10 Facts About the Mayor of Kiev Vitali Klitschko: The Ex-Boxer With a PhD, Who Earned a Spot In the Guinness Book of Records

"We are fighting for our independence. For our family. For our future. The Russians have destroyed the economy of our country," says a stout man in his fifties in front of the map of Kiev. Vitali Klitschko, or Doctor Iron Fist, could have enjoyed a sports pension after a successful career. Instead, he defends the capital of Ukraine from his role as a mayor.

We looked at the timeline of Klitschko's career from his time in boxing through his performance at Euromaidan, to his candidacy for president.

1. He and his brother are in the Guinness Book of Records

The world knew about Vitali Klitschko before he got into high politics. Together with his brother Vladimir, they became one of the most successful boxers of all time. Throughout his whole career he only lost twice. 

The siblings entered into the Guinness Book of Records in 2011. As brothers, they won the most heavyweight boxing matches in history. They were so successful that the sports world began to talk about the era of the Klitschko brothers. The brothers never faced each other in a match, because they promised their mother. Vitali retired in 2012.

2. He has a PhD. and speaks multiple languages  

The mayor of Kiev got his PhD. at the turn of the millennium. He is the first professional boxer in the world to be awarded a doctorate. Like his younger brother later, he studied sport science.

That is the reason why Vitali has the nickname Doctor Iron Fist and Vladimir is called Doctor Steel Hammer. In his research at Kiev University, he focused on young talent. Both brothers speak Ukrainian, Russian, German and English.

3. His beginnings in high politics

Vitaly Klitschko became involved in politics before he officially ended his boxing career. He was an adviser to Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, who came to power after the so-called Orange Revolution. In 2004, the public, led by Yushchenko, revolted against the rigged election, in which Viktor Yanukovych won.

A series of protests, rallies and strikes followed until the Supreme Court of Ukraine ordered a re-election. Under intense surveillance by domestic and international observers, the second election was declared "fair and free." In the next elections in 2010, however, Yanukovych won again. Two years after the Orange Revolution, Klitschko ran for the mayor of Kiev for the first time. Unsuccessfully.

4. He founded a political party and succeeded in parliamentary elections

In 2010, Klitschko was elected leader of the newly formed UDAR - Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform Party. The word udar means strike in Ukrainian.

"Ukraine belongs to Europe. Historically, geographically, economically and politically. Unfortunately, current politics is far from Europe, as are the living standards. I don't want to be omniscient, but I know that can be changed," he said in an interview with Tagesspiegel. According to him, politics, unlike the boxing ring, is a struggle without rules. In the 2012 parliamentary elections, UDAR won 40 seats. 

5. He received support from Merkel

In November 2011, UDAR officially became a partner of the German CDU (Christian Democratic Union). It was also supported by the German government, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and Chancellor Angela Merkel herself. According to the Der Spiegel portal, the aim was to make Klitschko the new strong man of Kiev who can withstand the pressure from the Kremlin and the then Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

In Klitschko, they saw the light of hope for the rapprochement of Ukraine with the European Union. At the same time, however, they stated that he was not yet politically experienced and oratory enough to stand up to Yanukovych in the presidential election.

6. He was one of the leading figures of Maidan

When Kiev's squares filled with angry citizens in 2013, Vitaly Klitschko stood on the podium as one of the main leaders of Euromaidan  - a series of protests against corruption, diversion from the EU and the authoritarian regime.

The protests eventually resulted in the parliament removing President Yanukovych (he had to flee to Russia) and forming a caretaker government that led the country to elections. However, the turbulent situation in the country was used by Russia, which is when they annexed the Crimean peninsula. Immediately, pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine tried to break away from the central government in Kiev and declared independence. During this aggravated situation, Klitschko became the mayor of Kiev.

7. He wanted to run for president 

Before Klitschko was elected mayor, he considered the presidential candidacy. He even announced it publicly. In the end, however, he decided to support Peter Poroshenko. He explained that only one democratic politician, the one with the best chance of winning, should run. The king of Ukrainian chocolate Poroshenko did succeed in the election.

However, Klitschko could have another reason for withdrawing his candidacy. According to Ukrainian legislation, the future president must be a resident of Ukraine for at least ten years, and the successful boxer had lived, and paid taxes, in Germany for years.

The politician admitted this. However, he stressed that his stay abroad does not contradict Ukrainian law nor does this annul his Ukrainian citizenship. He stated that he is a Ukrainian citizen who, at the same time, has the right to live in Germany. However, this controversy could later put him out of the game. 

8. He joined forces with Peter Poroshenko

They met with the now-former president of Ukraine on the stands of Euromaidan. He also supported him in the presidential election, but the most obvious overlap of their interests appeared, when they decided to join forces in the fight for parliamentary seats.

In August 2015, before the regional elections, the UDAR party merged with the Peter Poroshenko Bloc and Vitali Klitschko became the party's new leader. Four years later, UDAR tried to succeed in the parliamentary elections alone, but did not win a single seat.

9. Successful businessman 

Vitali Klitschko's assets are estimated at $ 80 million. He earned dozens of prizes in the ring, and managed to increase his fortune through strategic business moves.

Klitschko brothers own two hotels, a consulting company and a promotional company K2 Promotions. During his active career, he also made money starring in commercials.

10. New era of Klitschko brothers

Just as the brothers fought side by side in sports and always had each other's backs, they also stood up for Ukraine together. At the beginning of February, Vladimir enlisted in the Ukrainian reserve army in Kiev, with Vitali later joining him.

"There is no democracy without democrats. Get involved and use the freedoms that democracy offers you to express your support and solidarity. Therefore, I call upon all citizens to organise demonstrations and raise their voices against war, for democracy and for freedom. I ask the people of the European democracies to stand side by side with the free, democracy-loving Ukrainian people. The cowardly and murderous attack by the autocratic Russian regime on us must be stopped immediately,"  Vladimir wrote on Linkedin.