INTRODUCING THE KLITSCHKO BROTHERS

19.11 - Their last name begins with "K" and ends with "O" but that only partially describes the hard-hitting Klitschko Brothers, Vitali and Wladimir. Inside the ring they are a combined 70-2 with 66 KOs and already the winningest sibling's act in heavyweight boxing history. In a division where boxing's biggest competitors reside, they stand tallest. One is 6-foot-8, the other 6-foot-7.

They are doctors. Both have charming personalities and are polite, disciplined, well mannered and well spoken. They speak four languages - English, German, Ukrainian and Russian. One is married, yet they remain the best of buddies, blood brothers to the end. Simply, they are forever in each other's corner, even for fights. They also possess a healthy rivalry not uncommon for brothers, which serves to encourage the other's performance. No, they are not twins.

Vitali (pronounced "Italy" with a "V" at the start) is 31. He is five years older and one inch taller than Wladimir. Vitali was born in Belovodsk (Kirghizia). Nicknamed "Dr. Iron Fist," he was the first to get a doctorate's degree and the first to capture a world title - the World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight championship. He is 31-1 with 30 knockouts, 24 of the stoppages inside three rounds. His next start will be against Larry Donald on Nov. 23 in Dortmund, Germany.

Wladimir, who was born in Semipalatinsk (Kazakhstan), is the current WBO heavyweight champion. The winner of the gold medal in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga., is nicknamed "Steelhammer" for good reason. He is 39-1 with 36 knockouts, 27 of the knockouts coming inside three rounds. Wladimir captured the WBO title by soundly thrashing Chris Byrd, the southpaw boxer who won the title from Vitali in a bout stopped due to an injury. Wladimir will make his next title defense against Jameel McCline on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas on HBO.

When they were young boys, the brothers spent many years traveling throughout the Soviet Union with their father, Wladimir Rodionovich, an Air Force colonel, and their mother, Nadezhda (Nadia) Ulyanovna, a schoolteacher. They moved to the Ukraine in 1985.

Both showed interest in a variety of sports growing up. Vitali quickly settled on kickboxing and went on to win six kickboxing championships. Wladimir concentrated on boxing. Upon returning home after winning the Olympics gold medal, he was honored by the President of the Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, and the Ukranian Minister of Defense, Alexander Kuzmuk.

The brothers started boxing in their early teens, Vitali at 13, Wladimir at 14.

"A trainer came to the school and asked who would like to box," Vitali said. "Everybody wanted to and everybody tried, and everybody went to train. A month later a few were left, and a year later only a couple people were left. At that point, I had the feeling that I could make something of myself as a boxer. Then, I really started to train.''

Offered Wladimir: "There were various reasons to box, like boredom, the chance to give me the opportunity to travel, but also because my brother was boxing.''

Fritz Sdunek, who is Germany's leading trainer, knew the brothers had potential.

"From the time they were amateurs, they were very good anatomically because they were very big and very good athletically," he said. "For their size, they were very quick with good reflexes. But when we took them on they fought in the Russian style and we needed to work on them so that they could fight more professionally. That was the most difficult thing for me at first.''

Both were prolific amateurs. Vitali went 195-15 with 80 knockouts and was the 1995 Military world champion. Wladimir compiled a record of 134-6 and brought home the Olympic gold. After declining offers from many boxing promoters, including Don King, they turned professional for Klaus-Peter Kohl's Hamburg-based Universum Box-Promotion group in November 1996. Sdunek trains them both.

The Klitschkos quickly became household names in the Ukraine, and heroes in their adopted homeland of Germany. They have represented Ukraine at numerous social and political events, including a presentation on the "New Ukraine" in Bonn, Germany, in May 1997.

"Many Europeans associate Ukraine with our pain - Chernobyl, and with our pride - the Kiev "Dinamo" soccer team," Wladimir said. "However, that country is rich in history and culture, talented people and great potential. We'd like the world to know our country better,''

The Klitschko Brothers established the International "Sport - the XXI century" fund. Its purpose was to support young, talented sportsmen, established coaches and sports veterans who need assistance. The opening ceremony took place in the Higher Physical Training School in Brovary, where Wladimir studied years before. The Klitschkos paid to remodel the boxing gym.

"I graduated from that school seven years ago," Wladimir said. "The pleasure of being there was slightly clouded with the fact that nothing had changed for the last seven years. I saw the same old boxing ring where I was coached and the same equipment. I am glad we could change that.''

Said Vitali: "New equipment is good, but neither money or presents is a substitute for hard work and the desire to win. If anything, this should inspire the youth athletes who train here."

On Dec. 5, 1998, their "Sport - the XXI century'' staged a boxing card in Kiev. More than 12,000 fans were in attendance, including many students from boarding and sporting schools that were given complimentary passes by the Klitschkos. On a show in which nine million others watched on German and Ukraine television, Wladimir suffered his lone professional setback.

During a recent visit to the Ukraine, the brothers celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Ukraine's Independence Day.

Vitali Klitschko Bio / Ring Record    Vladimir Klitschko Bio / Ring Record