The first fight of the ex-world champion may take place in May against the Russian Oleg Maskaev, because when Klitschko announced his retirement, the WBC awarded him the title of honorary heavyweight champion and granted him an extraordinary right to challenge the champion belt if he returns to the ring.
1. Herbie Hyde (Nigeria). WBO World Title Contest. June 26, 1999. London.
The first fight in the career of Vitali for the champion title. Hyde twice refused to fight with a Ukrainian, and only the ultimatum of the World Boxing Organization, which threatened the Nigerian with the loss of title, forced him to enter the ring. Herby started the fight very actively, pressing Vitaly to the ropes with a series of accurate side kicks. However, in the next round, the Ukrainian went on the attack and after 35 seconds Hyde was knocked down. The Nigerian quickly rose, but caught Klitschko's courage with a blow from the right knocked out the opponent.
2. Larry Donald (USA). Duel for the title of intercontinental champion according to the WBA. November 23, 2002. Dortmund
The victory brought the Ukrainian to a duel with the owner of the WBC world champion Lennox Lewis. Throughout the battle, Klitschko had the advantage. Vitaly sent the 35-year-old Donald knocked down four times. In the 10th round, after another series of strokes, the American was again on the floor, his legs were braided, and the referee decided to stop the fight. Vitali Klitschko brought the number of his victories in the professional ring to 32 in 33 battles.
3. Lennox Lewis (Great Britain). WBC World Title Contest. July 21, 2003. Los Angeles.
Initially, Vitaly was preparing to conduct a ten-round match with Cedric Boswell on the undercard of the Lennox Lewis-Kirk Johnson match. But in early June, in preparation for the upcoming battle, rival Lennox Johnson was injured. The proposal to hold a fight for the WBC world title with Lennox Lewis was made by Vitaly, who he immediately accepted.
Having actively started the fight, already in the second round, the Ukrainian had a wonderful chance to send a noticeably bewildered champion to the knockout. After a magnificent hit from the right, Lewis could hardly stand on his feet, and in order to decide the fate of the champion title ahead of time, Klitschko would have had only a couple of shots. But Vitaliy missed this opportunity, and already in the next round the powerful right-side Englishman became the beginning of the end for the Ukrainian. Throughout the remainder of the fight, the doctors had to seal his dissected eyebrow every now and then. For some time they succeeded, which allowed Vitaly to restrain the onslaught of Lewis and even achieve some advantage. However, at the end of the sixth round, the blood that flooded Klitschko’s face could not be stopped. The referee, obeying the opinion of the doctors, was forced to stop the fight and award the victory to the Englishman. By the time the match stopped, the Ukrainian was leading on the cards of all three judges - 58-56, 58-56, 58-56.
4. Corrie Sanders (USA). Fight for the WBC world title. April 24, 2004. Los Angeles.
Throughout almost the entire match, Vitaly’s actions looked more convincing. In the eighth round, the referee was forced to stop the attacking impulse of Klitschko, who brought down a hail of punches on Sanders, and fix the early victory of the Ukrainian boxer. “My dream came true,” said Vitali Klitschko. “And it was not only my dream, but also my brother.” As you know, a year earlier, the youngest of the Klitschko brothers, Vladimir, lost to Sanders by knockout.
5. Danny Williams (USA). Fight for the WBC world title. December 11, 2004. Las Vegas.
The first round began with Williams attacks.? Vitaly competently avoided strikes, responding with dangerous attacks. At the very end of the round, Klitschko knocked the opponent several right down in a row, but Williams got up and managed to hold out until the gong. In the third round, the Briton even went on the attack and managed to carry out a powerful blow to the head of the Ukrainian, but he soon missed the uppercut from the left and again found himself knocked down, nevertheless being able to get to his feet. At the very beginning of the seventh round, Klitschko missed a powerful blow from Williams and was forced to go to the clinch. Then Vitaliy carried out a successful counterattack with the left uppercut and the right side - and for the third time sent Danny to the knockdown. The eighth round was the final. The Ukrainian boxer hit the opponent with a right uppercut, and then with two punches sent him under the ropes. Referee Jay Neid decided to stop the fight, as the Briton was not able to continue the fight.
Andrey IVANTSOV