Klitschko Interview For BoxNation

In this video WBC World Heavyweight Champion Vitali Klitschko talked exclusively to BoxNation's Jim Rosenthal about his upcoming title defense against Britain's Dereck Chisora on February 18th..

Klitschko's Talk About Documentary

Heavyweight champions Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko were recently on NBC promoting their new documentary, and each discuss parts of the documentary and some things about themselves such as their language ability and political activism etc.

Klitschko Brothers Ringside Interview

This is a new interview video with the Klitschko brothers and heavyweight boxing champions Wladimir and Vitali on Ringside after Wladimir defeated David Haye to claiim the 4th and final belt for the Klitschko family.  Enjoy!

Wladimir Klitschko On The Ropes Interview

This is a new interview of WBO, IBF, IBO, and Ring heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko on the "On The Ropes" internet radio show where he discusses his 1st fight with Samuel Peter and how that was a turning point in his career, his current training in preparation for his rematch with Samuel Peter, Alexander Povetkin dropping out of his fight  which was replaced by Peter, the current division and challenges compared to previous eras, his experience on the set of Ocean's Eleven with Lennox Lewis, the contract dispute with Haye, the ESPN coverage of his fight with Peter, how he will defeat Peter as soon as possible and dominate him, and much more!

Here is the full radio show below including interviews with Wladimir Klitschko and Marco Huck.  The total radio broadcast is 2 hours and 1 minutes and to if you want to skip to the Wladimir Klitschko interview section fast forward to the 61 minute and 10 second mark.  His interview continues to the 130 minute 13 second mark, and further discussion goes on about Wladimir after this until the 137 minute 14 second mark.  Enjoy!

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Klitschko On The Ropes Interview Transcript

JENNA J: Anyway guys, it’s time for our second guest of this week’s show. He is currently the reigning, defending Ring Magazine heavyweight champion of the world. We have Wladimir Klitschko. How’s everything going today, Wlad?

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO: Thank you. I’m doing just fine. How are you guys?

JENNA: I’m doing great. We’re definitely happy to be talking to you today, and I just wanted to ask you how your training has been going for your September 11 bout with Samuel ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ Peter?

KLITSCHKO: The training is going very well as usual. So I just have another opponent and I have to adjust myself to this opponent with a strategy and tactic. Once in awhile, in the beginning, I had like kind of nightmares and they had like a little bit of a Nigerian taste in it, but after the first couple of weeks it got back to normal. So I’m sleeping well and recovering after workouts, so I’m looking forward to this September 11 fight.

JENNA: Well the fight you have here is a rematch from a bout that took place almost five years ago. What do you think has changed in you as a fighter since your first fight with Samuel Peter?

KLITSCHKO: Well it’s called a rematch. It’s more maybe probably on Samuel Peter’s side a rematch. Samuel Peter is the number one contender and I have to defend my _title_. I did fight him five years ago and I believe Sam said that he didn’t really lose that fight because the referee didn’t give him a chance to win this fight or something like that. I just heard it on his interview on-line, and that’s actually pretty interesting to hear. But I feel great about this fight and I’m looking forward to the challenge in this fight, because Samuel Peter was one of the toughest opponents that I had. I think that the fight five years ago was a really, really tough fight for me.

Anyway, I won this fight and I believe that Samuel Peter got better than he was two years ago when Sam was fighting Vitali. Now he’s got a new team, he’s got a new coach, he’s got a new promoter, and he won his last four fights by knockout, so his confidence is building up. He lost a lot of weight so that means his speed picked up and he’s still taking a good punch. I never fought a guy that could take so much punishment, so many punches, and didn’t go down. So Sam is a really, really tough opponent and I’m seriously preparing for this fight. I know that I will have a challenge in the ring on September 11 and I’m looking forward to the challenge.

JENNA: Alright now in the first bout, you were knocked down three times. Some of the knockdowns were debatable as they were behind the head, but a lot of people consider that bout with Samuel Peter as a turning point in your career. Obviously you had the two previous losses to Brewster and Corrie Sanders, but this fight here was the one where you overcame the adversity. I’m just wondering, how do you feel about that bout and do you think that really was the turning point in your career?

KLITSCHKO: The first Samuel Peter fight was very important to me, because Sam was undefeated. He was actually basically after each fight screaming, “Who Next?” and I was “who next”. His manager, Ivaylo Gotzev, described me, “Wladimir Klitschko is a dead man walking”. So I was a dead man walking in their eyes and I actually, to be honest with you, everyone was nervous also around me. Can I make it? Sam is a very dangerous opponent. He is a very dangerous opponent, but I never lost belief in myself and I knew Sam actually from the past as he was my sparring partner before the Charles Shufford fight when I was training in Las Vegas. I remember he came one day, he got a bloody nose, and he never came back to the camp. But I think he did a good job also as my sparring partner.

Later on, he did an even better job in the ring and he gave me such a good challenge. At that time, after two losses in one year against Sanders and Brewster, that was important to have such a tough opponent, an undefeated opponent like Samuel Peter. That fight was at that time for the North American championship and that was for the number one position in two world ratings. So I wanted to get back. I wanted to become a champion again, and I was very motivated for this fight considering we knew how tough Samuel Peter is, and he was incredibly tough. As I said, of those I’ve faced, he was probably one of the toughest opponents in my career.

JENNA: Well Wladimir, besides myself, we’re also on the line with my Co-Host Geoff.

GEOFFREY CIANI: Hi Wladimir. It’s a pleasure to have you back on the show.

KLITSCHKO: Hi Geoff.

CIANI: Wladimir, I’m curious, originally you were slated to defend your _title_s against Alexander Povetkin. Were you at all surprised that Alexander Povetkin dropped out of this fight?

KLITSCHKO: To be honest with you, I wasn’t. My gut feeling just told me and I said to Emanuel, Emanuel Steward my coach, I said, “Emanuel, I won’t be very surprised if Povetkin doesn’t go through with this fight” and Emanuel had pretty much the same feeling. He had a chance a few years ago when he was paid a purse of $3.2 million to have a fight with me, but unfortunately he got injured right before while he was running in the forest. Two years later, he got the number one position. He was supposed to fight me. He came to my promotional company. He was going to make over $2 million so there was enough money to fight for him and his promoters as well. I just basically have no emotions about it.

I’m a little bit surprised that the guy fought his way up the ratings to become the number one contender then he is getting his biggest pay day. He’s Olympic champion, he’s 30 years old, and I think there’s time to be mature enough and not just listening to his trainer or promoter or manager, “You’re not ready for the fight, you need a little bit more time”, and then to get to this nonsense with fights in between, which is actually against the rules. As official contender, you couldn’t make some fights that are kind of made on the sly. I guess Bruce Seldon he was fighting. So I was very surprised to get to know all these facts and to get to know later on that his trainer said, “You’re not ready yet”.

I was actually very surprised. How much does the guy want to wait until he’s going to get ready? He actually was dropped in the ratings right now and I don’t know how many years he’s going to need to fight his way back. But anyway, I think it’s time to get mature for Alexander Povetkin. He’s an Olympic champion, he’s undefeated, he was twice already my number one contender for the _title_, and he twice didn’t accomplish to get to the ring, but I just wish him the best of luck with whatever he plans and wants to do in boxing or outside of boxing. But it’s not an issue for me right now.

I’m glad that Samuel Peter stepped in. He showed up several weeks before the fight at the press conference. That shows that Samuel Peter is not considering any contract issues as Povetkin’s promoter was concerned about, or anything like that. There never were issues with any contracts, that was just an excuse from Povetkin’s promoter. But Sam just stepped in because he’s confident, he wants to become champion, and I respect him for it. It’s a very short period of time to make this final call and decision. I definitely give respect to Samuel Peter for it, so Povetkin is not an issue to me at all. I am surprised, but it’s over now.

CIANI: Wladimir, one of the biggest criticisms that the media accuses you of really isn’t your fault. It deals with the fact that the heavyweight division isn’t filled with a lot of great talent right now. I’m wondering, are you at all disappointed that there isn’t a great challenge out there for you, someone like a Lennox Lewis caliber fighter in today’s division?

KLITSCHKO: Well, I would say probably it’s not the time when Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Ken Norton, and a lot of other fighters were around at the same time, and Liston, and Joe Frazier. So there was a lot of excitement, a lot of big names. That’s what we don’t have right now in the heavyweight division. I want to correct you a little bit. The challenge is there. I fought Eddie Chambers, and Eddie Chambers was, he’s probably going to beat any other heavyweight with his speed and his ability to move and he was perfectly motivated for this fight. He fought his best fight in his career with me.

The challenge is there, and the challengers and fighters are there. It’s just a question, will you get a chance to them to proceed to get through with their strategy or not. So that’s my goal as a champion, to keep the _title_s in my hand as long as I’m in the ring and as long as I’m motivated. I just realized Geoff, actually later in my career, that boxing is a chess game. I realized and understood it later on, and as far as the fight, it’s a lot of strategy, it’s a lot of technique, and you actually can eliminate the opponent pretty good and eventually you break him mentally and physically down the road during the fight. It is a challenge that brings me a lot of fun, to get in the ring, and preparations first of all, and then exactly what we plan in the preparations we accomplish it in the ring. I say “we”, Emanuel Steward and I. This work just gives us so much satisfaction and the challenge is definitely there. I just want to tell you. Good opponents are there. They don’t have good names. That’s the problem.

But we have British champion David Haye, who holds the WBA _title_, and then we have Tomasz Adamek who’s coming up. I spoke to Emanuel about it and he said, “Wladimir, we just have to stick to the strategy, keep winning, walk through these guys, and all the big fights are going to happen.” It was always in boxing like that. Joe Louis had it in his time until he surprisingly lost to Max Schmelling and then suddenly everyone paid attention to the rematch and what was going on. Actually, Mike Tyson had certain criticisms with the same issues, but he was spectacular with his way of fighting and his knockouts. Even Emanuel said with Lennox, his fight against Mike Tyson was really the highlight of his career. Of course he had Holyfield in between, but I think the highlight of Lennox Lewis’ career was at the end of his career in the fight against Mike Tyson.

So the strategy is simple. You have to do keep doing your job as good as you can, and big fights are coming, and good names are coming, and so on, and so on, and so on, and recognition and everything else. So that’s the side effect of this success, yes.

CIANI: Now you mentioned Mike Tyson being Lennox Lewis’ best fight late in his career, and one of the things I always wanted to ask you was, you had some experiences with Lennox on a film set in the movie Ocean’s Eleven and I’m wondering if you could tell the fans a little bit about what those experiences were like?

KLITSCHKO: That was an amazing experience and I remember I got this proposal from Warner Brothers to be in the movie and play actually myself and fighting Lennox Lewis in this movie. Actually, the premiere of the movie was in December 2001, and there was supposed to be a fight between Lennox Lewis and me because I was WBO champion and Lennox was champion for another version. So that was the basic idea, and I said “Of course”. Then I flew over to Las Vegas and we spent two weeks in Vegas and it was an amazing experience with all of these movie stars from Ocean’s Eleven.

We had such a great time. It was also an experience to just play around with Lennox Lewis in the ring, because we have to probably make twenty takes of this sequence, and another. We’d be kind of boxing with Lennox, but it was even to me very exciting. Like okay, how does he move, what he does. So he was looking up to me to see what I do, I was looking up to him to see what he does. There was a good exchange of information on how we were going to fight each other later on if the fight was going to happen.

I remember he was preparing for this fight against Rahman, the first fight against Rahman that he lost in South Africa. That was such a difficult time for Lennox because he was in Las Vegas shooting a movie and he was preparing for the fight against Rahman. So he flew over to South Africa I guess like the week before. So he was shooting a movie and preparing for the fight. It was a very difficult combination, and I remember Lennox, he took Rahman at that time very easy. Also on the movie set he was talking about, saying he was going to hang his gloves from a nail if he won’t make it, or something like that because this guy was going to roll over. He was very confident. I could tell even at that time he was overconfident probably, and that’s eventually what cost him the fight. He was too relaxed, and that’s what can happen in the heavyweight division. If you’re too relaxed for just one moment, then BOOM—you have a new heavyweight champion.

Now it’s in history and it was a tremendous and amazing experience to be on the set with all the movie stars from Ocean’s Eleven and also to kind of shadow box or kind of sparring with Lennox. That was fun.

JENNA: Now Wladimir, originally you were trying to make a fight with somebody other than Sam Peter and other than Alexander Povetkin, and that was with David Haye. Now I was just wondering if you could clear it up for the boxing fans out there. What exactly went on in those negotiations, and if there was in fact a 50-50 deal in place for you to fight David Haye and he rejected it?

KLITSCHKO: That was exactly it. In April this year when I officially called out David Haye through the social network YouTube, I just wanted to make it as direct as possible that it’s not my manager talking about it, it’s not my lawyer talking about it, or it’s not a journalist writing down what I said. So I spoke out directly to the boxing fans and to David Haye. Just let’s make it. The deal, it doesn’t matter. 50-50, I agree with that. Just let’s make it. Let’s do it. I was open because the money is not an issue at a certain stage of my career. The challenge and the excitement about the sport, that’s an issue, and we have a huge fan _base_ for this sport and I just want it so that we have one heavyweight champion who unifies all the _title_s and all the belts. David, let’s make it!

Instead, I never heard anything back and it really just makes me feel upset with the excuses with the contracts, that actually he already signed before when he was supposed to fight me and then, exactly what I am saying right now, bitched out two weeks before. It makes me really upset about it. I generally see David Haye as a good promoter. He promoted himself very good to get into the top ten and to get his name out there, but at a certain time you overdo it. You get people and fans excited about the fight, and then you’re backing out. This is just disrespectful, not only to me, but it is disrespectful to the sport and to the fans of the sport.

David Haye is nothing but the dog that barks, and as you know barking dogs don’t bite. So for right now, David Haye to me is nothing but just a name in the air and nothing else. So there is no action and no following through. I am excited about the Samuel Peter fight and that’s going to be huge and exciting and a great challenge in the ring. It’s going to be really, really good. I’m very, very excited also about the fact that fans in the United States will get a chance to see the championship of the world on free network that is ESPN. They will see it live and they will see it on tape delay on the next day, and that’s great. It’s going to be covered pretty good in the US and that really makes me happy.

JENNA: Speaking of American boxing fans and going back to David Haye for a second, a lot of people seem to be criticizing Haye for not taking a fight with you and some are now even questioning him as a champion. What do you think of David Haye not pursuing the toughest challenges at heavyweight?

KLITSCHKO: You know even my own opinion, I’m a boxing fan as well, and the thing with fans around the world—they’re not that stupid. They see things pretty clearly, and this fight against Audley Harrison if it’s going to happen, it’s actually a London championship fight. It’s just a local fight that’s probably going to make good pay per views in England, but basically for the sport, it doesn’t really mean anything. I just feel at the same time, I feel worried about David Haye because there is also the potential that this guy is going to get knocked out. Then such a fight between one of the Klitschko brothers and David Haye won’t happen. So the whole thing is going to go away, but it doesn’t matter. The _title_ and who holds the _title_, that’s secondary. So the _title_ belt is out there, and we hope that with David Haye, sometime down the road, the Klitschko brothers will get his _title_ in the family.

CIANI: Wladimir, when David Haye turned down this 50-50 deal, I asked Tomasz Adamek about that and he laughed about it and said, “Well I propose that he offers me 50-50 and I’ll sign the deal tomorrow”. I was just wondering two things. One, what do you thought of Tomasz Adamek’s move into the heavyweight division and the success he’s had there so far, and two, whether you might be interested in fighting him someday after the Samuel Peter fight if David Haye never comes around?

KLITSCHKO: I think this is great that former cruiserweights are moving up to the heavyweight division and they’re having success as Tomasz Adamek has. I think it’s great. It’s bringing more excitement in the heavyweight division. It gives some names out there and I think about it very positively and I wish Tomasz Adamek luck in his next fight. Down the road, as a champion you have to defend the _title_s. At a certain time I think he’s going to be or he’s already number one with the WBO version where I’m a champion, so that means Tomasz Adamek has to fight a champion and I have to fight him to defend my WBO _title_. So this fight’s going to come up and to be honest with you, this is all about the future that we’re talking about now. I’m just about two weeks from my fight against Samuel Peter and that’s going to be the greatest challenge that I have, and I’m looking so forward to it. I’m very excited about that fight more than anything else. So the September 11 fight, that to me is still the most important fight to have and be focused on.

JENNA: Well Wladimir, we have just a couple of more questions before we let you go, and I wanted to get your opinion on your brother’s upcoming fight against American Shannon Briggs on October 16. How do you see that fight going down?

KLITSCHKO: I think that Shannon Briggs has amazing punching power. He has very fast hands. That right now he’s fighting Vitali, I think Vitali will get a really, really tough challenge in the ring. I believe this fight will bring a lot of attention worldwide, because Shannon Briggs is a well known boxer that was fighting George Foreman, and Lennox Lewis, and he was champion as well, and WBO champion. So I believe this fight. Vitali’s not another short guy and Shannon is also a big guy so they’re pretty much going to be at the same eye level for the fight. I think it’s going to be a very exciting fight especially for the boxing fans. Don’t forget it, I am a boxing fan. So I’m talking as a fan from the outside, and I think it’s something challenging in the ring and I think it’s going to be really, really exciting and interesting to watch.

JENNA: Back to your fight with Samuel Peter, what do you consider to be the most important thing that you have to do to be victorious on September 11?

KLITSCHKO: As I have usually done, defend my _title_s. It’s actually not about the _title_s. I’ve repeated in this interview a lot, this word “challenge”. That’s my motivation. I love a challenge, and I told it to Sam, “Sam, I’m looking forward to when we have the stare down, I’m looking forward to this fight and to this challenge.” It’s going to be great. So I’m looking forward to it. I know exactly what to do and it’s only two weeks to wait. So you guys just enjoy the fight. It’s going to be broadcast in the US live and tape delayed the next day on ESPN, on the regular ESPN. So just enjoy this fight, especially since you can see, and we can see, Samuel Peter five years ago and Klitschko five years ago, so with this fight we’ll know who got better. That’s going to be a good comparison.

JENNA: What is your official prediction in the rematch against Samuel Peter?

KLITSCHKO: My official prediction, I will win this fight as soon as possible and I will dominate Samuel Peter like I never did.

JENNA: Alright, and finally, is there anything you want to say to your fans out there and all the listeners of On the Ropes Boxing Radio?

KLITSCHKO: I want to say thank you for following all of the boxing fights, and in particular the fights with Klitschko brothers. Thank you very much for being with us and being supportive. Even to the fans that don’t like Klitschkos. I appreciate you for it, too, because that’s the controversy that we need actually. You have followers and you have haters, but that’s what it means when you’re champion. You have both sides. So I want to say to the fans that are for Klitschkos or against Klitschkos, thank you very much for all of your interest in the sport and we will do our best inside of the ring so that the excitement will never disappear, so good luck to you and all the best.

JENNA: Well it’s been fantastic interviewing you again, Wlad. We wish you the best of luck against Samuel Peter on September 11, and we just hope all the fans tune in on ESPN 3 and check you out on your way to victory.

KLITSCHKO: Thank you very much. Thank you for having me.

CIANI: Thank you, Wladimir. Good luck.

KLITSCHKO: Bye bye. Thank you. All the best.

Vitali Klitschko Interview At WBC Night of Champions

Vitali Klitschko recently attended the WBC Night of Champions which is a event where champions from around the world attend and they have many activities including amateur boxing and much more that ended yesterday. Klitschko was one of the main guests for the event was interviewed right before a luncheon and this is how it went. Here's how it went:


Vitali, welcome to Cardiff, Wales. How are you finding your time here?

This is actually my second time in Cardiff. It’s a very historical city, very nice people. This is a very great event, the WBC Night of Champions. I’m very happy to be here and take part in this event.

Last night after the amateur boxing event, you spent some time with troubled youths through the World Boxing Cares organization. Jill Diamond said the kids were so excited to meet you. How did that make you feel?

It’s great to spend time with the young kids. They have a dream. What the WBC did, putting all the champions together in Cardiff is a big motivation for young sportsmen to reach big goals. To have a dream to be world champion, not just in amateur sports, but the same as Muhammad Ali in professional sports.

Tonight there will be an awards banquet at which you’ll be receiving an award. What can you tell us about that?

I know it will be “Champion of the Year,” it’ll be the second time. I’m very proud of that and the attention that I receive from the WBC.

There is a contract for you to fight Shannon Briggs in October. You reclaimed the title back in October of 2008. If everything goes to plan with this fight, that will be your sixth fight in exactly two years, a pretty active pace for a heavyweight champion these days. Are you happy with that average of fighting every four months?

You know what? We don’t have a contract with Shannon Briggs. We have negotiations. We’re in a negotiation period. Shannon Briggs… it’s possible that I fight him, but it’s not 100%. But anyway, I’m ready to fight any fighter in the world. I’m open for a proposal from anyone. We gave a proposal to Adamek- Adamek doesn’t want to fight. We gave a proposal to David Haye- David Haye kept his mouth closed. He doesn’t speak any more about that. Valuev wants to fight, but he wants money. World sports title is not interesting for him. I’m open to defend my title against anyone and show everyone that I’m the strongest in the world. I’m very proud to have the same title that Muhammad Ali had many years ago. I will try to keep this title as long as possible. About the breaks…I had a long line of injuries, but the break for three years made me better, and now I have a lot of power and show good results. That’s why I’ve been so active these last two years. I feel great. I feel like I’m twenty years old! Sometimes I forget I’m almost forty years old! (laughs)

Since you’ve come back, you haven’t seemed to have a tough time with any of your opponents. I know you don’t want to discredit any of your opponents, but you’ve been able to do as you wanted with them. Are you looking forward to having a tougher challenge from your next opponent?

Nothing is easy in life. Every opponent was a very tough guy. They try to hit me, try to beat me, but right now, I don’t see anybody who can beat me. There is just one person- Me! I can beat me by myself!

Do you feel the difference has been your skill level and training has been so much better than your opponents?

I have my boxing skills. That is the main point. Not just in boxing, but in life- I have a lot of experience. I have a lot of experience in boxing and I use my experience in the fight.

Recently Ross Greenburg of HBO has said that HBO is out of the heavyweight business- either due in part to the fact that you and your brother are mostly fighting in Europe, or the fights are against opponents American fans haven’t heard of, or the fans can’t tell you and Wladimir apart. What are yo thought in Greenburg’s comments?

(Big smirk) If I read these comments from Ross Greenburg, I smile because it’s not easy to give the answer. (Asking incredulously) Nobody knows who Vitali is, or who Wladimir is? Boxing fans can’t tell the difference between the brothers and that’s why HBO doesn’t broadcast the fights? (Shaking his head). All around the world people know who Wladimir is, and who Vitali is. We fill stadiums with 50-60,000 people. We have great (viewership) on German television. After that, the next excuse is- Klitschkos are fighting not so good opponents. We’re ready to fight anyone. Just challenge us. If HBO…actually, I am very disappointed. We live for the media. The media connects us to our fans and our fans want to see the fights. First of all, Ross Greenburg said Wladimir’s fight against Povetkin would be broadcast on HBO. After that he changed his mind. HBO is very important to us and we want to stay attached to the boxing audience in the United States. You know what? If the United States doesn’t play in soccer world championship, it means it will not be broadcast in the United States. If the United States doesn’t take part in the Olympics, it doesn’t get broadcast in the United States. This is the heavyweight division. These are very interesting fights. I’m very proud to have the highest rating in the history of knockouts (as heavyweight champion). Every fight, I stop my opponent. The boxing audience wants to see that and assume HBO will broadcast it. If HBO doesn’t want to do that, we will work with another network in America.

Regardless, are you happy with the way the careers of you and Wladimir are going?

We’ll still go forward. We have a dream: to be the only brothers to hold all the heavyweight championships. Right now, we have three of the four belts. We have a dream to take the last one that David Haye has. But to be honest, David Haye is smart enough to understand that he has a title. He’ll have it a long time if he doesn’t meet a Klitschko brother in side the ring. It’s a big risk for him. That’s why he challenges us, but he runs away from me or from Wladimir.


In order to achieve that dream, do yo think the Klitschkos will do what every it takes, financial or otherwise, to get Haye in the ring to have the chance to get that elusive fourth belt?

We gave a very fair proposal: 50-50. We split the money 50-50. We’re two world champions. Everyone wants to see a unification fight. One champion against another champion. Who is the strongest in the world? Is David Haye? Be honest! I feel that all boxing fans know- David Haye is afraid. Just afraid…not to fight, but to lose his title!

As far as Valuev goes- you’ve both traded videos back and forth- you claiming he’s afraid, his claiming he’s not afraid. Do you really believe that, or do you feel it’s more a financial issue, especially with Don King involved?

Don King doesn’t want it. Or Valuev doesn’t want it. I gave Valuev a chance to fight for $1,500,000 U.S. dollars and for the most prestigious title in the world. That’s the biggest money that he’ll make in his career. He doesn’t want it. He wants more money and explains about T.V. rights, and this and that. I, as world champion, have to come to him and asked him, “Please fight against me.” It’s funny. Never in the history of the world has a champion had to come to challenger to ask him to fight for the title.

Well Vitali, thanks for talking to Fightnews.com (link to article here) and good luck against whoever your next opponent is in October.

I will give my very best to show a good performance. I am sure the American audience will see the fight. This will be a very emotional and dramatic fight. I will give my best to knock my opponent out and send him to the floor. That’s what boxing fans want to see!


Afterwords, there was a luncheon and Briggs and Vitali talked and said the following:

Briggs told Klitschko, “Whether or not we fight, I want to play you in chess.” Vitali responded with raised eyebrows, “Oh, how long have you been playing chess?” Briggs proudly replied, “Twenty seven years. I’m thirty-eight-years-old, so since I was eleven!” To that the two shook hands and gave fans another potential heavyweight battle: the heavyweight championship of chess!

Vitali Klitschko Interview After Sosnowski Fight

This is a interview of the WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko after his fight with Albert Sosnowski.. This is a translation so it's not perfect.

During the fight I had the impression that you became a bit tired and decided it was "time to finish"

Vitali: Tired? I don't think so. I'm in such good shape I could box even 25 rounds. I wasn't tired. The one who became tired was rather Sosnowski so I decided: "It's time to finish him."

Was it your plan for the fight not to be in a hurry and..

Vitali: Why should I hurry? I had 12 rounds, I was sure that I can finish the fight until the 11th round.

I had an impression it was quite hard for you to enter this fight in the first round.

Vitali: Yes, but it wasn't an easy rival. I want to repeat once more: Sosnowski is a good fighter. NObody becomes the European champion by mistake after all. He's young and win-starved. He did everything to win but it turned out to be insufficient to beat me.

We saw that Sosnowski hit you powerfully in the third, fifth, and eighth rounds. Did you have even one hard moment in the bout?

Vitali: I didn't have any hard moments but the rival was constantly attacking. He has a dangerous punch. He is quite a powerful sportsman. Every one of his blows is menacing and can finish a bout however, I wasn't hit by such a blow.

Today we inquired after your new contract with RTL. What could you say about it?

Vitali: This is a extension of our previous contract.

If you were able to choose your next opponent who would it be: Valuev, Haye?

Vitali: It makes no difference. However, I'd prefer Haye because he has a belt which me and my brother lack.

How probable is the contest against Haye?

Vitali: I'm ready. Haye makes alot of announcements but apart from it, he should know how to enter the ring. He can't decide to enter the ring until now.

What do you think about the future of Sosnowski in the heavyweight division?

Vitali: He showed his character. I'm convinced that he won a lot in this fight despite the defeat. He won fondness of the audience and those people who supported him previously. Everyone can see: he's a serious fighter with an interesting future ahead of him. He can also get more experience. I'm convinced that he'll receive a chance to fight for a world title again.

Recently Don King said that the contest Vitali Klitschko , Nicolai Valuev simply must happen. Do you still believe in it?

Vitali: It's very hard to sit at one table with Don King and negotiate. People are interested in this fight. I would like this battle to happen in the foreseeable future.

Don King signed a contract with Andriy Kotelnik: How could you comment on that?

Vitali: Don King is a shark. I can express only my sympathy for Andriy Kotelnik. He signed a contract.. Do you know the saying about Don King? His hair stand so as to cover his horns. That's why he has this kind of hairstyle. Kotelnik will find out who's the person he signed the contract with.

Does Don King lead Andriy to a slaughter making him fight against Devon Alexander?

Vitali: Let's not look ahead. I can tell you one thing: I don't even know one sportsman who remained happy after the end of a contract with Don King.

Here's the video of the Vitali Klitschko interview...

Wladimir Klitschko Fanhouse Boxing Interview

Here's a interview I personally missed from Fanhouse Boxing back in April where Wladimir talks about his past, and future fights, fighting his brother, and how much he despises David Haye.


FanHouse: Why did you choose to make this video calling out David Haye?

Wladimir Klitschko: Because this is the only fight that I want. You can read an article, but I wanted to make it personally, so that the boxing fans could actually see that I want to make this fight. We can make this fight. We've been chasing David Haye around and calling him out. But he has been bitching out on a fight against us.

But now, he can make the fight. I can make the fight. There are rules within the IBF that allows me, as the champion, if I'm going to fight a championship unification, to move the mandatory aside. I have time, and I want to show the world and the boxing fans. It's enough. Now, David Haye can make the fight as well. He knows about it, and we need to make the fight.

I will not be risking losing any title. I just made my mandatory defense of the WBO title against Eddie Chambers. The next mandatory defense is supposed to be against Alexander Povetkin, and I will do it if David Haye decides not to fight me. But I know that the IBF or any other organization will move to take the fight with David Haye if there is going to be a unification fight.

David Haye is the only title that the Klitschko brothers do not have. We have the IBF, we have the IBO, we have the WBO, we have the WBC, and The Ring Magazine championship. But we don't have the WBA. That's the only title we don't have. That's why want the unification.

I doubt that since I've been champion for such a long time that any of the organizations would stop me from making a championship unification against a David Haye.




FH: Has any other fighter every angered you as much as David Haye has?

Klitschko: Never, never, ever. I can't stand this guy. The way that he presents himself in the public, and the way that he presented my brother and myself with our heads cut off. The way that he represents the sport, I don't really like it for the public.

When he's presenting himself with our heads cut off, I can't take it, I can't stand it and I want to fight this guy. It's personal. I think that David Haye deserves to get his punishment from a real champion, and that's why I'm really pushing for it right now.


FH: Has K-2 Promotions made any attempts to contact Sauerland Promotions on behalf of David Haye to make this go forward?

Klitschko: We are in negotiations, and it's pretty complicated, because Golden Boy Promotions is involved in a certain way with David Haye, and Sauerland is involved. David has an option to fight a rematch with Nikolay Valuev, but now, probably, he will not. So, he can make it, and we are in negotiations.

But I wanted the public to know that I did not pull out of the fight last year in June. I did everything to make this fight happen, and it was David Haye who pulled out. Then, Vitali was supposed to fight him, and he bailed out again. And then, he talks so much bad things '-- that he wanted to do this and he wanted to do that.

But action speaks louder than words, and he never came forward. So it's been all talk. That's why I'm looking forward to getting him into the ring, why I want to show the public that I'm ready for him. I don't know what he's ready for. I always say that my best fight is in front of me and never in the past.

I'm always looking for my most difficult fight and expecting it in every fight, but of course, this fight with David Haye would be really exciting, because I'll get challenged. My performance is as good as the challenge. But an angry Wladimir Klitschko could be the best one.


FH: In which country would a Wladimir Klitschko-David Haye fight take place?

Klitschko: The Haye fight would be such an exciting, extraordinary fight because he's such an extraordinary talker. So he talks and promotes himself very good. So I think that this fight would be very interesting for American boxing fans and the fans around the world.

Where is the fight going to be staged? That depends on the broadcaster -- HBO or Showtime -- what they want to do. Either it's going to be a pay per view fight, or there's going to be another case to make the fight happen. We just have to have interest from American television. That's No. 1.

And then, you'd have to see which arena could make it happen. It could be in any country. Right now, it's important to make the deal with David Haye. It's not just about the money, it's about the last belt that the Klitschkos don't have, and we have a personal issue with David Haye, and that's why I want this fight so badly. I'm really pushing it and looking forward to it.


FH: How do you explain how you have gone from being knocked out by Ross Puritty, Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster, to winning 12 straight fights, nine of them by knockouts, with eight wins over Americans over six years?

Klitschko: I definitely feel that I thought that, like, three years ago, that that was my peak. But I keep peaking, and peaking, and peaking and I just love the sport. And I understand that I'm a professional, and I believe that I understand more about what it is to be a true athlete and a professional boxer.

I prepare for my fights so well, that my opponents actually have no chance to compete with me. I'm actually as good as my challenger is in the ring. If my challenger is not that good, then I get critiqued or criticized for kind of being boring. But let's face it, out of the 53 wins that I have, 48 of them, I've ended up with a TKO or a KO. So 48 fighters didn't make it.

I definitely can punch in the earlier rounds or the late rounds with both hands -- the right hand or the left hand. I just feel so confident so comfortable about me being in the ring, like I never ever have.


FH: How do you feel about your last performance against Eddie Chambers?

Klitschko: Eddie Chambers was just such an experienced fighter. He had around 35 fights, and he has beaten Samuel Peter and Calvin Brock, and this guy and that guy. He had beaten an unbeaten fighter, a Ukrainian, Alexander Dimitrenko, who is even taller than I am. And he did it in such an impressive way.

I think that Eddie was really, really good, and that he was very, very fast. But after the fourth or fifth round, his strategy completely collapsed, and he just lost confidence. And then, instead of trying to win the fight, he was doing the same thing that Sultan Ibragimov did against me in Madison Square Garden in New York.

He was just trying not to get punched and not get knocked out in a very defensive way. And when you have one fighter being offensive, and the other, defensive, it's very difficult to make a competitive fight, and an exciting fight. Also, one week before my fight, we saw the Manny Pacquiao fight against Joshua Clottey.

It was the same situation. Pacquiao was so dominant, but his opponent didn't give him a chance. Pacquiao couldn't finish the fight earlier. When one of the fighters is really defensive and doesn't want to fight, then you can chase him forever. So I was chasing Eddie Chambers for the last round, and [trainer] Emmanuel [Steward] was pushing me, like, 'Come on, do it.!'

And I was trying. I got even upset myself, and I was like, 'Manny, relax, I'm trying.' But, Eddie was awkward and was really fast and crazy awkward with his upper body the way he ducks from the punches and stuff like that. It wasn't that easily, but, eventually, one punch, and that was it.

But I felt really confident in that fight. I knew that he couldn't really reach me, and that he couldn't really touch me. I knew that I as winning every round. I was putting myself under pressure.



FH: What's your assessment of the American heavyweight?

Klitschko: In the U.S., people talk like the heavyweight division is dead. In Europe, we're saying the heavyweight division is alive. In two days, we have sell outs of over 60,000 people attending fights in soccer stadiums. We have ratings of 14 million people in Germany watching the fight. It doesn't matter which one of the Klitschko brothers are fighting, people are getting excited.

And we're very excited and thankful for that. In the U.S., we need the broadcasters, HBO, to broadcast the fight. Last fight, with Chambers, I was very upset that HBO didn't broadcast, because you have to give credit to the best American challenger, Eddie Chambers. He's American, and he flew overseas and he was fighting the heavyweight championship of the world.

To not show it, you're kind of disrespectful to the sport, and, ultimately, disrespectful to Eddie Chambers. Emmanuel keeps telling me, 'Wladimir, you just have to keep winning the fights, keep winning the fights, and those big fights are coming up.'

He says, 'It was the same situation with Mike Tyson, it was the same situation, with Lennox Lewis, it was the same situation with Evander Holyfield, same thing with Joe Louis.' You have to just stay focused and stay active, and the big fights in the U.S. with American contenders will come up, and it will be exciting again.

I trust Manny, and I think that he's right. I just have to keep winning, and that's what I'm doing.


FH: Finally, would you fight your brother under any circumstances?

Klitschko: There's always an exception to every rule. If the world was going to go down, and our fight could save the world, probably, we're going to make the fight.

---

I hope this fight happens soon between Haye and Klitschko. This was back in April and here we are almost the middle of June and Haye is still SILENT...

Wladimir Klitschko Impressed With Sosnowski's Physique

During today's weigh in ahead of tomorrows WBC heavyweight championship fight between current champ Vitali Klitschko and Albert Sosnowski, Vitali's brother Wladimir Klitschko had a few words to say about how he is impressed with Sosnowski's physique to the press. Here's the video footage:

Klitschko Q & A Ahead Of Johnson Fight

Current WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (38-2, 37 KOs) was recently interviewed ahead of his fight with Kevin Johnson (22-0-1, 9 KOs) which will take on December, 12th at the Post Finance Arena in Berne, Switzerland. Here's the interview...

Vitali, you’ve just scored a victory on September 26th against Chris Arreola, and you’ve already taken on a fight on December 12th versus Kevin Johnson. Doesn’t it frighten you to have two big fights in such a close amount of time?

No, I am physically fine, and because of that, it doesn’t bother me at all to have fights so close together. My preparation time for a fight is about 8 weeks, and as long as I get that, all is in order.

Not much is known about Johnson. Why did you choose this fight?

Johnson and Arreola both have an excellent record, and are dangerous fighters. At heavyweight all you need is one strong punch to win a fight. I’m not going to underestimate him, but at the same time, I’m not going to overestimate him. I can, and will, protect this belt.

This is an unusual venue for your match. More often, you fight in Germany, and you just came back from fighting in America. Now Switzerland?

My brother and I have been invited to fight in Switzerland for a long time now, and Wladimir and I usually prepare for our fights not far from that region, so I’m glad I finally have the chance to hold a bout there.

There are rumors that the WBC president, Jose Sulaiman, has inquired about you fighting in Mexico…

I haven’t heard too much about this, but believe me, it would really be worth it. I’m ready to discuss such an opportunity. It’d be great to fight in Mexico.

When will the Klitschko brothers own all of the world championship titles?

It’s just a matter of time. Believe me, Wladimir and I will do all that is possible to make that happen.

What did you think of David Haye vs Nikolay Valuev?

I congratulate Haye! He won that fight deservingly.

Would you want to fight Haye?

Yes, now that he is a world champion, he is interesting to my brother and I. I hope that now he won’t be able to cancel any fights against us. After Johnson, I am ready to sit down at the negotiating table.

You’re 38-years-old, but you leave the impression that you have many more years of fighting to go. Do you wish to surpass George Foreman’s record?

No, I don’t want to pass up George Foreman. I won’t box until I’m 45-years-old, but I still have more fights that I need to finish in my career.

Source from Fightnews

Tags: Vitali Klitschko, Vitali Klitschko Opponents, Vitali Klitschko Interview, interviews, Klitschko Interviews, Klitschko Blog, klitschkoblog.com

Klitschko Ready For Chris Arreola

The current WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko was interviewed recently ahead of his WBC heavyweight title clash with the WBC #1 Chris Arreola, and says he is ready to fight Chris Arreola.

"I am ready for the fight against Chris Arreola. I am prepared very good. I feel good and this will be good fight...this will be artistic fight. I will try to show all my skills."

Here is a video of the interview...

Tags: Videos, Vitali Klitschko, Vitali Klitschko Videos, interviews, Klitschko Interviews, Vitali Klitschko Interview, Klitschko Blog, klitschkoblog.com

Wladimir Klitschko Radio Interview

This is a new recent radio interview from Blog Talk Radio with the current WBO/IBF/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko where he talks about his career, how he would like to be remembered, his opinion on David Haye inside and outside the ring, his past fights, overcoming adversity, and much more!

At the 75 minute and 30 second mark of the video is where Wladimir's interview is....

Tags: interviews, Klitschko Interviews, Wladimir Klitschko Interview, Radio Interview, Klitschko Radio Interview, Wladimir Klitshcko Radio Interview, Klitschko Blog, klitschkoblog.com

Klitschko's Backstage on Wetten Dass

This is video footage of the Klitschko brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko being interviewed while they were backstage Wetten Dass, which is a popular European German language game and entertainment tv show.

*in German