VITALI KLITSCHKOBorn: July 19, 1971 Birth Place: Kyrgyzstan Nationality: Ukrainian Nickname: Dr. Ironfist Division: Heavyweight (200lbs+) Height: 6′ 7½″ / 200cm Reach: 80″ / 203cmACCOMPLISHMENTS• PhD Sports Science and Philosophy• Germany's Highest Civilian Award, the Federal Cross of Merit• Leader of the Political Party UDAR of Vitaliy Klychko• Six Time Kickboxing World Champion• 1995 World Amateur Boxing Championships Silver Medallist• WBC World Heavyweight ChampionGREATEST ASSETS• Durable Chin• Powerful Straight Right HandLike his brother Wladimir, Vitali Klitschko has a height and reach advantage over the majority of his opponents, though he’s not as defensive minded so his opponents have more opportunities to catch him. However, his excellent chin and ability to absorb punishment has kept him standing, having never been knocked down in his boxing career. Vitali is physically strong and packs a big punch, most notably his straight right hand which has earned him one of the highest knock-out ratio’s in heavyweight boxing history.HOW?Before he took up boxing, Vitali was a world class kickboxer. His athleticism has allowed him to become dominant in both sports. For a person his size, his footwork is excellent which allows him to get out of trouble quickly. Vitali was on a roll with 27 wins all by KO, but he received much criticism from the media and public when he quit on his stool against Chris Byrd. It was his first loss and many branded him a “quitter”. After notching up a few wins, he went to war with the great Lennox Lewis. The referee stopped the fight due to Vitali’s severely damaged eye. Although he lost, he restored his reputation as a warrior. Vitali maintains his physical power by doing many strength based training in the cold climate of the Austrian mountains. It’s a secluded area that helps focus and concentration. The methods that are implemented by Vitali are reminiscent of Rocky IV. It consists of pulling a sledge with his trainer sitting on it, walking through snow at waist height while carrying a large log on his shoulders and chopping logs for that explosive power seen in all his fights. An avid chess player, Vitali brings his smarts into the ring also. “ Chess is similar to boxing. You need to develop a strategy, and you need to think two or three steps ahead about what your opponent is doing. You have to be smart. But what's the difference between chess and boxing? In chess, nobody is an expert, but everybody piays. In boxing everybody is an expert, but nobody fights ”