There was a time when the stamina of Wladimir Klitschko was questioned. But those problems are a thing of the past, since the Samuel Peter fight in 2005. Klitschko finished those 12 rounds against The Nigerian Nightmare with a victory and without problems. Since then Klitschko has shown no vulnerability in the stamina and conditioning department.
There may be a logical explanation for this apparent correction. His name is David Williams and he’s a Los Angeles-based chef who has worked in the restaurant business for over two decades. Williams became Klitschko’s personal training camp chef for the Peter fight and has been a part of Team Klitschko for the seven fights since.
I asked Williams, what Wlad’s eating habits were before he started working with the IBF/WBO champion? “His habits weren’t bad but he was a prisoner of whatever restaurant was in the hotel.He eats the same but the food is clean – nothing instant. All from scratch so I can control the salt, sugars, and fat. After three-and-a-half years now, he knows what to look for when eating on his own. It took me a while to figure out what worked for him. Everyone is different.”
“The best part, I have taught Wlad how to barbecue. Man, he is really good now. I make the vegetables and starch and sauce, he grills the meats. He is almost better at it than I am.”
I offer that before the Peter fight there were questions of Klitschko’s stamina. And since he went 12 with Peter quite comfortably, there has been no evidence of any stamina problem or chin problem. Chef Williams replies, “Wlad says the same thing since I started working with him.”
So what is it exactly being cooked up in Klitschko’s training camps, what can us mere mortals start eating to feel maybe a little like Superman? “Pasta with vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and tomato, with garlic, basil and olive oil. Add in cooked chicken or beef for the protein.”
What does the champ eat on the day of the fight? “Day of the fight – oatmeal with berries and plain pasta with olive oil only. A little parmesan cheese is okay. No meat, veggie, or garlic. Drink lots of water. Eat the same for lunch and dinner day before fight.”
No protein the day of the fight? “Depends on the time of the fight. No less than 6-7 hours before. Wlad gets protein at 2 pm when he fights at 11 pm. By protein, I mean beef or chicken. Vegetable protein is different.”
So there you go, eat like the champ.