Klitschko shows brain and brawn

The week of a world heavyweight title fight is usually the time for the champion to engage in trash talk. According to boxing's book of traditions this is when he will sneeringly dismiss the challenger while making himself out to be the perfect fighter possessing strength, skill, an iron will and a fist cast in concrete.

Yet here we are, down the hall from the imposing bowl of the Mandalay Bay Arena where Vitali Klitschko will defend his WBC belt against Danny Williams on Saturday, and the conversation is embracing the plight of democracy in eastern Europe and of underprivileged children in Brazil.

This 33-year-old is a staunch supporter of Ukraine's pro-European Presidential candidate Viktor Yuschenko. And he confirmed Standard Sport's story that he nearly quit on Williams in order to fly to Kiev and demonstrate against crooked elections that gave temporary power to the Russiabacked Viktor Yanukovych.

"Sometimes world events transcend the importance of sport," said Klitschko. "I am a sportsman, not a politician. But I am also a citizen and for me it is very important what happens in my country and what kind of future there will be there for my children.

"In the end I decided to stay and win the fight, which will mean so much to my people."

At 6ft 8ins Klitschko is a big man with bulging arm muscles. But there is brain to go with the brawn. Klitschko has degrees in sports science and philosophy from Kiev University and supports UNESCO's Project Education for children in South America.

Yet if Klitschko is so clever, why in 1996 did he accept a doctor's treatment for a leg injury without first checking it did not contain illegal steroids?

The subsequent failed drugs test saw Klitschko, then rated the No1 amateur in the world, thrown off Ukraine's team for Atlanta.

With the BALCO scandal still making headlines it was inevitable Klitschko should be questioned about this stain on his record. He said: "I never knowingly used steroids. They would not be helpful because for boxing you need skill and you need experience much more than you need tablets."

Klitschko brings skill and experience to the fight against Williams, but whether he has heart has been the subject of vigorous debate.

Four years ago he retired with a shoulder injury while defending the WBO world title against Chris Byrd and was tagged "Vitali Quitschko". It took until he survived all that Lennox Lewis could throw at him to retrieve respect.

Now, his all-action style is winning the support of fight fans.

Nearly 11,000 trudged to Madison Square Garden through a New York snowstorm to see him dispatch Kirk Johnson last December, and 17,000 filled the Staples Centre in Los Angeles in April when he won the vacant WBC title against Corrie Sanders.

Now Klitschko comes to his defence against Williams insisting: "I want to be remembered for being a good champion."

He's certainly a different kind of champion, and heavyweight boxing is all the better for that.