Wladimir Klitschko world heavyweight champion) dominated heavyweight boxing, a period typically known as the "Klitschko Era" of the division. Klitschko was born in Semipalatinsk (now Semey), Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union (now Kazakhstan). His father, Vladimir Rodionovich Klichko (1947–2011), was a Soviet Air Force major general and a military attaché of Ukraine in Germany; he was also one of the commanders in charge of cleaning up the effects of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and was afterward diagnosed with cancer. Wladimir's mother is Nadezhda Ulyanovna. He is the younger brother of former WBC, WBO and Ring magazine heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, the current
Vitali Klitschko vs. Chris Byrd Vitali Klitschko vs. Chris Byrd Vitali Klitschko vs. Chris Byrd, was a professional boxing match contested on 1 April 2000 for the WBO Heavyweight Championship. After knocking out Herbie Hide to win the WBO belt, Vitali Klitschko had made two stoppage defences against Ed Mahone, and Obed Sullivan. He was ranked 7th in the world by Ring magazine. He had planned to face Donovan Ruddock, however, he pulled out due to a hepatitis infection and Chris Byrd (who had been training for a bout with Lawrence Clay-Bey) stepped in at 10 days notice to take the fight. Klitschko controlled most