Wladimir Klitschko used his boxing Hall of Fame speech to call on the sport to make drastic changes

• Wladimir Klitschko was a notable absentee from boxing's Hall of Fame inductions this week.
• The former heavyweight king has remained in Kyiv as Ukraine defends itself from Russian invasion.

BOXING HALL OF FAME, CANASTOTA — Wladimir Klitschko used his boxing Hall of Fame speech to claim the sport needs drastic change.

The 46-year-old, a notable absentee from the ceremonies at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona because of Russia's ongoing war in his native Ukraine, also questioned if an American Hall of Famer is on Vladimir Putin's side.

"Thank you fans and officials for the recognition," Klitschko said, ahead of his enshrinement at the nearby Canastota museum, alongside other 2021 inductees Floyd Mayweather, Laila Ali, and Andre Ward, among others.

Klitschko retired in 2017 as a former two-time heavyweight world champion with an extraordinary record of 64 wins (53 knockouts) against five defeats, involving fights against Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Alexander Povetkin, David Haye, and Chris Byrd.

A 1996 Olympic gold medalist, he turned pro later that year but said even as far back as 1990, he used combat sports as a means "to travel at a very young age."

He said: "And I never ever dreamed of getting that far in this sport and especially being among all the respected champions in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Amazing. And this is a huge honor."

Explaining his absence, Klitschko said: "Unfortunately, the Russian aggression in my home country Ukraine, and the war, have prevented me from sharing in person this ceremony with you."

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 and, in the months since, more than 12.8 million people have been displaced as multiple cities in that country have been shelled. More than 4,000 civilians have been killed there, according to the UN.

"This war has changed not just me but the entire world," Klitschko said.

The boxer talked about how boxing made him a better person. He adopted a "safety first" attitude in sport, and in life, he said. "It's the secret of my endurance — and Floyd Mayweather's, too."

He then talked about a fellow inductee, Roy Jones Jr.

"I'm super happy to address you all tonight," he said. "Well, almost all of you.

"There is one person for whom I have a real question: One person broke Ukraine law by going into the occupied peninsula of Crimea, through Russian territory. That person is Roy Jones."

Putin in 2015 issued a decree approving a citizenship application for Jones, who had also taken up professional boxing in Russia. Jones in 2015 met personally with Putin in Crimea after Russia annexed the region, per The Washington Post.

'Roy, who's side are you on?'

"So, Roy, who's side are you on? On the side of the aggressor, or on the side of the defender of its right to live? I respect you as a fighter but I question your moral compass."

Watch his speech in full here:

Jones is one of the most gifted boxers of the last 40 years as he boxed with an unconventional but natural and athletic style, slaying opponents from junior middleweight all the way through to heavyweight.

The sport must change, Klitschko said

Despite boxing providing him with a means to travel the world from a young age, Klitschko said the sport as a whole must change. "Many have no security, no education, or healthcare," he said.

"The governing bodies, managers, and promoters (we know who they are) never think about the well-being of the athletes, especially in their life after boxing."

He added, "Life after the sport is much longer than you think. It's a must to help these young people to prepare for it and change the current system of the sport."

He continued by saying that there should be only one overruling governing body, rather than the existing landscape which has a fractured ecosystem.

"I have a dream to reunite amateurs and professionals under one roof and in one transparent organization. There is only one noble art and sweet science — boxing. There should be only one association that accompanies the athletes and not the one that instrumentalizes the athletes," he said.

"We need to think about preparing their personal development, health, and education plans, well into the next stage of life, and not just their next fight."

He continued, "All of us here have a huge responsibility. We are the faces of boxing. It's up to us to come together and build the future of boxing so that our noble art remains the most famous of all the sports!"

"Love you all. Keep on punching and cheers from Kyiv."