ESPN Will Honor Vitali Klitschko With Courage Award In July

Former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine since 2014, will obtain the Arthur Ashe Award for Braveness in the course of the 2022 ESPYS on July 20 (ABC, 8 p.m. ET) in Los Angeles, ESPN introduced on Tuesday.

The award is given to a member of the sporting world who makes a distinction past the sector of play.

Klitschko has been a key figure during Ukraine’s fight against the unprovoked invasion by neighboring Russia that started in February.

“It’s a nice honor for me to obtain this award,” Klitschko mentioned in an announcement to ESPN. “I’m satisfied that it is a recognition of the braveness and inviolability of the Ukrainian individuals, who’ve been bravely resisting the Russian aggressor for greater than three months. That is an award for everybody who defends the independence and freedom of Ukraine.”

Klitschko is the longest-serving mayor in Kyiv historical past.

“Vitali’s poise and power as his metropolis and nation faces unfathomable checks have far surpassed the unimaginable resolve he demonstrated as certainly one of boxing’s prime heavyweight champions,” mentioned Rob King, govt editor-at-large for ESPN content material. “His dedication to the individuals of Ukraine has been a world inspiration, and his bravery is a first-rate instance of the resilience of the human spirit. It’s our privilege to bestow him with the Arthur Ashe Braveness Award.”

Vitali Klitschko previously held the WBO heavyweight title for 2 years (1999-2000) and had two stints as WBC world title holder (2004-05 and 2008-12). He’s certainly one of a choose few fighters (Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield are two) to have regained at the least a portion of the world heavyweight title on two extra events.

The Ashe Award has turn into some of the distinguished, prestigious, and talked-about honors in sports activities, and has acknowledged world icons like Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela, little-known heroes like Zaevion Dobson and Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, sports activities legends like Pat Summitt and Billie Jean King, and lots of extra.