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11/19/2005 Archived Entry: "WBC Designates Klitschko 'World Champion Emeritus'!"
WBC Designates Klitschko 'World Champion Emeritus'!
November 17, 2005 - Mexico City.
From WBC President Jose Sulaiman:
On December 20 in paradisiacal Cancun, the World Boxing Council will present Hasim Rahman with the championship belt as the undisputed world heavyweight champion of the WBC, after Vitali Klitschko's retirement due to an injury he suffered a week before their title bout.
At the same time, the WBC has designated Vitali Klitschko as WBC World Champion Emeritus in recognition of his unquestionable loyalty and his extraordinary boxing career. He brought great prestige and honor to the heavyweight division, and possessed a record of 35-2-0 with an incredible percentage of 97.1 in victories by KO.
The WBC World Champion Emeritus automatically becomes the Ambassador for Peace and Good Will in the World through sports.
With this nomination, Vitali Klitschko will also keep the right to return to the boxing arenas as immediate mandatory official challenger if someday he would wish to come back to professional boxing, instead of retiring definitively.
Other very special guests will be present at the ceremony on December 20; their names will be disclosed once their attendance is confirmed.
