WLAD ALL OVER Fun-loving Klitschko’s ready for serious business
WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO is convinced that everything happens for a reason.
That is why the giant Ukrainian has managed to remain so philosophical about losing his world heavyweight titles to Tyson Fury last November.
Klitschko had hoped to have won them back by now, but the July rematch with Fury was postponed when the champion injured an ankle in training.
Now the two men will meet again on Saturday, October 29 in Manchester.
And Klitschko, 40, said: “I strongly believe everything happens for a reason. This fight is going to happen even if we have bumps in the road.
“There’s not much ‘if ’ [the fight will go ahead]. But it has been a struggle because I just want to be active.” Klitschko’s manager, Bernd Boente, was more forthright about the fight taking place – despite Fury’s no-show at Tuesday’s press conference amid claims his car had broken down.
Boente insisted: “It’s done. We understood in negotiations that the Fury camp was very, very keen to have this fight before their hearing [in November over allegations of a failed drugs test]. So it will happen.
“They have got a big amount of money and they want to have their money before the hearing. The fight is on.”
Klitschko is itching to get back to the business of boxing – though he’s not been idle.
He said: “One of the highlights of the last year was celebrating my 40th birthday on March 25. I never celebrate my birthdays, but this time I held a charitable gala in Kiev.
“I said, ‘Listen, I don’t need any gifts. There’s the Klitschko Foundation and you know how many projects we have, so make donations’.
“Haddaway performed for free. Remember him and [ 1993 hit record] ‘ What Is Love?’? Sylvester Stallone gave one of his paintings, Arnold Schwarzenegger gave his Terminator III jacket, an original.
“Roger Federer donated his Wimbledon racket from one of his games and we had an amazing, limited edition book from the Rolling Stones which had just come out on the market.
“So we had an amazing birthday party and, in just a couple of hours, we raised £2.3million, which was fantastic.
“If you talk about ‘ fun’, maybe that’s not too good for you guys – too clean, nothing crazy? – but it was fun for me.
“I also played a lot of golf, did some kite surfing… But I love what I do. I box for fun, it was always fun – and it still is actually.”