Welcome to our live coverage of the heavily anticipated clash between WBC Champion Vitali Klitschko and unbeaten mandatory challenger and former Olympic Gold Medallist Odlanier Solis. The match promises to be the toughest of the elder Klitschko’s second reign as WBC Champion with the Cuban having the ringmanship and quick hands to expose any holes that have crept into the aging champion’s game. With lucrative matches against Tomasz Adamek and David Haye potentially up for grabs, Klitschko will be determined to avoid any slip ups and continue his remarkable comeback to heavyweight preemience after returning from injury induced retirement in 2008.
Solis weighed in at 246.5Ibs, probably above his optimum weight but still a marked improvement on the often poor condition he has turned up in for some of his previous professional fights. He will be trying to make history by handing Klitschko his first defeat since Lennox Lewis in 2003 and thereby becoming the first Cuban to hold a piece of the heavyweight title. Vitali on the other hand will want to secure his 41st victory, maintain the brothers hold on three quarters of the heavyweight title before the July unification fight between Wladimir and WBA Champion David Haye, and possibily move forward to a blockbuster match against Tomasz Adamek in Poland this September.
Round One
Whatever you say about the Klitschkos but boy do they know how to put on a show. Outside of Wrestlemania no combat sports presentation has the same gaudy brilliance as a Klitschko ring walk. Klitschko starts with several jabs and has already set up camp in the center of the ring. Solis is falling back, trying to sneak in punches to the mid-section. Solis fires in with the chopping left hand, which just misses. Klitschko comes back with a one-two. Solis is getting a few punches in but Klitschko is in control, more even than the usual Klitschko fight. Solis being agressive…and it hurts him when it gets caught with a short right handwhilst rushing in with one-two. Solis struggles to stay on his feet, Klitschko follows up with a pawing punch and Solis falls! Twists his knee and cannot answer the count!
An angry Vitali remonstrates with Solis, accusing him of quitting the fight. The fans in Germany jeer the early finish to the fight but it does seem that Solis has badly hurt his knee. It takes him several minutes to get back to his feet. He was certainly more aggressive than the average Klitschko opponent but sadly showed no durablity when caught. A disappointing fight, especially as in glimpses Solis showed the skills that made many feel that he would give Klitschko a real test.
Vitali Klitschko defeated Odlanier Solis via Knockout at 3:00 of the first round to retain his WBC Heavyweight Championship
