Was there really no opportunity to heal your knee, and then again to return and carry out a fight with Rahman or someone else? Vitali Klitschko: "I do not know, whether I can after this long return again after serious trauma on a global level. I can't really say how my motivation will be for that. If to go forward I have to start to pass steps of ratings, maybe, to have an opportunity to box for a rank of the world champion, the big desire in me is not present. Besides, already at my age the old trauma's can still have an effect."

Did pressure from the press or Rahman's people have anything to do with this decision?

Vitali Klitschko: "I do not want to block heavyweight division and the WBC. The sportsmen with a world ranking and fans waited for this duel more than ten months, and now still additional dealys for another half of a year. Besides WBC has given me term for carrying out of the duel, only two months, so a choice was not difficult to make. It is better to leave as champion being on top, than to cling to a title and a belt from last forces, and to wait for them to take it from you. I have accepted the decision is realized, having weighed all pro and con's.

 
Hasim Rahman and Don King are going to bring an action against you for default of conditions of the contract. Do you have a response to that?

Vitali Klitschko: King's applications, or Rahman’s are a full bluff, neither having under themselves any basis. The trauma can happen to each sportsman, and against reception of it anybody cannot give guarantees. To judge the sportsman for the trauma received by him and expecting him to perform as he should is impossible."

Is it true that you suffered the same kind of injury when you were kick boxing?

Vitali Klitschko: "It is not so. For all career as kick boxer, I never had traumas of a knee joint."

How have your friends and those closest to you reacted to your decision?

Vitali Klitschko: "For last two days, I have received huge quantity of bells from many friends. Practically everyone support me and shares the decision accepted by me."

 
As far as this year - with traumas, delays of fights, was the criticism from different direction heavy for you?

Vitali Klitschko:  The fact is my life is featured under a huge stage. 20 years of my active employment(occupations) were executed by sports. 

 
Will your retirement affect Vladimir's further career?

Vitali Klitschko: "Brothers always are a single whole. We helped each other substituted a shoulder a difficult minute, and in it there can be a secret of success of brothers. We divided our victories, and defeats for two.

Today I am compelled to leave the sport. But my leaving does not mean that that Vladimir has remained one. I shall try all my energy, forces, experience to give the brother, so that that he reaches the purposes put before him. I am convinced that Vladimir has the much greater potential in boxing, than I. He is much stronger and much younger. He is confident and  ready to begin on the road to becoming the big champion in heavyweight division.

Obviously, you did not plan to finish the career so early. How much longer had you hoped to stay in boxing?

Vitali Klitschko: "I certainly knew the moment when it is necessary to hang up boxing gloves on a nail. But did not think that it would happen so unexpectedly. Everyone wishes to leave after the big victory."

Already it is possible to speak that was failed. With whom from working boxers you planned to fight? What from the fights planned by you, seem to the most attractive?

Vitali Klitschko: "I did not cease to hope, that Lennox Lewis will return to a ring, for that to constrain the promise to give a match for revenge. This duel would be for me the most attractive.

Looking back, which fight was the most difficult for you?

Vitali Klitschko: The most difficult duel was the duel against Lennox Lewis. I did not have the time to box such strong contender.  But today I remain convinced that if the doctor had not stopped the fight, I would have won."