LOS ANGELES - Big attention getters, the brothers Klitschko have been called many things.
Both are called "Doctor," thanks to their PhDs in sports science. Both are called goodwill ambassadors for their worldwide travels as emissaries for UNESCO. And because each speaks four languages and plays a decent game of chess, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko are also called smart.
But in boxing, where they seek heavyweight titles and have been hyped as the next big thing(s), the 6-foot-plus Ukrainian brothers have been dubbed "breakfast" and "lunch" by reigning champion Lennox Lewis.
Vitali Klitschko, 31, gets his chance to turn the breakfast table on Lewis on Saturday night at the Staples Center, where Klitschko will challenge for Lewis' World Boxing Council title.
"Nobody is perfect. Everyone has weaknesses," Klitschko said, while acknowledging the champion's skills and advantage in big-fight experience.
But no sooner had the 6-7 older Klitschko vowed to give everything he has against Lewis than he was questioned about whether he gave his all against Chris Byrd.
In his only loss in 33 fights, Klitschko did not answer the bell for the 10th round of a scheduled 12-round bout against Byrd on April 1, 2000. Defending his lesser World Boxing Organization title, and ahead on all judges' scorecards after nine rounds, Klitschko quit on his stool, complaining of a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder.
Facing reporters this week, he said the pain is long gone and he wishes questions about it would also go away. But when they persisted, and he was asked what he would do if the situation recurred, Klitschko replied, "When I am healthy, I can fight anyone. When I am not healthy, that is it."
Media skepticism about the Klitschkos may be the curse that comes with the riches of moving to America from the spartan simplicity of their childhood in the former Soviet Union and fame and comfort as young adults in Germany.
Nonetheless, the Los Angeles lifestyle Vitali maintains with his wife and two children and 27-year-old Wladimir enjoys as a bachelor is what they have dreamed of since they were teenagers.
Fourteen years ago, Vitali came to the United States as a kickboxing competitor. The gifts he brought back to his brother held two whiffs of the culture they craved: bubble gum and Coca-Cola.
Now that they hold the material goods that confirm their success as marketable athletes in the U.S., they seek to grasp the championship belts that would establish them at the top of their chosen profession.
"We have a dream to be world champions at the same time," Vitali has said. "It will be very difficult to get it, and we are working hard to make our dream come true."
Just as the loss to Byrd was Vitaly's biggest setback, Wladimir's progress was derailed in March, when he was KO'd by South Africa's Corrie Sanders in the second round.
Before that, it appeared Wladimir might be the first Klitschko to climb into the ring against Lewis. In fact, he had already done so on a movie set. They filmed championship fight scenes together two years ago in Las Vegas for the movie "Ocean's 11."
That reel-life outcome was left undetermined.
No matter how real life plays out for the Klitschko brothers' dreams beginning Saturday night, there is one scenario each says will never occur in the ring: They last sparred together nine years ago and will never fight against each other. As Wladimir put it, "We don't want to break our mother's heart by hitting each other."
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/sports/6136523.htm
Both are called "Doctor," thanks to their PhDs in sports science. Both are called goodwill ambassadors for their worldwide travels as emissaries for UNESCO. And because each speaks four languages and plays a decent game of chess, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko are also called smart.
But in boxing, where they seek heavyweight titles and have been hyped as the next big thing(s), the 6-foot-plus Ukrainian brothers have been dubbed "breakfast" and "lunch" by reigning champion Lennox Lewis.
Vitali Klitschko, 31, gets his chance to turn the breakfast table on Lewis on Saturday night at the Staples Center, where Klitschko will challenge for Lewis' World Boxing Council title.
"Nobody is perfect. Everyone has weaknesses," Klitschko said, while acknowledging the champion's skills and advantage in big-fight experience.
But no sooner had the 6-7 older Klitschko vowed to give everything he has against Lewis than he was questioned about whether he gave his all against Chris Byrd.
In his only loss in 33 fights, Klitschko did not answer the bell for the 10th round of a scheduled 12-round bout against Byrd on April 1, 2000. Defending his lesser World Boxing Organization title, and ahead on all judges' scorecards after nine rounds, Klitschko quit on his stool, complaining of a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder.
Facing reporters this week, he said the pain is long gone and he wishes questions about it would also go away. But when they persisted, and he was asked what he would do if the situation recurred, Klitschko replied, "When I am healthy, I can fight anyone. When I am not healthy, that is it."
Media skepticism about the Klitschkos may be the curse that comes with the riches of moving to America from the spartan simplicity of their childhood in the former Soviet Union and fame and comfort as young adults in Germany.
Nonetheless, the Los Angeles lifestyle Vitali maintains with his wife and two children and 27-year-old Wladimir enjoys as a bachelor is what they have dreamed of since they were teenagers.
Fourteen years ago, Vitali came to the United States as a kickboxing competitor. The gifts he brought back to his brother held two whiffs of the culture they craved: bubble gum and Coca-Cola.
Now that they hold the material goods that confirm their success as marketable athletes in the U.S., they seek to grasp the championship belts that would establish them at the top of their chosen profession.
"We have a dream to be world champions at the same time," Vitali has said. "It will be very difficult to get it, and we are working hard to make our dream come true."
Just as the loss to Byrd was Vitaly's biggest setback, Wladimir's progress was derailed in March, when he was KO'd by South Africa's Corrie Sanders in the second round.
Before that, it appeared Wladimir might be the first Klitschko to climb into the ring against Lewis. In fact, he had already done so on a movie set. They filmed championship fight scenes together two years ago in Las Vegas for the movie "Ocean's 11."
That reel-life outcome was left undetermined.
No matter how real life plays out for the Klitschko brothers' dreams beginning Saturday night, there is one scenario each says will never occur in the ring: They last sparred together nine years ago and will never fight against each other. As Wladimir put it, "We don't want to break our mother's heart by hitting each other."
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/sports/6136523.htm
