• Ask Steven

Klitschkos KO'd?

Steven LynchDecember 16, 2014
Lennox Lewis is one of only two men to defeat Vitali Klitschko © Getty Images
Enlarge

Which boxers have beaten the Klitschko brothers? And has anyone beaten both of them? asked Thomas Stone

Vitali Klitschko lost only two of his 47 professional bouts, both title fights, to Chris Byrd in 2000 and Lennox Lewis in 2003. A shoulder injury forced him to retire in the ninth round against Byrd, while the Lewis bout was stopped in the sixth when Klitschko was badly cut. Byrd's victory gave him the WBO heavyweight title, but he lost it in his first defence ... to Wladimir Klitschko.

Wladimir has lost only three of his 66 fights to date - to the American Ross Puritty in 1998, Corrie Sanders of South Africa in 2003, and Lamon Brewster in 2004. That victory by Sanders gave him the WBO heavyweight title, but he gave that up without defending it, preferring to challenge for the WBC title - but he lost to Vitali Klitschko.

The only boxer to lose to both Klitschkos in pro fights was Samuel Peter, the 'Nigerian Nightmare', who was briefly the WBC heavyweight champion in 2008. He surrendered that title to Vitali in his first defence in October 2008, three years after losing to Wladimir in a title eliminator. In 2010 Peter lost again to Wladimir, while challenging for the IBF and WBO heavyweight titles. He lost only two of his 37 other fights.

Ask Steven features a number of experts, headed by Steven Lynch, who answer your questions across a variety of sports

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

Writer Bio

Ask Steven features a number of experts, headed by Steven Lynch, who answer your questions across a variety of sports

Ask Your Question

Ask Steven on Facebook » #asksteven

RECENT POSTS

Ask Steven Home