KIEV, May 26 - Vitaliy Klitschko, a former world heavyweight boxing champion, has claimed victory in an election to become mayor of Kiev, clinching a major role in Ukraine's emerging new political order after Sunday's presidential election, Reuters reported.

Klitschko is a close ally of Ukraine's president elect, Petro Poroshenko, whom he backed for the top job after quitting the contest himself. Their alliance has been on display in the past 24 hours when Klitschko, who is some two meters (6 feet eight) tall, stood beside Poroshenko at two news conferences.