Wladimir Klitschko Issues 1st Statement Since Ex-Partner Hayden Panettiere's Death

Retired boxer Wladimir Klitschko said the death of ex-fiancée Hayden Panettiere "saddens me deeply" and that his family is experiencing "profound shock and grief."

"She left this world far too soon," Klitschko wrote on social media. "Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.

"She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives."

The Greenville County Coroner's Office confirmed Monday emergency services received a report of a person suffering cardiac arrest Sunday afternoon. Personnel arrived to find Panettiere unresponsive, and she was pronounced dead roughly 30 minutes after the initial 911 call.

Panettiere and Klitschko began dating in 2009 and split in 2011. They reconciled in 2013 and became engaged before eventually separating a second time.

Their daughter, Kaya, was born in 2014.

Addressing Kaya in Tuesday's message, Klitschko wrote he "will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was."

"I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden's parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today," he said. "Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon."