Actor Dwayne Johnson accepted the award on behalf of Vitali Klitschko, who remained in his native Ukraine Amethyst Tate is a Digital News Writer at PEOPLE. She joined PEOPLE in June 2022.

Vitali Klitschko is a former WBO world heavyweight champion boxer. Klitschko is the mayor of Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, and brother to fellow heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Former boxer Vitali Klitschko, who serves as mayor of Kyiv, will receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2022 ESPYs for his efforts in Ukraine's defense amid a Russian invasion, ESPN ...

Rounded, powerful profile of the boxer-turned-mayor of Kyiv Year: 2024 Certificate: 15 Watch now on NOW Watch now on Sky In 2014, the boxer Vitali Klitschko was elected mayor of Kyiv. In 2022 ...

Vitali Klitschko was born in Kyrgyzstan in 1971, Wladimir five years later in Kazakhstan. Their father was a Soviet air force officer from Ukraine and their mother Russian.