Wife tells Klitschko to retire

Berlin - The wife of world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko has urged her husband to hang up his gloves and retire.

"He must make that decision alone, but Vitali has achieved everything in his career, right at the top, so I'd find it nice if he stopped," Natalia Klitschko told the Hamburg Morgenpost newspaper.

The 42-year-old Vitali Klitschko holds the WBC heavyweight belt, while younger brother Wladimir is the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO champion and between them the Ukrainian brothers, who are based in Hamburg, hold all the major titles.

Having last lost more than a decade ago to Britain's Lennox Lewis, "Dr Ironfist" has earned knock-outs in 41 of his 45 victories during 47 professional fights with just two defeats.

Vitali is a three-time heavyweight world champion and last fought in September 2012 when he beat Germany's Manuel Charr.

He was due to fight Canadian challenger Bermane Stiverne in August, but called off the fight due to a hand injury with the rematch to be announced for early 2014.

He in active politically in Ukraine and in 2015, he plans to run for the presidency.