Volodymyr Klychko returns to boxing! The Ring has announced the timing, publishing a sensational insight

Former heavyweight champion Volodymyr Klychko (64-5, 53 KOs) is almost ready to return to professional boxing, The Ring reports. The publication, based on information received from insiders, is confident that the 48-year-old Ukrainian will fight in 2025.

Klychko hasn't boxed since his defeat by the then-undefeated Anthony Joshua. In April 2017, at the crowded Wembley Stadium in London, Joshua stopped the Ukrainian in the 11th round. At the end of 2017, this fight was recognized as the "Fight of the Year" by The Ring.

At the time of publication of this news, it was not clear who exactly Klychko was planning to fight.

The head of Saudi Arabia's Entertainment Authority and owner of The Ring, Turki Al Al-Sheikh, had already asked Klychko about his possible return last December during the WBC's annual congress in Hamburg, Germany. At the time, Klychko refused to comment publicly on his plans, focusing instead on supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Also in December, in an interview on the Ariel X Ade Show, Turki Al Al-Sheikh, head of Saudi Arabia's Entertainment Authority, admitted that his dream is to see Klychko return and attempt to become the oldest champion in heavyweight history.

"To give Klychko such a chance would be ideal. Of course, he won't fight Usyk if he beats Fury, because they are both heroes of Ukraine and won't fight each other. But it's my dream," Al Sheikh said.

The record currently belongs to George Foreman, who won the world title at the age of 45 by knocking out Michael Moore in 1994.

Klychko, who is 198 cm tall and weighs 111 kg, is a two-time world heavyweight champion. He held the IBF belt for 9.5 years, from April 2006 to November 2015. In 2009, Klychko won the world title according to The Ring.

In November 2015, he lost his IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO and The Ring titles to Tyson Fury by unanimous decision at the ESPRIT Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Klychko's rematch with Fury never took place - in October 2016, the Briton announced the temporary end of his career due to problems with depression and drugs. As a result, Klychko went on to fight 27-year-old Anthony Joshua in front of a 90,000-strong audience.

In that fight, Klychko, then 41 years old, got up after being knocked down in the fifth round and knocked Joshua down himself in the sixth. However, the Briton recovered, knocked Klychko to the floor twice in the 11th round, and referee David Fields stopped the fight.

Klychko won gold in the heavyweight division at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. In November of this year, he made his professional boxing debut. He won his first title, the WBO, in October 2000, defeating Chris Byrd by unanimous decision.

Volodymyr Klychko recently broke his silence about the comeback. The situation was also clarified by Klychko's manager Tom Lefler, who noted that the athlete continues to keep himself in shape. 

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