Vitali Klitschko lifelong judges and appointments through administrative leverage". He wants to ensure the independence of judges by switching from a system of appointed judges to a system of elected judges. In July 2012 party-leader Klitschko stated his party UDAR will not cooperate with the Party of Regions in the Ukrainian Parliament. In early April 2013 Klitschko called for early presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine. Klitschko is a member of the International Republican Institute's International Advisory Council. Klitschko's father, Vladimir Rodionovich Klitschko (1947–2011), was a Soviet Air Force major general and a Soviet military attaché in East Germany. The elder Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko vs. Chris Byrd of the fight with Byrd being elusive and making himself a difficult target. After 9 rounds Vitali had suffered a torn rotator cuff and despite being clearly ahead on the scorecards (88-83, 88-83, & 89-82) he retired on his stool handing the win to Byrd. Harold Lederman, HBO's unofficial judge, had Klitschko ahead 88-83 at the time of the stoppage. Vitali's status as a rising star of the Heavyweight division took a knock after this with HBO commentator Larry Merchant said, "He doesn’t have the mentality of a champion. I can hardly believe what I just saw." Byrd's first defence