“Eternal” WBC world heavyweight champion Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko gave
interview for the YouTube channel “Bombardier”.
In a conversation, Vitali commented on the desire of his brother, former heavyweight hegemon Wladimir Klitschko to return to boxing to beat George Foreman’s record. Klitschko Sr. also expressed his opinion about the decision of the unified champion from Ukraine Oleksandr Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) to rematch with ex-champion from Britain Anthony Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs). In addition, Vitaly spoke about his brother’s threats and spoke about his attitude towards the Russians.
Your brother recently said in an interview with the German press that he was thinking about returning to pro boxing after the war to beat George Foreman’s record. You, like a brother, without fitness evaluation, do you want him to fight again?
“I think he scares some of the heavyweights out there. I’m passing on a conversation with my brother. Vladimir, set a record – the longest period of time, for almost 12 years he owned the title of world champion. 12 years! Go to the top – everyone is trying to throw you off, but you are standing. Becoming a world champion is much easier than defending for many, many years. Set many records. Because this competition is to prove that you are the strongest. You’ve proven time and time again that it doesn’t make sense. Earn money? He is not a poor man. It’s not needed. Belts? He had all the belts. He’s already killed everyone he could. So I think why does he say that? Because he wants to scare everyone that he might come back [смеётся].
Russia needs Ukraine, but without Ukrainians – Wladimir Klitschko
Usyk and Lomachenko are two radically different positions. Both were in the defense. One stayed in Ukraine, said until the war is over. Another said that I would rather go, I would talk about Ukraine all over the world. Which position do you prefer?
– You can not talk about the position. Conclusions can be drawn after some time. I keep my fists for Sasha Usyk. Usyk must go, must defend the fight. He said that most of the money, and he is a professional boxer, he will give to support the army. Nobody else can do it. If he has such an opportunity, I am sure that the benefits from him, as a citizen of Ukraine, will be much greater.
– And you and your brother took such a very pro-Ukrainian position in terms of sports. Complete disqualification of Russian athletes, complete exclusion from competitions. But the world community is constantly looking for some schemes. That is, Russian athletes perform as if they are from Canada, the USA. There are boxers who appear everywhere with Kadyrov wherever they can. Is it possible to fight this?
– You can fight.
– How?
“I can tell you a secret. I saw the brother’s correspondence. He turned to one of the functionaries there and warned – if a Russian goes to battle under the flag of Russia and under the Russian anthem, then Vladimir will publicly dip this world champion belt (WBA?) into a bucket of blood. Vladimir threatens. Threats because he holds a clear position. Sport also has a lot of power and athletes need to come together and the whole community needs to come together. Together we can stop this war. If someone has a semi-position, none of this will happen. And now the world is white and black – either people support peace and Ukraine, or support the war and aggressive Russia.
The Ring dedicated a number to Ukrainian boxers who opposed the aggression of the Russian Federation
– After all these events, the atrocities in Bucha and Irpen, the occupation of part of the territory, many Ukrainians now in Kyiv say that a good Russian is a dead Russian. This is approximately 85% of my acquaintances. No tolerance for Russians. What is your position? I know that you have good friends. I know that our colleague Alexander Belenky, a very strong boxing commentator, you once helped him, he spoke out against Putin. He openly said that calling the Klitschko brothers Ukrofascists is stupid. After that, he was fired. What should be the communication with the Russians? Do we need to communicate with them, explain something?
I’m surprised how much information you have. I would not like to talk about the Russians like that. There is a nationality – Russian, and now there is “zombified by propaganda.” I understand that the information space is now emotionally overheated. I am half Russian. Nothing? My mother is Russian. Born in Russia, all her life, even today she cannot speak Ukrainian. This does not mean that I should not love my mother. Now a lot of guys are Russian by nationality, but they defend Ukraine because they live in Ukraine, Ukraine is their homeland. The Russian propaganda that is now being put into the minds of the zombified population of Russia is the result of a handful of sick people who created this war. I am sure that Ukraine, our country, has never threatened anyone. We have many nationalities, many religions, we are always good-natured, our people are peaceful, the country is peaceful, we have never threatened, not once. But today we can clearly say that Russian imperialism and the Russian empire that they are trying to build on the bones of Ukrainians does not coincide with our vision of the world.