Wladimir Klitschko and Hayden Panettiere Break Up

World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and "Heroes" actress Hayden Panettiere have broken up after two years of dating.

Panettiere, 21, offered this cliche:

"Even though we've decided splitting up is best for both of us, we have an amazing amount of love and respect for each other and remain very close friends."

Klitschko, 35, offered this cliche:

"We had a great time together, but it's not that easy to manage a relationship between two continents. I have a lot of respect for Hayden as a person and as a friend, and I believe we'll keep our friendship even after the separation."

As odd as it seemed that the two were dating -- you know, because he's a 6'7" boxer from Ukraine in his mid-30s, and she's a 5'1" actress who is barely of legal drinking age in the States -- she did attend all of his fights, sitting there with Vitali Klitschko's wife and seeming to have a fine time, waving miniature Ukrainian flags and always smiling for the camera.

Still, it was pretty weird to most people, I'm guessing. It just looked weird.

Klitschko is not Panettiere's only connection to boxing, either. Before dating Wladimir, she dated "Heroes" co-star Milo Ventimiglia, who portrayed Rocky Balboa's grown-up son in Rocky Balboa.

OK, that's really about as much as I have to say about this. I do wonder if there will be rumors of "distractions" leading up to Klitschko's big July 2 fight with David Haye because of this.