Wladimir Klitschko Continues To Work Himself Into Shape After Shoulder Injury

28.01 - While his brother, Vitali, a former World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion gears up for his important WBA International title defense against Vaughn Bean on Feb. 8 in Braunschweig, Germany, Wladimir Klitschko, the reigning WBO champion continues to work himself into shape after a shoulder injury suffered two days before Thanksgiving.

Wladimir has resumed training, but he is taking it slowly even though he says “the shoulder is fine and I still expect to defend my WBO title in March.’’

So with a little more spare time than usual, Wladimir, the younger of the brothers, is doing what he likes to do best: Reach out to the world and try to make a difference.

On Wednesday, Klitschko, who has a Ph.D. in sports science from the University of Kiev, will read his thesis before more than 700 people at the House of German History in Bonn, the former capital of Germany.

“This is very exciting because Germany has been the new home for my brother and I for some time,” said Klitschko, who speaks four languages – English, German, Ukrainian and Russian. “I presented my thesis the first time in February of last year in Kiev.’’

The next day in Berlin, the well-spoken, charming 6-foot-7, 25-year-old 1996 Olympic Games Gold medallist has been invited to speak along with Chancellor German President Johannes Rau and a handful of celebrities at a function, Wladimir says, “is aimed at helping foreigners learn more about Germany.

“The focus and the message of what we will talk about is integration. It is important that people from other countries learn about Germany – our history, our language, the way we live today. My aim is to try to encourage them to come to Germany.

“These are the kinds of things I love to do when I am not boxing. Muhammad Ali, who is my idol, made quite an impression on the world. I am no Ali, no one is, but I like to think I am a role model who can play a part in perhaps making the world better for some people”