KLITSCHKO-SOLIS: A PROFOUND DISAPPOINTMENT

A pre-existing knee injury? An injury that occurred that moment? Something else altogether?
The bottom line to everyone who tuned in: Vitali Klitschko’s title defense against Odlanir Solis on Saturday night in Cologne, Germany, was a colossal disappointment and another black mark on a struggling heavyweight division.

The fight wasn’t three minutes old when Solis’ right knee seemed to give out as he retreated after taking a grazing blow to the temple and he fell onto his back. The Cuban immediately grabbed the right knee with both gloves but then managed to get to his feet.

Solis, hobbling badly, apparently couldn’t put weight on the right leg and that was that. The referee stopped the disaster of a fight at the end of the round.

Television analyst Lennox Lewis, working the fight for Epix, suggested without evidence that Solis might’ve had a pre-existing injury.

Of course, that’s possible but Solis jumped up and down during warm-ups and moved well during the short fight. He lunged in quickly a few times in an attempt to land combinations, an apparent indication that he had two strong legs
Only one thing seems to be certain at the moment.
“I’m sure there’s going to be an investigation,” Lewis said.

The fight had more build-up in the U.S. than a typical Klitschko fight in Europe because the new television network Epix broadcasted it here, both on TV and on its Web site.
So many fans tuned in to watch the fight on the Internet that the site because overloaded and went down about a half hour before fighttime, although it was back up in time for the opening bell.
That means thousands who had barely settled in front of their computers were disappointed – and probably disgusted.


They certainly weren’t alone. Imagine the estimated 20,000 who crammed into the indoor Lanxess Arena in Cologne expecting a competitive fight or another dominating performance by Klitschko or maybe a dramatic knockout.

In the end, they were left with nothing. They undoubtedly left the arena seething.

And what about the throng that watched the fight live on the jumbo screen in Time Square? That was a great idea on someone's part, a chance to promote both Epix and the sport in an unusual way. Talk about a flop. The folks at Epix must be devastated.

Should we blame Solis? Not yet. We have to give him the benefit of the doubt until we learn more about the apparent injury.


If doctors or anyone else can determine that it was pre-existing and he hid that fact to collect his purse, then he deserves what he gets. Sometimes knees give out without warning, though. It might’ve been a simple case of very bad luck.


All Solis said was: “It was definitely my knee. It could be that I took a wrong step.”
These things in happen in boxing, like it or not. We must absorb the blow and move on.
Here’s the good news: We finally have some truly compelling heavyweight matchups in our near future.

Wladimir Klitschko has agreed to fight David Haye this summer in the most-anticipated heavyweight matchup in years if Klitschko has recovered sufficiently from a stomach injury.

If he can’t fight, then Vitali Klitschko will step in and face the talented Briton. We win either way.
And the Klitschkos also have agreed that one of them will fight Tomasz Adamek, one of the best fighters in the world pound for pound and a legitimate challenge to the Klitschkos’ long-standing supremecy.

We’re terribly disappointed now after what happened on Saturday but better days lie ahead.


Source:http://ringtv.craveonline.com

Vitali Klitschko Knocks Out Odlanier Solis in One Round

WBC Heavyweight Champion Vitali Klitschko (41-2, 38 KO) will be making the sixth defense of his title against 2004 Cuban Olympic gold medalist Odlanier Solis (17-0, 12 KO) at 6p.m. ET. The fight will take place in Cologne, Germany.

The fight will be shown live on the premium network Epix, which specializes in video-on-demand. The fight can be accessed through the Epix website by both subscribers and non-subscribers.

A free two-week trial can be used by non-subscribers to view the fight live. No credit card or payment information is necessary before or after viewers sign up.

Vitali Klitschko def. Odlanier Solis via KO in round one.

Round 1—Klitschko using the jab to keep Solis at bay early. Not unusual. Solis throws four punches in first minute and nails Klitschko with a overhand right. Solis throws a combination and misses with a right hand. Solis showing good speed early. Klitschko still utilizing jab. Solis had success, but Klitschko keeps pressuring and puts Solis down for the count. Replay shows Klitschko landing a right hook that lands on the top of Solis’ head.

Klitschko goes to Solis’ corner and complains he quit. He definitely looked hurt. Crowd is booing.

“I feel Solis is very fast, pretty fast, but it was a hard punch,” Klitschko said in the post-fight interview.

“I am sorry for everyone who wanted to see long fight, and I hit him with a right hand.”

“It would be very interesting to what doctor’s say after the medical exam, and I know he got hit hard, but I don’t know whether or not he wanted to fight.”

“I was prepared to show a very good fight, but it’s one punch and game over.”

“I feel great. I have a lot of experience. I have a feeling nobody in the world can beat me.”

Undercard results: Nuri Seferi def. Jozsef nagy by eight-round unanimous decision.

Sky Sports Results: Liam Walsh defeats Jon Kays via tenth round TKO.

Results from Wigan, United Kingdom will begin at 4:30p.m. ET on Sky Sports in the UK. The results will also be posted here. It features a 12-round super-featherweight bout between Liam Walsh (10-0, 7 KO) and Jon Kays (13-1, 4 KO).

Kays had success early in the bout, throwing combinations as Walsh was still stuck in a feeling out process. Kays outlanded Walsh 16 to 15 in total punches through the first two rounds. Both boxers showed solid defense and avoided the majority of shots.

Kays’ success continued into the third round as a huge gash appeared above Walsh’s right eye due to an unintentional headbutt.

Walsh regained his momentum in the fourth by opening up with more body shots. A left hook near the end of the round rocked Kays. Kays couldn’t hold on to avoid the knockdown and went down with 15 seconds left in the round. He got up with a few seconds left on the clock.

The fifth round was close as Kays remained defensive throughout after the knockdown occurred in the previous round.

Walsh outlanded Kays in total punches 54 to 46 through six rounds.

Kays pressured Walsh in the middle rounds as Walsh looked for a big left hook that gave him the knockdown in the fourth.

Kays hurt Walsh in the fifth with a straight right but could not capitalize. Amazing effort displayed by Kays after being dropped early.

Walsh rallied in the ninth with his jab and effective hooks to the body of Kays.

The action picked up in the tenth as both fighters slugged it out in the center of the ring. Kays is visibly fatigued and fell to the canvas after Walsh opened up with a combination to the body. The referee waved off the bout before Kays couldn't get back to his feet. Brutal finish by Kays.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com

Vitali Klitschko promises to KO unbeaten Solis

WBC titleholder Vitali Klitschko, left, and Cuban Odlanier Solis of Cuba, seen Monday, square off in a rare matchup of Olympic heavyweight champions. (Martin Meissner/Associated Press)

Former Olympic champion Odlanier Solis challenges WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko in Cologne on Saturday with an unbeaten record and his best physical shape in years.


Solis is nine years younger than 39-year-old Klitschko, whose record is 41-2, with 38 knockouts.
"My boxer is at the ideal weight to beat Vitali Klitschko. No more, no less. Just enough," Solis trainer Pedro Luis Diaz said.


Solis, also a three-time amateur world champ, has struggled with weight problems since he defected from Cuba in December 2006.


Diaz said it was different this time.


"Solis's preparation has been designed and prepared, down to the smallest detail," he said. "Vitali does not know what kind of trouble he is in for. Odlanier is in the prime of his career."


Solis weighed in at 246.5 pounds to 249 for Klitschko on Friday.


The 2004 Olympic champion has a 17-0 record, with 12 KOs. But Solis also gives away 15 centimetres (six inches) in height to the Ukrainian champion.


"Solis is one of the strongest opponents in my career," Klitschko said.

Klitschko's only previous experience with an Olympic champion was a defeat against Lennox Lewis in 2003.


"We've reviewed Vitali's opponents over the years and saw that none of them have the quality of Solis," Diaz said. "Not in speed nor movement, nor the boxing IQ. On Saturday there will be a surprise."


The champion did not seem worried.


"I can fight 12 rounds at a high tempo but the fight won't last 12 rounds," Klitschko said. "There are good amateurs from Cuba but it's different in the professional game."


Solis was just as confident of winning the fight.


"I'll win in the 12th, maybe earlier. I'll win in any case," Solis said.


Solis's promoter Ahmet Oner said his fighter was interested in the title and not the money, "unlike most of the recent opponents of the Klitschko brothers."


"Solis knows this is the chance of a lifetime," Oner said.

Vitali's younger brother Wladimir, the IBF and WBO champ, fights WBA belt-holder David Haye in June or July.


Source: http://www.cbc.ca

Klitschko vs. Solis Weigh-in Results, Photos: Solis At Career Low Weight!

Good news for fight fans looking to see an entertaining, meaningful heavyweight title fight this weekend instead of another Klitschko walk through the park.

The Klitschko vs. Solis weigh-in results are in, and Solis showed up in excellent condition. In fact, he came in at the lowest weight he's over fought at as a professional boxer in his career, dating back four years and 17 fights.

Klitschko vs. Solis Weights

• Vitali Klitschko: 249 lbs
• Odlanier Solis: 246.5 lbs

This is a huge development, and it's actually the lowest weight that Solis has ever been for a professional fight. The lowest he had ever been previously was 246.75, three years ago. Since then, he ballooned into the 250s and 260s, even reaching 271 lbs for his fight against Monte Barrett. Now, trimmed down, he still has the power and size to combat Klitschko, he has his spectacular amateur pedigree to utilize, but he shouldn't be hindered by his own body mass. If you were interested in Klitschko vs. Solis before, the weigh-in results should definitely change your mind!

Klitschko vs. Solis Weigh-in Photos

The Vitali Klitschko vs. Odlanier Solis WBC heavyweight championship will be televised live to the U.S., Tomorrow! Saturday, March 19, exclusively on EPIX and streamed live on EpixHD.com, which includes a free two-week trial of the entire website, including access to its 3,000-film library. To sign up for the free trial go to:  http://www.epixhd.com/freetrial-boxing/

The live broadcast and the live stream will begin at 5 p.m. ET with fights from the undercard followed by the Klitschko vs. Solis world title fight at 6 p.m. ET.

And in a boxing first, EPIX will also be presenting the closed captioned simulcast of the Klitschko vs. Solis heavyweight title tilt on a jumbotron screen in Times Square (Broadway at 44^th St.), beginning at 6 p.m. ET.

Klitschko (41-2, 38 KOs), of Ukraine, a three-time heavyweight champion, will be making his sixth title defense of his current reign against 2004 Cuban Olympic gold medalist Solis (17-0, 12 KOs), who is the number one contender and mandatory challenger.  The fight will take place in front of a sell-out crowd of 19,000 at the Lanxess Arena in Colgne, Germany.

Source:http://www.proboxing-fans.com

Epix Follows HBO, Showtime's Footsteps by Airing Boxing

Epix makes its initial foray into the boxing business on Saturday with heavyweight beltholder Vitali Klitschko’s title defense against Odlanier Solis.

Klitschko-Solis, which takes place in Cologne, Germany, will air live on Epix at 6 p.m. ET and its website (EpixHD.com). The one-year-old premium cable network will replay the heavyweight bout later Saturday night.

Mark Greenberg, president of Epix, hopes boxing will help the network attract subscribers the way the sport did for potential rivals HBO and Showtime in the 1980s and 1990s.

“We’re really thrilled to be able to put this fight on this weekend,” Greenberg said in a recent conference call with boxing media. “The heavyweights have always drawn the casual sports fans, and for Epix, that only launched 15 months ago, this became a great opportunity to explore the boxing world.”

Greenberg, a former HBO marketing executive who spent many years with Showtime when the network’s sports programming was led by Mike Tyson, believes Epix and boxing could have an on-going mutually beneficial relationship.

“We think we have an opportunity to help breath some life into sports, especially boxing and mixed martial arts,” Greenberg said. “We’ll see how this fight does for us. It’s been a great promotional device to get the Epix brand out.”


Source: http://ringtv.craveonline.com

Vitali Klitschko vs. Odlanier Solis Fight Preview on March 19, 2011

On March 19, 2011 in Germany, the much awaited Klitschko vs Solis match-up of 12 rounds of boxing between two heavyweight fighters namely Odlanier Solis who has an outstanding record of 17 wins with no losses and the champion Vitali Klitschko with also an outstanding record of 41 wins with only 2 defeats.

Last October 2010 before it was decide to have the Klitschko vs Solis fight, Vitali Klitschko a 39 years old heavyweight champion successfully defended his title against Shannon Briggs. He won his last 9 fights straight, his lost are only to Lennox Lewis way back in 2004 and from Chris Byrd in 2000 due to some injuries.

Meanwhile his challenger Odlanier Solis 30 years old Cuban has 17 wins with no losses and 12 of those wins are by way of knockout. Many have said that even though he has an impressive record, can he compete to the current WBC heavyweight champion.

Vitali Klitschko has a 6 inches height and 1 inch reach advantage against his mandatory challenger Odlanier Solis. Vitali Klitschko is expected to use his hard jobs to keep Solis from his redeem and tempo. He is a tactician in the ring and probably will use his advantage in height and reach in the Klitschko vs Solis fight.

Odlanier Solis must be in his major state, as there will no immediate success for him in this brawl. For him to beat the veteran Vitali Klitschko, he should be able to keep his tempo and dictate the fight. Actually, I do not think Vitali Klitschko would be having big problems with this fight as he could without difficulty escape this dispute.  In recent years, the heavyweight division has been missing and if ever Vitali Klitschko decides to match-up with his brother Wladimir a IBO, IBF ,WBO Champion or David Haye the WBA Champion, the people in the world will not witness  true battle in the ring. Neither of these greatly awaited fights is likely to happen, because as brothers they do not have the intention of fighting each other, and David Haye is considering for a retirement. Unfortunately, the world will remain waiting for one of the Klitschko to retire to give a chance for another undeniable champion.

Predictions for the Heavyweight Fight: Vitali Klitschko vs Odlanier Solis

The most awaited event has finally come true. A big night of heavyweight boxing between the champion Vitali Klitschko who will be facing Odlanier Solis at Cologne Germany on the 19th of March 2011. A big fight that has been known to all about that Vitali Klitschko the champion will be turning 40 years old this year. Klitschko said that he will do all the best he can to win this fight against Solis, And finally Klitschko said maybe this will be his last fight in the ring, win or lose for he finally come up to a decision to retire after this fight against Solis.


This is going to be a great show for Klitschko vs Solis will be very exciting to watch, for the challenger Odlanier Solis wants the belt badly. The champion Vitali Klitschko have previously defended his belt against his opponents namely Shannon Briggs, Juan Carlos Gomez and Alberto Sosnowski but he said that this Klitschko vs Solis fight would really require him to have his best condition for him to be able to defend his belt. With that this heavyweight fight would really be a great fight to all the fans of Odlanier Solis and Vitali Klitschko.


The challenger Odlanier Solis is very determined to get his hands on the belt of Klitschko. He said he would try everything he can to outsmart the champion Vitali Klitschko. In the case of Vitali Klitschko, it has beed a while already since he defended and fought for his title with someone who is younger and somehow have really the skills in boxing like him. So if the champion would really want to defend his title he should be determined to do the best he can on March 19, 2011 in Germany.


About the predictions of the Klitschko vs Solis fight all I can say is that Vitali Klitschko had already experienced fighting stronger opponents before. And also this is not his first time to defend his title. He has the height advantage the power punch and most of all he has the support of the crowd in Germany. In the Klitschko Solis fight I can only think that Vitali Klitschko would defend his title successfully.

Klitschko vs Solis Fight For the Heavyweight Belt

Scheduled heavyweight fight, klitschko vs solis on March 19 2011 at the Lanxess-Arena in Cologne, Germany. Vitali Klitschko will have his defend of his title from the challenger Odlanier Solis who's ranked #1 in the WBC heavyweight division.

A 30 year old Cuban but resides in Florida has an impressive amateur record of 224 fights and 227 of these fights are victorious. As an amateur fighter he have been successful to achieve three times as a world champion in his amateur fights and also got the gold medal at Athens 2004. To become Vitali Klitschko's mandatory challenger, Odlanier Solis fortunately won a 10th-round disqualification victory against his opponent, Ray Austin in their title elimination bout held at Miami last December 17, 2010. As a professional, Odlanier Solis holds an impressive record of 17 wins with 12 of those victories are by way of knockout.

Odlanier Solis: "The Klitschkos seem to think that I am just another opponent like the last tomato cans they cherry-picked so Vitali could easily beat them up. But I am not only the mandatory challenger. I have been the best amateur fighter in the world and I will prove that I am the best professional fighter as well. Klitschko should be afraid to lose his title. I will end his career.

Across the ring, Vitali Klitschko a 39 years old heavyweight champion with an impressive record of 41 wins and 38 of these are by way of knockout and just been defeated twice due to unwanted muscle injuries. Vitali Klitschko's knockout percentage can be rate as high as 92 percent based on his record. In fact, Vitali Klitschko is the fourth heavyweight boxer to win the heavyweight belt thrice since the time of Muhammad Ali, Evander Hollyfield and Lennox Lewis. His last fight was a victory against the former champion Shannon Briggs by way of unanimous decision last October 2010 at Hamburg. And in Lanxess-Arena in Cologne klitschko vs solis fight will be held.

Vitali Klitschko: "I have heard and read different quotes from Solis saying that I tried to avoid him. This is nonsense. There's a reason why I'm WBC Champion and I am proud of holding the same title that Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis held. I will show inside the ring that I am the strongest heavyweight champion and I am 100 percent sure I will successfully defend my title. But I know Solis is a very tough opponent and I will not underestimate him."

Bernd Bonte, Managing Director of Klitschko Management Group (KMG): " We are glad we have a signed contract and a go for a March 19 Klitschko Solis fight in Cologne. Solis is definitely one of Vitali's toughest opponent. I think its a very interesting fight for the audience.

RTL will exclusively show live the klitschko vs solis fight in Germany. The klitschko vs solis fight tickets price will start at 25 euro and will be available at www.eventim.de.

Heavy Weight Fight of 2011: Vitali Klitschko vs Odlanier Solis

The WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko shall defend his title against Cuban fighter Odlanier Solis on March 19, 2011 and this Klitschko Solis fight will be at Lanxess-Arena in Cologne, Nordhein-Westfalen, Germany. Also, the Klitschko vs Solis fight will be shown live and exclusively on that day on RTL in Germany.

Vitali Klitschko lose his fight against Lennox Lewis in 2003 but since then he went on winning 9 consecutive fights over his opponents. Some of them were Corrie Sanders, Chris Areola, Shannon Briggs and Samuel Peter. But the big event he must have to prepare for now is his fight against the Cuban giant Odlanier Solis. The record shows that Oldanier Solis has been undefeated in 17 fights and he is really a strong man in the ring because he won 12 of these fights via knockout. In fact, he is one of the best boxer in 2007. He also won the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic games and before that, Solis is a gold medalist also in 6 amateur world boxing championship tournaments.

Solis had only 17 professional fights as compared to Kiltschko which is 43, and Klitschko had already experienced fighting quality and bigger opponents. In the Kiltschko vs Solis fight, Solis might encounter a problem against Klitschko because his opponent is known for using his strength, speed, height and experience as an advantage in the fight. Solis is 6 inches shorter to Kiltschko and this might cause a lot of trouble for him.

So, for now let us just all wait and be very excited to watch the big event on heavyweight boxing which is the Solis vs Kiltschko fight on March 19 in Germany.

Vitali Klitschko vs Odlanier Solis?

It has been confirmed by BILD, that the Vitali Klitschko-Nikolai Valuev fight, having had its problems during the negotiations stage, is now "dead." The fight will not happen, confirmed Klitschko's manager, Bernd Bonte, and the German promoter says the fight collapsed because of Don King.

"Promoter Don King is crazy," Bonte said. "He makes demands for Valuev that are simply not acceptable."

So, the question is, what now for both fighters? Valuev may not have too many options to look at, in truth, and it's fair to say no attractive match-up jumps out for him. As for the reigning WBC heavyweight king nicknamed "Dr Iron Fist," he has said he plans to make 2010 his final year in the ring, and he has made it clear he'd love to get his hands on WBA ruler David Haye before exiting.. However, with Haye busy for the time being, with his April 3rd fight with former champ John Ruiz, the word is Vitali may look to fight unbeaten Cuban contender Odlanier Soils next - presumably then going back on the Haye-hunt if he's victorious over the man who is currently ranked number-two by the WBC.

An interesting fight on paper, Klitschko-Solis would likely attract quite a lot of fan attention. 29-year-old Solis, now 15-0(11) and coming off his most impressive pro win to date with his October KO over Monte "Two Gunz" Barrett, must first get past Carl Davis Drummond of Puerto Rico on March 20th (the same day Vitali's brother, Wladimir, defends his heavyweight championship against Eddie Chambers). With all due respect to Drummond, 26-2(20), "La Sombre" should have no real problems doing so.

But what kind of fight would Solis give Klitschko? Well, at a fraction above 6'1," Solis is no giant of a heavyweight, but his reach is, surprisingly, only an inch shorter than that of Vitali's. And at approx 271-pounds (the weight he tipped in at for the Barrett fight), Soils would be the heavier man over Vitali by some twenty-plus pounds.

This fight, if it happens, really will be a huge step for the former Olympic gold medallist, though. How will Solis handle the pressure? Will his chin hold up to Klitschko's powerful punches? At 271, will Solis have the stamina to last all 12 rounds and be competitive against the 38-year-old? Of course, if the fight does take place and it happens in Germany, the sight of many a Klitschko fight, Solis will not be at all fazed by the location; having turned pro in Germany and having fought there many times.

Put it this way, Klitschko vs Solis is at least intriguing, and this possible match-up is a lot better than some other possibilities. At the very least, this fight could not be any worse than Vitali's fight with Kevin Johnson - could it?

Source: http://www.eastsideboxing.com

Vitali Klitschko and Odlanier Solis Exchange Threats At Presser For Title Bout

Vitali Klitschko hopes to avoid being disappeared by Solis
Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Civility didn't last long today at the opening presser in Germany for the WBC heavyweight title bout scheduled for March 19 between champion Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine and his Cuban mandatory challenger Odlanier Solis.

The main theme of the press conference as reported on Fightnews.com seemed to be, "loser leave town," as both fighters and their camps promised to rid the heavyweight scene of each other.

Vitali tried to sound respectful of his opponent.

“I have fought a lot of strong opponents but I have never been in the ring with an Olympic gold medalist,” said Klitschko.

“I expect a very tough and close fight against a very talented young boxer who comes to take the belt from me. I won’t let that happen though. I will show why I am the champion and defend my title.”

Solis and his notoriously high-strung manager Ahmet Oner, however, soon made it clear that this was no mutual admiration society.

Solis bristled at the notion that Klitschko would be his hardest fight as a professional.

“What makes you think that this will be my toughest fight?" asked Solis.

Odlanier Solis says he is not worried about the challenge he faces
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

"Can you tell me what makes a boxer a strong or superior boxer? So far all guys I fought had two arms and two legs. I would understand your question if I would fight an opponent with three fists for the first time…”

Okaaaay. 

That was nothing compared to the tirade unleashed by Oner when he took the stage.

“Usually the team of the challenger starts with thanking the champion’s team for the opportunity,” Oner said.

“I’m sorry that we can’t do it this way this time. The Klitschkos did everything they could to avoid this fight. They tried to sneak out of it over and over again. So we don’t thank them," he snarled.

Oner was just getting going.  Soon he was sounding either supremely confident or supremely delusional (take your pick):

"We will indemnify the German boxing fans for all the [expletive] Klitschko fights they had to endure over the years with one of the greatest heavyweight bouts ever. To me this is history in the making. It is the first time in history that a Cuban A-class heavyweight has left the country to fight for the world championship as a pro," stated Solis' manager. 

"Boxing fans will always argue how Ali would have looked against Stevenson and what would have happened if Tyson and Savon would have fought in their primes. In this generation for the first time we have the chance to see what happens when the best Cuban heavyweight fights the best heavyweight of the rest of the world. I put my money on Cuba

Wow.  A rant worthy of  Baghdad Bob.

"We will make history and put an end to the era of Klitschko," Oner triumphantly declared.

One might note that we've heard all of this before, including from Solis's Cuban compatriot Juan Carlos Gomez, who talked more vile trash about Vitali than anyone in recent memory before they fought

Gomez's bravado, however, ended the minute Vitali stepped into the ring to face him.

Klitschko had taken note of the threats directed at him, and offered this rejoinder:

"[Solis] yells that he's going to rid the world of the Klitschkos, but that won't happen because I'm going to rid the world of him."

Source: http://bleacherreport.com