JUSTICE OF FORCE OR THE OLD ONE-TWO

Klychko is today not only a well- known name but also the symbol of this country's new generation, the symbol of a strong and intelligent Ukraine recognized by the world community. Thus when The Day suggests that I ascertain, together with the Klychko brothers, whether the two of them feel themselves such symbols, I turn to them and see that the three of us are unable to fulfill this task, for the solution is (without exaggeration) in the heart of every citizen of this country. Yet, I think we should try, in purely human terms, to analyze the state of affairs and philosophy of this subject.

Each day in the life of Vitaly and Volodymyr is pre-planned and full of things to be done most, as you know, far from Ukraine. This is why our meetings and conversations “on a prearranged subject” occur once every two weeks. The latest is going on now, on Volodymyr's return from his clear-cut victory over Axel Schulz in Cologne for the European champion's belt. Yet, our occasional talks can form quite a clear picture: They are ordinary people with their own weaknesses.

It is here that I disagreed with Volodymyr: “All the strong features of character prevail and are visible for all to see!”

To this Vitaly replies with a wry smile, “And those that don't show? For sometimes we get dead tired or overcome with irritation when somebody cuts in with unwarranted advice, and sometimes we can't do everything asked of us. Anyway, we don't even try to look good for everybody.”

“But we are not speaking about fixed ideals or standards. A symbol is something both down-to-earth and higher.”

I stress that those who answer here are a double whammy, a single whole, and they have a common goal.

“Frankly speaking, we already feel responsibility to those who believe in us. Somewhere deep in our hearts constantly glimmers an aspiration for uninterrupted self-perfection. And general attention toward us only further stimulates this wish. We are fully aware that there should be the examples of valor and strength. What is also needed is propaganda for a reasonable and kind force. For you can't drag into the twenty-first century what was the stereotype of a boxer until recently...”

“What kind of stereotype? Looking at you, we seem to have forgotten.”

“Remember the old joke: a boxer is asked why he needs a head and he says to eat with. Clearly, there are fewer and fewer people like this in our sport, although we, too, laid our hand on this (figuratively speaking, of course). What is needed today is good brains and kind hearts.”

“Cut it out! What sort of kindheartedness can there be in professional boxing? For if you show mercy to your rival for even a second, he will cut short your career right then and there.”

“You see, life is not exactly a bout in the ring. Besides, we always treat any rival with respect and look on him above all as a human. All those we knocked down are strong fighters, good sportsmen, and interesting personalities. Before the bouts, we always try to study them as human beings: it is a good school of human- relationships. Let's not beat around the bush. Let's take a potential rival in a crucial future bout, Evander Holyfield. We visited him and conducted sparring-bouts at his base, and he in turn visited us in Hamburg. As a person, he is quite extraordinary, profound and solid. He is a Muslim and begins every day with a prayer at 5 a.m., finishing the day with a prayer again. But he is not dogmatic, he is well-read, intelligent, a good mixer, and kind-hearted, in spite of external sternness. To understand this, you have to want to understand, and respond openly and honestly to the sincere desire to communicate.”

“So you see that the main features of a symbol gradually become discernible: an intelligent force, intellect, kindness, and communicability.”

“Let us also add: fairness in self- assessment and in the attitude to those weaker morally and physically.”

“You raise all this to the second power. It is not accidental that you called your first media projects and then the business project the one-two punch.”

“Maybe. So then we'll come together as is customary to generalize the meaning of the symbol the way we understand it. It is the justice of force and the force of justice. We'll continue well after October 9, after Vitaly's bout, for, as you have noticed, we are flesh-and-blood human beings. Even if we are symbols, we are quite flexible.”

We will try more to solve all this later.