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Vitali Klitschko nominated for Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award
The announcement was made moments after Klitschko had impressively defended his world crown against Cuba’s Juan Carlos Gomez in Stuttgart’s Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle. It was his first defence of the title following his comeback fight last October against Nigeria’s Samuel Peter, and was his 37th win in 39 fights.
The victory against Samuel Peter was the second time Klitschko had regained the WBC belt, which makes him only the fourth boxer in history, along with Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis, to win a heavyweight belt for the third time.
After the fight Laureus World Sports Academy members Boris Becker and Mika Hakkinen gave Klitschko the exciting news that he had received enough votes from the Laureus Media Selection Panel, made up of leading sports journalists from around the world, to guarantee that he would be one of the six nominees in the Laureus Comeback of the Year category. The names of the other nominees will be announced next month after final verification.
German tennis legend and Laureus Vice-Chairman Boris Becker said: “I am delighted that we were able to ascertain in time that Vitali had received enough votes from the world’s media to ensure that he would be nominated so that we could announce it in Stuttgart. Great champions like Vitali only fight two or three times a year, so it was the perfect way to be able to tell everyone this news, in front of all Vitali’s fans. It has made it a night of great double celebration. Vitali certainly deserves this nomination.”
Vitali Klitschko said: “I would like to thank the Laureus organisation for informing me and the press here tonight of this announcement. It makes this wonderful evening even more special. Having attended the Awards previously on a number of occasions I am honoured to be part of this process I know that there will be some tough competition in this category, but I am delighted to be nominated.”
Germany is the second home for the Ukrainian and he received an enthusiastic welcome from the Stuttgart crowd. Vitali, together with his brother Wladimir, who unified the IBF, IBO and WBO titles in 2008, currently dominate heavyweight boxing. Both brothers have been members of the Laureus Friends & Ambassador programme since 2005, giving their time to support the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
Laureus Academy member Mika Hakkinen, two-time Formula One World Champion, said: “Vitali is a great fighter and an awesome champion, but he also understands the importance of giving something back to society. I am delighted to know him finally in person. He and his brother Wladimir have been great supporters of the work of Laureus and I am delighted that the world’s media have acknowledged Vitali’s great achievement in regaining one of the great titles in sport.”
In Berlin in October, the former World Heavyweight Champion showed he had lost little of his power and skills after an absence of almost four years when he came back to the ring to beat Samuel Peter to regain the World Boxing Council title. The 37-year-old took the gamble of returning for a title fight without a warm-up, after retiring following a succession of training injuries. He said then: “I knew if I lost the fight I would not get a second chance. It was a one-way ticket and I used my chance.”
The 2009 Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement during the calendar year 2008, are the premier honours on the international sporting calendar. The winners, as voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury, made up of 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time, will be unveiled during an Awards event later in the year, the details of which will be announced on April 16.