Klitschko looks outside boxing ring

NEW YORK – Wladimir Klitschko did not wear the crown of heavyweight champion comfortably or securely the first time around. Maybe it was because he was young and untested when he won it.

After losing the title, Klitschko hit bottom and had to claw his way back to the top, answering questions about his stamina, his chin and his heart. After Klitschko battered Chris Byrd with a seventh-round TKO for the IBF title April 22, the only questions surrounding him are about the prospects of being the undisputed champion and the kind of champion he will become.

Klitschko began to answer some of those questions in announcing his fight against Calvin Brock at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 11.

Before the press conference, Klitschko showed a video of a trip he and his brother, Vitali, took to a village in Namibia for a project they’re working on under UNESCO – a United Nations children’s educational organization – three weeks ago. As the video ran without sound, and images of the San children of Northern Namibia dancing with Klitschko flickered above his head, he talked about his involvement with the project and his hopes of raising enough money to build adequate schools and buy supplies. Klitschko is pledging to use a portion of the ticket sales to help with the project to build schools and help with educational programs for the children in the village. He guaranteed $250,000 would go to the project.

“The only key to give them a future is through education,” Klitschko said.

By pushing the cause of the San children, Klitschko was demonstrating that his reign as heavyweight world champion could be about more than victories in the ring. He wants it to be about shaping a better world, one village at a time.

To that end, he was happy that his first title defense would be in New York.

“I get the feeling that New York is the world’s city,” Klitschko said. “Look at how many people are living together here. Everybody gets along with each other. New York is a good example to the rest of the world on how to get together.”

With the power of the heavyweight championship behind him, Klitschko could use each fight promotion as his bully pulpit for world change.

For those who came to talk about boxing on Tuesday, they got a dose of his sermon on reaching out to the less fortunate, world peace and effective change.

“Speaking the words of Nelson Mandela, ‘Sports has the power to change the world,’ ” Klitschko said.

This is no empty, Hollywood-style, publicity cause for Klitschko. He and his brother have been associated with UNESCO since 2002. They have been involved with projects in Brazil, Romania, and Ukraine – their home country.

Ali adds interest

Laila Ali, whose father, Muhammad Ali, was the last heavyweight champion to tackle world issues, will share the card at the Garden with Klitschko and Brock. Ali’s match will not be broadcast by HBO because the cable network does not televise women’s boxing.

“That means you’re going to have to buy a ticket and come to the Garden to see me fight,” Ali said.