Solis Ready to Make Some Noise

Odlanier Solis is hoping to take some major steps in the heavyweight division.

Cuban defector and 2004 Olympic heavyweight gold medal winner, Odlanier Solis, is preparing to make his New York City debut on Oct. 10. Solis will be appearing on Bob Arum's “Island Warriors: Latin Fury 12” pay-per-view show from the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Solis will bring his #7 WBC ranking and undefeated 14-0, 10KOs record into the ring against American Kevin "Kingpin" Johnson, currently rated #6 by the WBC and also unbeaten with a mark of 22-0-1, 9KOs.

Solis had nearly 250 amateur contests, and as an amateur he defeated former WBO heavyweight titlist Sultan Ibragimov, former world cruiserweight champion David Haye and fellow Cuban amateur standout Felix Savon.

“On October 10th I'm going to bring my best and you'll see a Cuban heavyweight finally bringing his best to a fight to make some noise in this division,” Solis told BoxingScene.com. “I'm coming in tip-top shape for this fight. I have everything at my disposal to come out with a win.”

Solis has sacrificed much to make the transition to a professional career. In order to flee Cuba's Communist regime, Solis was forced to leave behind his entire family which includes his parents, his son and the rest of his extended family.


Solis did it all as an amateur. Now he wants to see if he has what it takes to make it in the pro game.

“I left them all there,” he says. “It was a very tough decision for me to make. It is still very difficult and I think about them everyday. I can talk to them on the telephone, there are no restrictions that way, but I just cannot see them.”

Solis claims he is excited to be appearing at Madison Square Garden, albeit not in the big room, but he says fighting in New York is something that fighters from all around the world want to do.

“I feel excited about fighting there, in New York,” said Solis. “Madison Square Garden is the place where some of the greatest boxers in history have fought. Hopefully, I'll become one of those greats that will have fought there as well.”

At 6'1” tall and fighting at a weight range as a pro of 246-262 pounds, the 29-year-old Solis says of himself, “I'm a big guy and I'm a fast guy and one of my greatest attributes is my speed. When I look around at the other fighters in the division I don't see anybody as fast as me and I think that's my biggest strength.

“For me to become heavyweight champion of the world I just need to keep doing what I've been doing all my life. I need to stay focused and then I will become the champion.”


September 2009