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Klitschko announces his retirement
 Klitschko's last fight was against Danny Williams last December HAMBURG, Germany -- World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko has given up his fight against injury and will hang up his gloves, his agent has revealed. The 34-year-old Ukrainian had right knee surgery on Tuesday, in order to go ahead with a mandatory title defense against Hasim Rahman in 90 days. But he decided he would never make that deadline and the time was right to retire. "I've more often been stopped by injury than by an opponent," he said in a statement released by his agent, Bernd Bonte. "It was hard to retire from this sport but I want to finish my career at the summit and leave the way open for my successors." Klitschko, 35-2 with 34 knockouts, has not fought since beating Britain's Danny Williams last December in his only title defense. Back and thigh injuries forced him to delay fights with Rahman that were planned for April 30, June 18 and July 23. Rahman captured an interim crown in August by beating fellow American Monte Barrett. The WBC will have to decide whether to confirm him as champion or order a championship match. Klitschko, the 1996 Olympic super-heavyweight champ, won the vacant WBC title in April 2004 - his second attempt following a controversial loss to former champion Lennox Lewis - with an eighth round stoppage of Corrie Sanders. Lewis had stopped Klitschko on cuts in June, 2003 when the Ukrainian was ahead on points. 
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