The subsequent failed drugs test saw Klitschko, then rated the No1 amateur in the world, thrown off Ukraine's team for Atlanta.
With the BALCO scandal still making headlines it was inevitable Klitschko should be questioned about this stain on his record. He said: "I never knowingly used steroids. They would not be helpful because for boxing you need skill and you need experience much more than you need tablets."
Klitschko brings skill and experience to the fight against Williams, but whether he has heart has been the subject of vigorous debate.
Four years ago he retired with a shoulder injury while defending the WBO world title against Chris Byrd and was tagged "Vitali Quitschko". It took until he survived all that Lennox Lewis could throw at him to retrieve respect.
Now, his all-action style is winning the support of fight fans.
Nearly 11,000 trudged to Madison Square Garden through a New York snowstorm to see him dispatch Kirk Johnson last December, and 17,000 filled the Staples Centre in Los Angeles in April when he won the vacant WBC title against Corrie Sanders.
Now Klitschko comes to his defence against Williams insisting: "I want to be remembered for being a good champion."
He's certainly a different kind of champion, and heavyweight boxing is all the better for that.
