By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
As an amateur, Cuban-born, Odlanier Solis defeated future heavyweight world champions, Sultan Ibragimov, and, David Haye, respectively, of Russia, and, England.
The talented fighter went on to earn an Olympic gold medal in the 2004 Olympics for Cuba, ending his amateur career with an outstanding record of 347-12.
Three years ago, Solis successfully defected from Cuba to America with the help of his present manager,Tony Gonzalez, along with another Cuban-born gold medalist, Yuriorkis Gamboa (17-0, 15 KOs), who is now a 28-year-old WBA featherweight (126 pounds) champion promoted by Top Rank CEO, Bob Arum.
Although he is not yet a world champion, Solis wants to be, very badly.
"I believe that ever since I turned professional, my goal has always been the same, and I've felt that I've always been ready to challenge for the most prized crown in this industry, which is the heavyweight crown," said the 29-year-old, Solis, during a recent conference call interview with reporters.
"I've been ready since then, I'm ready now, and I'll always be ready," said Solis, who is living in Miami. "Once given that opportunity, I'll take full advantage of it and make the best of it."
On Saturday, at Mallory Square in Key West, Fla., as part of the Top Rank-promoted, Top Rank Live series that was televised on Fox, Solis took yet another huge step toward making his title hopes a reality -- this in the Southern-most portion of Florida that is just 90 miles from Solis' native Cuba.
Solis scored what was considered a third-round knockout over Costa Rica's 35-year-old Carl Davis Drummond (26-3, 20 KOs), earning his 12th knockout, and his sixth consecutive stoppage to improve to 16-0.
Drummond essentially quit on his stool between the third and fourth round, this, after being in trouble near the end of the third as Solis, who controlled the fight throughout, hammered the taller Drummond with one blow after another.
When asked by the referee if he could continue, Drummond shook his head "No," several times, indicating that he had had enough.
In victory, Solis successfully defended the WBC International title he earned his last bout, October's second-round knockout of former heavyweight title challenger, Monte Barrett.
"I thought that Odlanier looked very good," Arum said of Solis, who weighed 268 pounds compared to 228 for Drummond. "I think that he's a tough guy to beat. I think that he could beat any heavyweight around."
The loss was the third straight for Drummond, who had fallen, respectively, by decisions to former world champion, Ruslan Chagaev (25-1-1, 17 KOs), and, to Derric Rossy (23-2, 13 KOs).
Drummond's loss to Chagaev, by sixth-round, technical decision following a head butt by Chagaev was for the WBA title. The one against Rossy was for the vacant fringe USNBC crown.
Arum said that he is now looking at lining up a title shot for Solis against any of the four heavyweight champions.
WBC king, Vitali Klitscho (39-2, 37 KOs), who is 38, is scheduled to defend his crown against 31-year-old, Polish-born, nearly 6-3, Albert Sosnowski (45-2-1, 27 KOs), of Brentwood Essex, England, on May 29 at Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
Earlier on Saturday, Klitschko's younger brother, 33-year-old IBF and WBO king Wladimir Klitschko (54-3, 48 KOs), scored a 12th-round knockout over 27-year-old Eddie Chambers (35-2, 18 KOs), of Philadelphia, at the Esprit Arena in Duesseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
The victory was the 12th straight for Wladimir Klitschko, and his ninth knockout during that time, setting up a defense possibly against mandatory challenger, Alexander Povetkin (19-0, 14 KOs), an earlier decision winner over Chambers.
"I think that Odlanier has a helluva shot with the Klitschkos, and, certainly, against Wladimir," said Arum. "We almost had a title shot set up with Vitali before he went with the Polish fighter, but I certainly think that we'll get one of them sometime later in the year."
There is also 29-year-old WBA king, David Haye (23-1, 21 KOs), of England, who is scheduled to defend his crown against 38-year-old, former two-time world champion, John Ruiz (44-8-1, 30 KOs), of Chelsea, Mass., on April 3.
"I would sure go after David Haye if he was availble, but I don't think that David Haye wouId fight him, but we'll see," said Arum.
"But I think that Odlanier would demolish David Haye. I just think that he's ready, and that he would beat anybody around," said Arum. "The only guys that we would have to say would be the favorites against him are the Klitschko brothers."
Arum said that he believes Povetkin "doesn't want to take the fight" against Wladimir Klitschko, which Arum said makes Top Rank-promoted, Nigerian-born, former world champion, Samuel Peter (34-3, 27 KOs), of Las Vegas, "the next mandatory."
On March 12 in Grapevine, Tex., Peter scored a second-round knockout of Nagy Aguilera (15-3, 10 KOs). It was Peter's fourth straight knockout since a 10-round majority decision loss to Chambers on March 27.
"I think Peter has to face Wladimir first, because he's the mandatory," said Arum. "If Odlanier doesn't get a title shot, he'll fight some other heavyweight. But he's ready, and he'll beat anybody around."
Peter already has lost to both Klitschkos, including a December 2005, unanimous decision setback to Wladimir Klitschko, whom he floored twice during that bout.
In October of 2008, Peter was also dethroned as WBC titlist by Vitali Klitschko, who stopped Peter in the eighth round.
"Obviously it's [the goal] getting one of the champions to agree to fight Solis," said Arum in an earlier interview, "and I'm very, very optimistic that that will happen with Vitali or Wladimir sometime before the end of the year, definitely."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
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