Vitali Klitschko (born 19 July 1971 in Belovodskoye) is a Ukrainian former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2012. He is the older brother of Wladimir Klitschko, and together the brothers dominated the heavyweight division for a decade.
Klitschko won the WBO heavyweight title from Herbie Hide in 1999, lost it to Chris Byrd in 2000 when a shoulder injury forced him to retire on his stool, and in 2003 challenged Lennox Lewis for the WBC title, losing on cuts in a fight he was leading on all three scorecards. He won the vacant WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles from Corrie Sanders in 2004, retired in 2005, then returned in 2008 to regain the WBC title from Samuel Peter and defended it nine more times before his final fight in 2012. He was never knocked down in his career, and both of his losses came by stoppage through injury or cuts rather than a count.
BoxRec-style profile
- Birth name: Vitalii Volodymyrovych Klychko
- Born: July 19, 1971 — Belovodskoye, Kirghiz SSR, Soviet Union
- Nationality: Ukrainian
- Height: 6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
- Reach: 80 in (203 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Pro debut: 16 Nov 1996 (Win by KO vs Tony Bradham)
- Last bout: 8 Sep 2012 (Win by TKO vs Manuel Charr)
- Total rounds boxed: 235 (summed from the bout table below)
- Divisions: Heavyweight
- KO percentage: 91.1% (41 KO wins in 45 wins)
- Titles held (major, with reign dates): WBO heavyweight title (1999–2000); WBC heavyweight title (2004–2005 and 2008–2013); The Ring heavyweight title (2004–2005)
- Nickname: Dr. Ironfist
Record at a glance
- Total bouts: 47
- Wins: 45
- Wins by KO: 41
- Losses: 2
- Losses by KO: 2
- Draws: 0
- No contests: 0
Fight-by-fight record
| No. | Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round/Time | Venue / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 Nov 1996 | Tony Bradham | Win | KO | 2 (4), 1:14 | Sporthalle Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany |
| 2 | 30 Nov 1996 | Frantisek Sumina | Win | TKO | 1 (4), 1:12 | Arena Nova, Wiener Neustadt, Austria |
| 3 | 21 Dec 1996 | Brian Sargent | Win | TKO | 2 (6), 1:08 | Zoological Garden, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 4 | 25 Jan 1997 | Mike Acklie | Win | KO | 1 (6), 0:32 | Maritim Hotel, Stuttgart, Germany |
| 5 | 22 Feb 1997 | Troy Roberts | Win | TKO | 2 (6), 1:14 | Sporthalle Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany |
| 6 | 8 Mar 1997 | Calvin Jones | Win | KO | 1 (6), 2:58 | Sartory Saale, Cologne, Germany |
| 7 | 12 Apr 1997 | Derrick Roddy | Win | TKO | 2 (6), 2:14 | Eurogress, Aachen, Germany |
| 8 | 10 May 1997 | Cleveland Woods | Win | KO | 2 (6), 2:16 | Ballsporthalle, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 9 | 14 Jun 1997 | Jimmy Haynes | Win | KO | 2 (6) | Saaltheater Hubert Geulen, Aachen, Germany |
| 10 | 4 Oct 1997 | Will Hinton | Win | KO | 2 (6) | Stadionsporthalle, Hanover, Germany |
| 11 | 8 Nov 1997 | Gilberto Williamson | Win | KO | 6 (8), 2:50 | Ballsporthalle, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 12 | 29 Nov 1997 | Herman Delgado | Win | TKO | 3 (8) | Rheinstrandhalle, Karlsruhe, Germany |
| 13 | 20 Dec 1997 | Anthony Willis | Win | KO | 5 (8) | Oberrheinhalle, Offenburg, Germany |
| 14 | 17 Jan 1998 | Marcus Rhode | Win | TKO | 2 (10) | Sport- und Erholungszentrum, Berlin, Germany |
| 15 | 30 Jan 1998 | Alben Belinski | Win | KO | 2 (8) | Berdux Filmstudios, Munich, Germany |
| 16 | 7 Mar 1998 | Louis Monaco | Win | KO | 3 (10) | Sartory Saale, Cologne, Germany |
| 17 | 20 Mar 1998 | Levi Billups | Win | KO | 2 (10) | Ballsporthalle, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 18 | 18 Apr 1998 | Julius Francis | Win | TKO | 2 (12) | Eurogress, Aachen, Germany |
| 19 | 2 May 1998 | Dicky Ryan | Win | TKO | 5 (12) | Hansehalle, Lübeck, Germany — ★ Title fight — Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight title |
| 20 | 5 Jun 1998 | José Ribalta | Win | TKO | 2 (8), 2:13 | Sporthalle Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany |
| 21 | 11 Aug 1998 | Ricardo Kennedy | Win | TKO | 1 (8), 1:31 | Miccosukee Resort & Gaming, Miami, Florida, US |
| 22 | 24 Oct 1998 | Mario Schiesser | Win | TKO | 2 (12), 2:00 | Alsterdorfer Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany — ★ Title fight — Won vacant European heavyweight title |
| 23 | 5 Dec 1998 | Francesco Spinelli | Win | TKO | 1 (12), 1:49 | Palace of Sports, Kyiv, Ukraine — ★ Title fight — Retained European heavyweight title |
| 24 | 20 Feb 1999 | Ismael Youla | Win | TKO | 2 (12), 1:30 | Alsterdorfer Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained European heavyweight title |
| 25 | 26 Jun 1999 | Herbie Hide | Win | KO | 2 (12), 1:14 | London Arena, London, England — ★ Title fight — Won WBO heavyweight title |
| 26 | 9 Oct 1999 | Ed Mahone | Win | TKO | 3 (12), 1:45 | Arena Oberhausen, Oberhausen, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained WBO heavyweight title |
| 27 | 11 Dec 1999 | Obed Sullivan | Win | RTD | 9 (12), 3:00 | Alsterdorfer Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained WBO heavyweight title |
| 28 | 1 Apr 2000 | Chris Byrd | Loss | RTD | 9 (12), 3:00 | Estrel Hotel, Berlin, Germany — ★ Title fight — Lost WBO heavyweight title |
| 29 | 25 Nov 2000 | Timo Hoffmann | Win | UD | 12 | Preussag Arena, Hanover, Germany — ★ Title fight — Won vacant European heavyweight title |
| 30 | 27 Jan 2001 | Orlin Norris | Win | KO | 1 (12), 1:09 | Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle, Munich, Germany — ★ Title fight — Won vacant WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title |
| 31 | 8 Dec 2001 | Ross Puritty | Win | TKO | 11 (12), 1:16 | König Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title |
| 32 | 8 Feb 2002 | Vaughn Bean | Win | TKO | 11 (12), 1:40 | Volkswagen Halle, Braunschweig, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title |
| 33 | 23 Nov 2002 | Larry Donald | Win | TKO | 10 (12), 2:35 | Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title |
| 34 | 21 Jun 2003 | Lennox Lewis | Loss | TKO | 6 (12), 3:00 | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, US — ★ Title fight — For WBC, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles |
| 35 | 6 Dec 2003 | Kirk Johnson | Win | TKO | 2 (12), 2:54 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US |
| 36 | 24 Apr 2004 | Corrie Sanders | Win | TKO | 8 (12), 2:46 | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, US — ★ Title fight — Won vacant WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles |
| 37 | 11 Dec 2004 | Danny Williams | Win | TKO | 8 (12), 1:26 | Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, US — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles |
| 38 | 11 Oct 2008 | Samuel Peter | Win | RTD | 8 (12), 3:00 | O2 World, Berlin, Germany — ★ Title fight — Won WBC heavyweight title |
| 39 | 21 Mar 2009 | Juan Carlos Gómez | Win | TKO | 9 (12), 1:49 | Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC heavyweight title |
| 40 | 26 Sep 2009 | Chris Arreola | Win | RTD | 10 (12), 3:00 | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, US — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC heavyweight title |
| 41 | 12 Dec 2009 | Kevin Johnson | Win | UD | 12 | PostFinance Arena, Bern, Switzerland — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC heavyweight title |
| 42 | 29 May 2010 | Albert Sosnowski | Win | KO | 10 (12), 2:30 | Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC heavyweight title |
| 43 | 16 Oct 2010 | Shannon Briggs | Win | UD | 12 | O2 World, Hamburg, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC heavyweight title |
| 44 | 19 Mar 2011 | Odlanier Solís | Win | KO | 1 (12), 3:00 | Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC heavyweight title |
| 45 | 10 Sep 2011 | Tomasz Adamek | Win | TKO | 10 (12), 2:20 | Stadion Miejski, Wrocław, Poland — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC heavyweight title |
| 46 | 18 Feb 2012 | Dereck Chisora | Win | UD | 12 | Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC heavyweight title |
| 47 | 8 Sep 2012 | Manuel Charr | Win | TKO | 4 (12), 2:04 | Olympic Stadium, Moscow, Russia — ★ Title fight — Retained WBC heavyweight title |
Titles & notes
- 2 May 1998 vs Dicky Ryan: Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight title
- 24 Oct 1998 vs Mario Schiesser: Won vacant European heavyweight title
- 5 Dec 1998 vs Francesco Spinelli: Retained European heavyweight title
- 20 Feb 1999 vs Ismael Youla: Retained European heavyweight title
- 26 Jun 1999 vs Herbie Hide: Won WBO heavyweight title
- 9 Oct 1999 vs Ed Mahone: Retained WBO heavyweight title
- 11 Dec 1999 vs Obed Sullivan: Retained WBO heavyweight title
- 1 Apr 2000 vs Chris Byrd: Lost WBO heavyweight title
- 25 Nov 2000 vs Timo Hoffmann: Won vacant European heavyweight title
- 27 Jan 2001 vs Orlin Norris: Won vacant WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title
- 8 Dec 2001 vs Ross Puritty: Retained WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title
- 8 Feb 2002 vs Vaughn Bean: Retained WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title
- 23 Nov 2002 vs Larry Donald: Retained WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title
- 21 Jun 2003 vs Lennox Lewis: For WBC, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles
- 24 Apr 2004 vs Corrie Sanders: Won vacant WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles
- 11 Dec 2004 vs Danny Williams: Retained WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles
- 11 Oct 2008 vs Samuel Peter: Won WBC heavyweight title
- 21 Mar 2009 vs Juan Carlos Gómez: Retained WBC heavyweight title
- 26 Sep 2009 vs Chris Arreola: Retained WBC heavyweight title
- 12 Dec 2009 vs Kevin Johnson: Retained WBC heavyweight title
- 29 May 2010 vs Albert Sosnowski: Retained WBC heavyweight title
- 16 Oct 2010 vs Shannon Briggs: Retained WBC heavyweight title
- 19 Mar 2011 vs Odlanier Solís: Retained WBC heavyweight title
- 10 Sep 2011 vs Tomasz Adamek: Retained WBC heavyweight title
- 18 Feb 2012 vs Dereck Chisora: Retained WBC heavyweight title
- 8 Sep 2012 vs Manuel Charr: Retained WBC heavyweight title
Record source: Wikipedia professional boxing record table (cross-checked against the bout list), retrieved October 2026.
