The Klitschko brothers - Ukrainian boxers and resistance fighters

As the war in Ukraine rages on, the Ukrainian people still oppose the Russian invaders. They are encouraged by charismatic figures such as President Zelenskiy, who risked his life in Kyiv, but also by two brothers: Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, both former boxers who are now fighting for their country on the front lines.

The older brother, Vitali, who was born in 1971, has been the mayor of Kyiv, the country's capital, since 2014. He was one of the leaders of the pro-European protests that took place on Maidan Square that same year. He has been on the frontlines with his brother Vladimir since late February after refusing to leave his city.

Her father was a general in the Soviet Army who raised his two sons the hard way. Often transferred from one republic of the USSR to another, he came to Ukraine with his family in the 1980s. Vitali was born in Kyrgyzstan and Vladimir in Kazakhstan.

A staunch defender of the Soviet system, their father was sent to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant as one of the first 'liquidators'. Due to exposure to radiation, he died of cancer a few months later.

The two inseparable brothers excelled in the art of boxing from an early age. The cohesion that connects them gives them particular strength in the ring: "Our opponents don't know our secret weapon. Even if I'm alone in the ring, they still have two people to fight against," said the younger of the two once in an interview.

Unlike his brother, Vitali missed the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. However, he turned pro in the heavyweight division that same year and won eighteen fights in a row. In 1998 he won the WBO intercontinental title before becoming the world heavyweight champion in the same league in the 1999-2000 season.

In 2000, Vitali Klitschko won a fight against American Chris Byrd. However, a shoulder injury forced him to retire, damaging his reputation. Three years later he fought Lennox Lewis, who was defending his world heavyweight title, and caused an upset by knocking out the favorite. However, an eye injury forced him to retire again. Lewis, who retired before the rematch, stated that Klitschko had been his toughest opponent.

Vitali Klitschko was crowned WBC World Champion in 2004. After that, he had to pause his career because of a torn muscle fiber. He returned four years later and was again crowned league champion from 2008 to 2013 before hanging up his gloves with an exceptional record: 45 wins, including 41 by KO, in 47 fights. A legend!

Wladimir started his professional career the same night as his brother, on November 16, 1996. He immediately had 24 consecutive wins. In the late 1990s he was a WBC International and WBA Inter-Continental Champion. He was the WBO heavyweight champion from 2000 to 2003 and from 2008 to 2015.

Wladimir has a fundamental approach to the sport, known to nullify his opponents with his jab and then knocking them out with a straight right.

Wladimir is one of the few boxers who were world champions in three leagues at the same time (WBO, IBF and WBA) until 2015. He did not lose a fight between 2004 and this date, holding the second-longest consecutive reign in heavyweight history. With 64 wins, most of them by KO, in 69 fights, he is considered one of the best boxers in history.

Vitali and Wladimir never fought each other to keep the promise they made to their mother. However, they regularly compete in chess since retiring from the boxing rings.

In 2011, director Sebastian Dehnhardt (pictured) shot a documentary about the brothers, which is available on the several streaming websites.

Vitali has actively campaigned against corruption in Ukraine for years. He first ran in the local elections in Kyiv in 2006, when he retired from sports. He was elected MP in 2012, prompting him to give up boxing and devote himself entirely to politics the following year.

He was re-elected as mayor of Kyiv several times after the events of 2014 and was a key supporter of former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (pictured).

In early February 2022, Vitali announced that he would join the front lines in the event of a Russian invasion, saying "I will defend Kyiv, gun in hand". This has now happened. The mayor is leading the resistance in Kyiv and is providing direct assistance to the city's population.

Vitali Klitschko stated that he hasn't forgotten how to fight and that he can use various weapons. He let the Russians know that invading Ukraine would be no cakewalk for them and called on his compatriots to mobilize in defense of their country and democracy.

For his part, Wladimir has enlisted in the Ukrainian reserve army, which is now being mobilized at the front. Now the two brothers, legends of world boxing, will fight side by side for the toughest match of their lives. Their example and iron will will undoubtedly give the Ukrainian people the strength to fight.