World champion boxer Vitali Klitschko to fight for seat in Ukraine parliament

Vitali, the only world champ boxer to have a PHD, is rumoured to be hanging up his gloves after this weekend’s fight with Manuel Charr, and he’s spoken to The Guardian of his political post-punching plans.

“We are trying to make politics more open,” he told the UK national newspaper. “It became a Ukrainian tradition to make decisions behind closed doors… we are trying to apply European standards in politics.”

He has been testing the water in local politics for some time now, becoming elected to Kiev city council in 2006 and announcing the formation of the political party Udar – the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform – in 2010.

He is set to make the move to the big stage by taking on current Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych.

Photo: Getty.