, was most well-known for draws against Sultan Ibragimov, Larry Donald, and Lance Whitaker. Austin was coached by a well-known coach in preparation for the fight. Klitschko won by a second-round KO with four straight left hooks to Austin's head. Klitschko did not have a single right hand in the confrontation.

Klitschko beat Lamon Brewster on 7 July 2007, in Cologne, Germany, reversing one of his previous losses. The referee begged Brewster to call the match off at the end of the sixth round. Klitschko fought the majority of the war with a fractured middle finger on his left hand, according to a later report.

Wladimir Klitschko began talks with then-WBO world heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov regarding the unification showdown in the near future by the end of October 2007. This will be the first heavyweight unification match since September 13, 1999, when Lennox Lewis, the WBC champion, defeated then-WBA and IBF champion Evander Holyfield. Klitschko and Ibragimov officially signed the agreement for their unification match, which took place at Madison Square Garden on November 20, 2010. A first pre-fight press conference was held in Moscow two days later. Klitschko began preparing for the fight on December 18th. His preparation camp was located between Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and Palm Beach, Florida. On December 25, Ibragimov began preparing for the fight. Jameel McCline, Klitschko's former defiant, and Swedish heavyweight prospect Attila Levin were among Ibragimov's sparring partners.

The vast majority of Ukrainian, Russian, and American observers expected Klitschko to win by either stoppage or unanimous decision in the pre-fight prediction. Five journalists of the Ukrainian newspaper Ring, five of whom predicted Klitschko to beat Ibragimov, but only one expected Klitschko to win by decision. 24 of the 26 members of boxingscene.com expected Klitschko to win by KO/TKO – one expert predicted that the winner would come out as the winner, while the remaining five were uncertain about either possibility. By decision, the remaining two experts expected Ibragimov to win by the means. Klitschko was favored to win by ten of the 12 members of Ringsidereport.com, with eight of them predicting the victory would be decided by KO/TKO. The remaining two selected Ibragimov to win by stoppage. Klitschko's manager, Emmanuel Steward, said Sultan Ibragimov would be Wladimir's toughest opponent to date, lauding Ibragimov for his hand speed and stamina, while Klitschko praised Ibragimov for his victories in all 23 matches, with the sole draw being against Ray Austin. His amateur career can be described as thrilling, and the fact that he is the world's best heavyweight champion tells us a lot about his work as well. I believe he is a tenacious and deadly foe, and he should not be underestimated. "His last two fights against Shannon Briggs and Evander Holyfield demonstrated that." Jeff Mayweather, the Ibragimov's manager, was optimistic that Ibragimov would be able to find his rhythm and "press Klitschko to the corner." "Sultan Ibragimov knocks out this Ukraine gay, motherf***er," one of the interviews revealed. Grinberg apologised to Klitschko later. Klitschko weighed in at 238 pounds (108 kilograms), the lightest since 1999, when Ibragimov's weight was 219 pounds (99 kg), his lowest since 2005.

Both fighters fought stiflingly from the outset, avoiding dangers. Klitschko retreated to the outside, fighting at a distance and remaining unattainable for Ibragimov, who tried to establish his right jab but was constantly threatened by Klitschko. Klitschko's jab became more apparent by the end of the first round, while Ibragimov struggled to apprehend Wladimir with a series of right and left hooks. Klitschko took over the ring's center by the third round, retaining Ibragimov at the end of his left jab and occasionally throwing right jabs as well. Klitschko defeated Ibragimov with a straight right hand in the fifth round, but Ibragimov seemed to be unhurt. Klitschko tied up the majority of Ibragimov's attempts to close the distance. The situation did not improve in the second half of the match, with Klitschko holding Ibragimov at bay with straight shots, while Ibragimov only managed to occasionally see Klitschko. From the sixth round onwards, Ibragimov's corner was virtually silent, with no one around to give their man any meaningful advice. Klitschko's dominance became even more apparent after he knocked Ibragimov in round nine straight right, almost knocking him down. With a counter left hook at the end of the eleventh, he caught Ibragimov once more. Ibragimov struggled to stop Klitschko with overhand shots in the twelfth round. In the end, the contest went down, with Klitschko proclaimed the king by unanimous vote. The judges rated the contest 119–110, 117–111, and 118–110. According to reports, Klitschko earned $9 million for the fight. He gave the Bronx's Laureus Sport for Good Foundation $500,000 of his income.

Observers and well-known boxing public figures had sluggishly sluggish about the fight. Bob Arum, a boxing promoter, called the confrontation "complete shame," while Dan Goossen called it "awful." Klitschko fought for the majority of the fight "only with his left hand," boxing journalist Phil Santos said, proving that he is the world's best heavyweight. Santos also stated that such a conservative, safety-first style would not help Klitschko to rise his fame in the United States. Some commentators were more dismissive of Klitschko's results: "It's really sad that so many people, people who know nothing about boxing, believe that Klitschko's reign means stagnation for the heavyweight division." There's no denying that Klitschko will go down as one of the all-time greats once he collects all the belts. Well, he fights cautiously and isn't about to swap shots, but who told us that boxing's greatness is determined by the number of knockdowns? Why is it that the boxer who can not be struck with a strong shot in the course of twelve rounds is less strong than those who have sacrificed their health in favour of success?"

Klitschko was unquestionable adversary Tony Thompson on July 12, 2008. The match took place at Color Line Arena in Hamburg, Germany, the same venue where Thompson defeated then-highly regarded German boxer Luan Krasniqi in a WBO world heavyweight title eliminator just over a year ago. Klitschko praised Thompson for his defensive abilities in the run-up to the fight, but Klitschko's manager, Emmanuel Steward, described Thompson as "one of the most difficult battles we'll have." Thompson promised in the pre-fight interview that he would not run away from Klitschko but that he'll stand in front of him and fight toe-toe. Thompson, who was 6 foot 5 in height with 8112 in reach, was of the same height and reach as Klitschko. Many analysts expected Thompson to be a tough fight for Klitschko, predicting Klitschko to triumph by TKO in the second half of the match before the fighters advance to the championship rounds. Klitschko weighed in at 241 pounds, 6.5 pounds lighter than Thompson, when he was introduced to the fight.

The first two rounds were tentative, with Klitschko clearly having trouble with Thompson's awkward southpaw style. Thompson was the first round judge for the first round by the three judges. Both fighters sustained a cut above the right eye after an accidental headbutt in the second round. After Thompson caught him with the right hook in the fifth round, Klitschko's eye began to swell. Klitschko had a definite advantage in the third round, however, damaging Thompson with many straight right hands. Both fighters started showing signs of exhaustion after the seventh round. Thompson collapsed to the ground in the tenth round of a clinch. Thompson seemed to have slowed down rather than being pushed by Klitschko, rather than being pushed by Klitschko. Klitschko caught Thompson with the straight right hand, something Thompson did not see coming, crashing to the ground again, with the referee now counting. Thompson won the count but was unsteady on his feet, prompting the referee to call the fight off. Klitschko was undisputedly winning on the scorecards at the time of the suspension, with scores 98–92 (twice) and 99–91.

Klitschko admitted that the fight turned out to be more difficult than anticipated, and that it has been a long time since I last had a black eye, so today I actually look like a boxer." I didn't expect the victory to come so quickly." After the war, Tony Thompson said, "I was exhausted, I felt he was exhausted," he said. "He did what a great champion did, he took advantage of me while I was hurt." My only thing that makes me sad is my heart. Emmanuel Steward said the knockout sequence demonstrated the difference between a strong heavyweight and the world's best heavyweight: "They were all tired, but Wladimir came back with a second wind." The Wladimir experience is what inspired them to come back with the second wind and to have the opportunity to win the stoppage match." Lennox Lewis, the former world heavyweight champion, lauded Klitschko for his feat: "I've been watching Klitschko for a long time, and he's improving with every fight." In the meantime, world cruiserweight champion David Haye chastised him for his performance: "If he fights me in the same way he beat him out in three rounds, he will be knocked out in three rounds." He has the perfect style for me. I don't want him to have any more fights before me because I don't want someone else to do what I would do against him." According to reports, Klitschko earned €8 million (roughly $12.7 million) for the tournament.

Klitschko had intended to defend his titles against Alexander Povetkin in 2008, but Povetkin pulled out of the match due to an ankle injury on October 25th. Rather, Klitschko met Hasim Rahman on December 13, 2008, and won by TKO. It was Klitschko's third time to face at the SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany. He dominated the fight, winning every round and making good use of his left jab. Rahman seemed to be unable to withstand Klitschko's punch power. Klitschko knocked Rahman down with a sequence of left hooks in the sixth round, leaving Rahman disoriented. The referee warned Rahman that if Rahman continues receiving retaliation without firing back, he's going to end the match. Rahman was eventually disqualified from the competition in the 7th round after he failed to react to a sequence of shots. Klitschko was leading all three judges' scorecards at the time of the suspension, 60–53, and 60–47. According to CompuBox, Klitschko hit 194 punches (50.4% accuracy) to Rahman's 35 (16.8% accuracy), a nearly six-fold disparity.

Klitschko had intended to meet David Haye on June 20th, 2009, but Haye pulled out within weeks of the match due to a back injury. A handful of heavyweight fighters, such as Alexander Povetkin, Chazz Witherspoon, James Toney, Odlanier Solis, Dominick Guinn, and Eddie Chambers, expressed their interest in swapping Haye for the Klitschko showdown right after news of his death broke into the public. Rather, Klitschko's team began talks with Ruslan Chagaev, who was rated third best heavyweight in the world by The Ring, and WBA World champion Nikolai Valuev, who was regarded as a major draw in Germany at the time. Klitschko eventually reached an understanding with Chagaev, who agreed to act as a last-minute replacement (Valuev's team wanted the fight to be postponed until fall of this year). According to some, Chagaev was a more enthralling for Klitschko than Haye, given his rank in the rankings and the fact that, alongside WBO and IBF world titles, vacant The Ring world heavyweight title was also on the line. In the pre-fight comparison, the Ring was giving Klitschko a leg up on power, speed, and athletic ability, as well as experience, while still lauding Chagaev for his solids and footwork. Both fighters were described as of equal effort in terms of technique.

Max Schmeling knocked out Adolf Heuser in front of 70,000 people in Gelsenkirchen, Germany's biggest audience since 1939. Klitschko dominated the fight, retaining Chagaev at the end of his jab and then striking the right hand if necessary. Klitschko dropped Chagaev near the end of the second round, but the team was growing more offensive as the game progressed. Michael Timm, Chagaev's manager, did not allow Chagaev to qualify for the tenth round, causing the referee to call the match off, declaring Klitschko the champion by corner retirement (RTD). Even though the WBA title was not on the line, many saw Klitschko as the rightful champion.

K2 Promotions, Klitschko's command group, announced on December 9, 2009, that a fight with Eddie Chambers had been scheduled to take place in Germany on March 20. This mandatory title defense, which had been planned for December 2009, had to be postponed due to a hand injury suffered by Klitschko while training that required surgery. Klitschko characterized Chambers as "the best American heavyweight right now" in the run-up to the war. The Ring gave Chambers the upper hand in speed and athletic ability, as well as defense, in the pre-fight comparison, while awarding Klitschko as more efficient and experienced. The show in the United States was not televised by any television station, but it was broadcast on the Klitschko's official website for $14.95. In Düsseldorf, Germany, the official venue was the multi-functional football stadium ESPRIT Arena.

The contest ended up being one-sided, with the champion winning rounds retaining Chambers at the end of his jab and then occasionally throwing straight right hands. Chambers lifted Klitschko and arrested him several times in the first round, but no one was disqualified nor warned. Despite easily winning on the scorecards, Klitschko was chastised by his manager Emmanuel Steward for not fighting aggressively in both the championship rounds. Klitschko picked up his speed during the final round and landed a left hook on Chambers' temple with just seconds remaining. Chambers were forced to sit down and lose consciousness for a lengthy period of time as a result of the punch. The referee stepped in and called an end to the game. It's the only stoppage loss of Chambers' career.

Following the match with Chambers, a unification battle between Klitschko and David Haye, who had held the WBA title as of May 2009, seemed to be off limits. On YouTube, Klitschko sent out a message to boxing followers and then to David Haye directly on YouTube in April 2010. David, you've already spoken out against both Klitschko brothers twice, and now is the time to make it happen. I am officially calling you out to fight me on behalf of the boxing enthusiasts around the world. You can't run away from me forever, and you must fight this fight if you want to be respected. I'm set.

What're you waiting for?"

Haye's manager, Adam Booth, announced that the Haye would be able to tackle the challenge. Both sides started preparations for a potential confrontation, and the match was scheduled for September. The unification war between Klitschko and Haye was likely to take place in Germany rather than England as the talks progressed. On May 17, the IBF met a deadline to end talks. Haye said he wanted to fight the older Klitschko Vitali rather than Wladimir a few days before the deadline. Klitschko was supposed to face mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin, but the match did not materialize, and Klitschko was scheduled to face mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin. Klitschko's 30-day talks began against Povetkin on May 17, 2010. Negotiations to make a war against Haye were also ongoing during this time.

Klitschko and Povetkin's match was originally scheduled to take place in Frankfurt, Germany, on September 11, 2010. As Povetkin failed to appear at the press conference in September 2010, it was announced that the match would be held in Frankfurt, with Samuel Peter replacing Povetkin for the actual fight. Klitschko met Peter for the second time as they had battled in 2005. Peter weighed in at 241 pounds, two pounds less than his first battle. Klitschko was born with a weight limit of 247 pounds.

Peter got off to a good left hook in the first minute and pulled Klitschko with a good left hook in the first minute, but Klitschko ended the round well. In the second round, Peter was hit with three straight right-hands, one of which seemed to stun him. Peter was attempting to escape under the Klitschko jab, but he was being tied up on the inside. Klitschko's favor was one-sided in four rounds. Peter's right eye was closing and he was receiving serious punishment. Peter's coach Abel Sanchez said he would give him one more round after the ninth round. Emmanuel Steward pleaded with Klitschko to be more aggressive. Peter swung wildly in the tenth of the decade, and Klitschko brought him down in a thrilling combination. Referee Robert Byrd did not begin counting and waved the fight off, giving Klitschko the victory by KO. According to reports, Klitschko earned €5 million ($6.3 million) for the fight. Klitschko had been supposed to fight Derek Chisora on December 11th, but the match was postponed on December 8th due to Klitschko's tear of a muscle in his abdomen.

On January 5, 2011, it was announced that Derek Chisora would face Klitschko. On a tense live phone-in with Sky Sports News, David Haye's manager, Adam Booth, dubbed the change a "disgrace" during the investigation. Haye had denied every single one of Klitschko's demands, according to the booth. The fight against Chisora was postponed for 30 April 2011, and it was scheduled in SAP Arena, Mannheim. Klitschko had to withdraw from the fight due to not being fully recovered from a torn abdominal muscle injury, but not on March 4th. On March 5, it was then revealed that the much awaited war against Haye would take place on July 2nd. Klitschko's recovery from a torn abdominal muscle was crucial in the match. The agreement was drawn so that if Klitschko was not completely recovered, Haye would confront Vitali's brother.

Klitschko fought Haye in a heavyweight unification war for the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, IBO, and Ring magazine heavyweight titles. On July 2nd, 2011, a brawl took place at the Imtech Arena in Hamburg, Germany. Klitschko and Haye agreed to a 50-50 split of the purse, and Haye was allotted 7,000 seats at the theater. Klitschko was honoured by the University of Delaware, and the three judges ruled it 117–109, 118–108, and 116–110 in favor of Klitschko. According to CompuBox, Klitschko delivered 509 punches (26.3% accuracy), but Haye connected on 72 shots out of 290 (24.8%). In every round but not fourth, Klitschko defeated Haye. Haye revealed later that he had a broken toe on his right foot and that it had hindered his game plan for the fight because he felt he was unable to reach Klitschko as he had before. After citing his toe as a reason for his loss, Haye was strongly mocked and mocked within the boxing community and supporters. Despite this Klitschko claims that Haye was unable to fight because he was just too strong for him. According to reports, both Klitschko and Haye made $24 million each for the fight.

All of the major heavyweight titles were in the custody of the Klitschko family after winning the WBA championship. Wladimir and Vitali became the first and only pair of brothers to hold all of the heavyweight titles simultaneously.

Klitschko announced his next fight on October 6, 2011. It was originally scheduled to take place on December 10, 2011, against Jean-Marc Mormeck, the former two-time world champion (36–4, 22 KOs). The confrontation would have taken place in Düsseldorf's Esprit Arena. After beating David Haye unify all major heavyweight belts in the hands of the Klitschko brothers, this was Wladimir's first title defense. The fight was predicted to attract 500 million viewers around the world, much as Wladimir's battle against Haye. The brawl was called off on December 5, 2011, after Klitschko checked into a hospital to have a kidney stone removed. He suffered from fever and inflammation after the surgery. The fight was postponed for three months beginning in February 2012, with Klitschko dominating and knocking out Mormeck in the fourth round. CompuBox reported that in the ten minutes and twelve seconds that the match was fought, Klitschko delivered 39 of 135 punches (29%) and Mormeck landed just 3 of 19 thrown (16%). In rounds 1 and 4, Mormeck failed to land anything.

Klitschko announced on March 4 that he would face mandatory opponent Tony Thompson (36–2, 24 KOs), who had been ranked as the world's eighth best heavyweight by BoxRec at the end of the previous year, in a rematch rematch from their first fight in 2008. He said at the time that the newly opened Barclays Arena in New York was keen in showcasing a Klitschko brother. Thompson won five straight victories since last fighting, all by KO. The IBF predicted a purse split at 85%, up from the usual 75%. The fight was confirmed to take place at the Stade de Suisse in Berne, Switzerland, on July 7th. Klitschko admitted in a debate that Thompson was not his first choice and that he might have rather fought someone he had not encountered before. "I've always been the best in rematches." In the lead up to the war, Klitschko said, "I must not take this seriously because Thompson knows me better than any other fighter." During one of pre-fight press conferences, Thompson said, "I'm gonna finish what I've been waiting for since forever" in Bern." "I've been waiting for this rematch for so long." Thompson weighed in at 244.75, down 10.75 pounds from his last fight, while Klitschko weighed in at 249, his highest level in his entire career. The extra weight seemed to be muscle mass.

Both fighters were patiently learning each other in the first round. Klitschko became more popular in the second round, mainly because of his jab. Thompson went for the assault but was unsuccessful in the process. The canvas was also covered. There was no indication that it was a knockdown, but the referee did not rule it out as a knockdown. Thompson hurt Klitschko for the first time in the third round, but Klitschko was already outboxed by Klitschko. Klitschko pressed Thompson into a corner and knocked him with a straight right hand, knocking him down in the fifth round. Thompson thrashed the count, but the hurt wasn't so bad, but the round was still alive. Klitschko continued his assault in the sixth flurry of bullets, knocking Thompson down again. Thompson got up but had to hang on to the ropes in order to stand, which caused the referee to call the match off, declaring Klitschko the champion by the sixth-round TKO. "I had no doubt that I would win the titles from the start." But it was impossible to get a good shot. Thompson was elusive, he didn't lose an eye contact at any time in the fight, and he was able to see the majority of my punches," Klitschko said in a post-fight interview. It was his twelfth title defense in a row, and the third-most in heavyweight history. According to CompuBox results, Klitschko delivered 51 of 121 total punches (42%) and Thompson landed only 25 of 183 thrown (14%).

There was first hint at a potential Klitschko vs. Mariusz Wach (27-0, 15 KOs) brawl in August 2011 when Klitschko's team first approached Wach's promoters for a fight, but no one replied. Global Boxing, Wach's promoter, reported that it was Klitschko's counsel Shelly Finkel who contacted them. Bernd Boente denied these allegations. Major talks for the war began in August 2012. A date in November was suggested, but it was likely to be in Hamburg, Germany. Within days of the talks for the war, the terms were completely agreed. The fight took place on November 10th. Due to Steward's recovery from a bowel transplant, Klitschko said he would train with Johnathon Banks. Steward died on October 25 at the age of 68. It was the first time he had met a taller opponent than himself in his 16-year career. Wach, who was 2.08 meters tall and 251 pounds, was four centimeters taller than Klitschko with a reach of 2.08 meters and 251 pounds. The war in Poland was broadcast live on Canal+ Sport for 39 z and Polsat Sport for 40 z.

Klitschko dominated and kept his titles with a one sided UD on fight night at the 02 World Arena. The three judges' scores were 120–107, 120–107, and 119–109. Klitschko, who was winning jabs with his trademark straight right, opened the contest with a bout between jabs that was fought right off the start. In round five, Wach managed to wobble Klitschko but failed to profit. Wach showed a superb chin later in the war when Klitschko began to let his hands go further landing thunderous shots. Klitschko landed 274 of 693 punches on the ground (40%), but Wach landed 60 of his 308 thrown (19%). Wach was charged with steroids after the war. Klitschko's fight is said to have earned €5.8 million (cca $7.25 million).

Days before the Klitschko vs. Wach battle took place, it was revealed that Team Sauerland had offered Klitschko €5 million (roughly $6,5 million) for a potential match against then-WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck. Huck was preparing for a title defense against Firat Arslan at the time. Bernd Boente, Klitschko's chief, turned down the bid, claiming that money was not the issue. The reason the brawl was never completed was due to the fact that the Klitschko's had a deal with German television network RTL and Huck was in place with their rival network ARD.

Klitschko was ordered by the WBA to face WBA (Regular) champion Alexander Povetkin of Russia by February 24, 2013 but the two teams were unable to find an agreement before. Klitschko received another voluntary title defense before meeting Povetkin, but there should have been a signed deal with Povetkin before February 28, with a new deadline set for their fight scheduled by July 31.

Klitschko will face Italian Francesco Pianeta, another undefeated challenger, on May 4 in Mannheim, Germany, on March 5th. Klitschko had been chastised in the case of previous opponents. Pianeta was no different. "I'm always attacked with my friends, whether they're well-known or not, so it doesn't matter if they're famous or not, because you're always getting these critics." Pianeta said it was the best experience of his life, but not the most exciting one. In 2009, he declared that he had won his biggest fight against cancer. Klitschko systematically broke down the Italians, consistently landing flush right hand shots from the start. In round four, he dropped Pianeta with a right hand, and Pianeta was defeated in the fifth; the game came to a close in round six at 2:52, when Klitschko put Pianeta down for the third time. According to CompuBox Statistics, Klitschko delivered 116 of 277 punches (42 percent) and Pianeta saw 24 of 104 out of 104, an average of 4 punches per round.

With a purse bid of $23,333,333,330,333,330, and Russian businessman Andrey Ryabinsky, putting up the funds, promoter Vladimir Hryunov won the right to promote Klitschko vs. Povetkin. From K2 Promotions ($7,130,000) and Povetkin's promoter Sauerland Event ($6,014,444), failed bids were made. It enabled Ryabinsky to control the combat and guaranteeing the fighters the highest purses of their careers. Klitschko paid $17,499,997,997 to 75% of the winning bid, while Povetkin received $5,833,333. The bid appeared to be unconcerned for the Klitschko camp. Around 100 million viewers were projected in Europe for the fight. According to reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin would attend the war.

The fight took place at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow on October 5th, 2013. The match was marred by over 160 clinches, the majority initiated by Klitschko, and several other unsuccessful roughhouse tactics throughout the match. Klitschko's leanings on his opponent, yelling his head down, throwing Povetkin away from clinching resulted in Povetkin's plummetings as well as Povetkin's screaming after the referee's break command and leaning his head too low, resulting in the referee scoring some of Povetkin's fallings as knockdowns, as well as Povetkin's Klitschko beat the Czech Republic with a quick left hook in round two, and there were three knockdowns in round seven, one of which was prompted by a straight right hand. All the scorecards were scored 119–104. Klitschko pulled 139 of 417 punches (33%) and Povetkin connected on 59 of 283 (21%). Klitschko told the interview that after the fight that he had no desire to go for the knockout because the Russian audience would be dissatisfied, which led to rumors about the supposed deal between the champion and the organisers to allow the match to go the distance, which Klitschko denied later. With a 9.2 rating, the fight became Russia's most popular sporting event on Russian television in 2013, as well as the year's most watched television show with 13.9 rating in Moscow, outperforming the Moscow Victory Day Parade. Overall, the war in Russia was watched by 23 million people. With a 19.5 rating and 23 million viewers, and the most watched program of RTL Television in 2013, averaging 11 million viewers, the fight also became Ukraine's most popular TV show in 2013 with 19.5 percent and 23 million viewers.

Alex Leapai (324KOs) made a huge upset in defeating then-unbeaten Denis Boytsov to become the WBO's first challenger in November 2013. On January 5, 2014, K2 Promotions reported that a deal was close to being signed for the Klitschko vs. Leapai match, which was scheduled to take place in Germany on April 26. Klitschko agreed to the terms on February 3rd. It was revealed that former world championship champion David Tua declined a 'lucrative bid' to spar with Klitschko ahead of the match. "I didn't want to help someone beat a 'Samoan brother,'" Tua told Australian newspaper The Courier-Mail. Klitschko knocked Leapai down three times on fight night, and referee Eddie Cotton called the match to a halt with 55 seconds remaining in the fifth round. "You have unquestionably a lionheart," Klitschko said in reaction to all Leapai's pre-fight trash talk. You're never stopped. You were brave, you were brave. You had a burning desire to be a champion. Not many of my peers have the same attitude, that type of heart." Klitschko scored 147 of 396 punches (37%), while Leapai's lands a humiliating ten of his 69 (14%). The ten punches were made up of 6 jabs and 4 power punches.

Klitschko vs. Kubrat Pulev was eventually ordered by the IBF on 8 May 2014, and he was given a 30-day negotiation period. Bernd Boente, Klitschko's manager, said that a potential confrontation with WBC champion Bermane Stiverne was their highest priority, with the possibility of all of the heavyweight belts in play. If he didn't fight Pulev, Kalle Sauerland said he would request that Klitschko (62–3, 52 KOs) be stripped of the IBF title. Deontay Wilder was named as Stiverne's mandatory at the same time, and the WBC announced that he would face Wilder next. Klitschko requested that the split be 80-20 in his favour, despite the IBF purse bid split being 75% in favour of the champion. The IBF approved the request. On June 17, a purse bid was won by K2 Promotions. The winning bid was $7.25 million. The event in Sauerland raised the money at $5.29 million. K2's location was set as the O2 World Arena in Hamburg, with a potential date being September 6, 2014. Klitschko sustained a bicep injury in August, putting the bout postponing by at least two months. A new date of November 15 was planned. HBO also announced that they would air the fight live in the afternoon, making it the 19th Klitschko fight to be shown on the show. Pulev's only IBF title would be involved in the fight two days before the fight, but the remaining titles would be vacated if Klitschko loses, according to a few days before the game. The fight's global audience was forecast to be 300 million viewers.

Despite giving a spirited try, Pulev avoided three knockdowns en route to being knocked out in round five by a brutal left hook. In round five, the time of stoppage was recorded at 2:11:20. "Wladimir is a really good competitor, but he was lucky," Pulev said in a post-fight interview. I want a rematch. Klitschko lauded Pulev, calling him a tough competitor. According to CompuBox results, Klitschko delivered 38 of 89 punches (43%), which represented 47% of his power punches. Pulev's land only took up 25 percent of his 110 throws (23%). This was made up of 10 jabs and 15 power shots landed. The fight attracted 10.5 million viewers in Germany and 1.8 million viewers in Bulgaria, making it Bulgaria's most watched sports show since 2007 and the most watched program on Bulgarian television ever since the television network Nova TV's broadcasting of football. According to HBO, the game attracted 620,000 viewers and reached 700,000 viewers.

The potential Klitschko vs. Jennings match was confirmed and will take place at Madison Square Garden on January 20, 2015, according to ESPN. Negotiations began in November 2014 and have since been ongoing since. Bernd Boente, Klitschko's boss, had the conflict resolved and said that all contracts had been signed. The Barclays Center in New York City was originally intended to stage the fight, but no reason was given for the change of location.

It will be Klitschko's fourth appearance at the Garden, his first appearance in the arena and the United States since 2008, where he is defending his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles. He defeated Jennings by effectively using his jab and nullifying Jennings' offensive game on the inside, particularly because the referee deducted a point in the tenth round for excessive holding, though Klitschko did win via UD with scores of 116–111, 111–111, and 118–109. According to Compubox Stats, Klitschko delivered 144 of his 545 punches (26%), whereas Jennings landed 110 of 376 (29 percent). According to Nielsen Media Research, the contest attracted 1.637 million viewers on HBO, with its highest viewers hitting 1.7 million viewers. Klitschko beat 23rd boxer for the world heavyweight championship, beating a record held by Joe Louis for 66 years. According to reports, Klitschko earned $12.5 million for his fight.

On October 24, Klitschko was supposed to face undefeated heavyweight challenger Tyson Fury, the WBO's top contender, on October 24. Klitschko called off the match on September 25, 2015, citing a calf injury. It was postponed until November 28, 2015, when it was scheduled for a November 29th. There was a lot of noise on the night of the fight, first starting with the gloves, and then there was a complaint about the ring canvas. According to reports, Klitschko had his hands tied without a Fury representative, so he had to do them again. Klitschko lost the fight by UD, with scores of 115–112, 115–112, and 116–111 all in favour of Fury. It was the first defeat Klitschko had suffered in more than ten years and marked the end of the 'Klitschko Era', referring to the time when both Klitschko brothers ruled the division. During the twelve rounds, Klitschko and Fury showed no offence, but Fury did enough to win the case. Klitschko produced 52 of 231 punches (22.5 percent), while Fury landed 86 of 371 (33.2%).

"This is a dream come true," an emotional Fury said in a post-fight interview. We worked so hard on this. I've done it. It's impossible to travel to foreign countries and get decisions. To me, coming here and getting the decision means so much." "I'd like to say to Wladimir, you're a great champion," Klitschko said on the microphone. And thanks so much for having me around. "During the buildup, it was all fun and games." Klitschko was unable to execute his well-known right hand for the majority due to Fury's constant movement and mockery. "Tonight, Tyson was the quicker and more efficient guy," he said. I was quite relaxed in the first six rounds, but I was shocked that Tyson was so fast in the second half as well. Because the advantage was greater than the shorter distance he had, I couldn't throw my right hand." Klitschko had a rematch clause in force.

Klitschko was eligible for a rematch with Fury as part of their first fight. The match was eventually revealed on 8th April 2016 and was scheduled to take place in Fury's hometown, Manchester, England, on September 9th, 2016. Tyson Fury, on the other hand, revealed on YouTube that the match would be postponed due to an ankle sprain he suffered during preparation. He apologized to his supporters and announced that the match would be postponed for a later date. Fury revealed on July 7th on Twitter that the rescheduled fight would take place on October 29 at the Manchester Arena on September 29th. Fury postponed the match after being named "medically unfit" on September 23 until eventually vacating the WBA (Super), WBO, and IBO titles, citing problems with depression after testing positive for cocaine. As a result, the match against Klitschko was called off.

Klitschko was approached by Eddie Hearn, promoter of IBF champion Anthony Joshua, days after the Fury rematch had been postponed, to fight on November 28th, the second time. Although an initial deal was yet to be signed, it seemed that the terms were for a £30 million war showdown. Following Fury's retirement, it was said that Klitschko wanted the WBA (Super) title up for grabs in the match against Joshua, which the WBA delayed. The WBA was delaying sanctioning the competition due to Lucas Browne's legal contract, so he could challenge for the vacant title next. Klitschko shifted his attention away from Browne to Browne on 10 December, the day his team's arena was on display in Germany. Klitschko sustained a minor calf injury on October 24th, which would keep him out of office until 2017. With a war slated for the first part of 2017, negotiations between the Klitschko camp and Hearn remained lively. The WBA finally agreed to a contest for their super title after Joshua defeats Eric Molina in December 2016.

On Showtime in the United States, the fight attracted 69,000 viewers. Around 5 p.m., it was shown live and the fight got underway. It's now 2 p.m. PT. According to Nielsen Media Research, the game attracted 687,000 viewers in round five and six. An average of 738,000 viewers watched the delayed tape-replay on HBO, with the highest number reaching 890,000. The fight was watched by an average of 10.43 million viewers, according to a press release from German TV company RTL. There were 9.59 million viewers on the whole card. This was higher than the 8.91 million viewers who tuned in to watch Klitschko vs. Fury in 2015. Klitschko's win over Mariusz Wach in 2012, which was watched by 11 million and Klitschko vs. Haye, which was seen by more than 16 million.

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