Articles

(UPDATED MON. PM) Should German Authorities Take A Look At How Bad Solis' Knee Was Coming In To His Fight?….WOODS

Published

14 years ago

March 21, 2011

Klitscho_vs_Peter_Waters_9 Sam Peter got another crack at a Klitschko two years after Vitali dominated him. Solis, if he simply sticks around, will likely get recycled as well. There is no need for his promoter to insult our intelligence by campaigning for an immediate rematch right after this fiasco finished. (Hogan)

Hey, Odlanier Solis. You made a bucketload of cash for “fighting” Vitali Klitschko. You and your crew, including promoter Ahmet Oner and manager Jose Perez, should probably just skulk off, fondle your money and stay low for awhile.

Fight fans know that Solis went down in the first round of his title challenge to Vitali in Cologne, Germany on Saturday after absorbing a right hand that didn't look devastating in nature. As he went down, he twisted his right knee, and it has been reported that he tore ligament and damaged cartilage in that area.

Now, I didn't want to go overboard and slam the guy, because accidents and incidents happen. Sure, it was tempting to really hammer Solis, who has been a tubby heavyweight since he turned pro in April 2007, but he did weigh in a career low for this.

But then I heard his promoter Oner lobbying for a rematch right after the sad spectacle ended. And THEN I read reports that officials involved in the bout, and of course Solis' crew, knew that Solis had a bum knee before the bout, but didn't want to jeopardize the event.

WHAT?

19,000 paid good money to see a sporting event and were led to believe that Odlanier Solis would provide a stern test to Vitali Klitschko….and no one was informed that Solis was held up by a knee that was apparently ready to crumble. How many folks would have bought a seat, or asked for a refund if they knew there was a real possibility that Solis' knee wouldn't hold up?

Here's the lowdown as printed on Sky:

“According to German daily Die Welt, Solis, the WBC's top-ranked challenger, had already experienced problems in his right knee. A spokesperson for Arena Box, which is the name of Oner's promotional outfit spokesman Malte Mueller-Michaelis* confirmed: “We knew it, but we didn't want to let it jeopardise the fight against Vitali. His manager Jose Perez knew about the previous problem, but it was thought it would go away if there was enough training and the muscle stabilised the knee.”

Brilliant, Mueller-Michaelis, and if he is to be believed, Perez, and likely Oner. You basically screwed over anyone who watched the bout, and especially those who ponied up money. Every single person who bought a ticket, if this story is correct, and if the knee was truly compromised to a notable degree, should get a refund. EPIX should get back a goodly portion of what they paid to show the fight, minus money for Vitali, I suppose, since he acted in a professional manner and did what he was paid to do.

Oner, meanwhile, has been talking when he should be shutting up.

“Vitali knows exactly what it means to lose a fight due to an injury,” Oner said to EastSideBoxing.com. “He has been asking Lennox Lewis for a re-match for years and years and it didn’t materialize. We hope that Vitali will not put Solis in a similar situation like he has been in. Solis has earned a second chance.”

Oner, it is debatable whether he earned anything, except a Weight Watchers lifetime membership.

The promoter said his guy will have surgery Thursday. And he also kept talking, putting his foot further into mouth. “The first round was exactly as we had promised: exciting, spectacular and competitive heavyweight boxing on a very high level,” he said, butchering the definition of the word 'spectacular.' “I think the was the fight started calls for a re-match.”

And I think the fight calls for a thorough examination by the local authorities, on behalf of all the fightwatchers who may have been defrauded.

The heavyweight division being what it is, Solis will be recycled again. Two years after he lit a stinkbomb against Vitali Klitschko, finishing on his stool in the eighth round after getting badly outclassed, Samuel Peter got another crack at a Brother K, taking on Wladimir. He was stopped in the tenth round. He weighed 253 1/2 for Vitali, but put the fork down often enough to weigh 241 for Wlad. I suggest Solis do the same. Eat less, tell your promoter to talk less, and hope that the law in Germany doesn't feel like deciphering just how bad your knee was coming in to the scrap with Vitali.

*=Early Monday evening, I received an email from attorney John Hornewer, who was kind enough to note that the Sky story contained an error. Malte Mueller-Michaelis does not work for the arena where the fight was held, but in fact for Oner.

FOLLOW WOODS ON TWITTER HERE https://twitter.com/#!/Woodsy1069

Comment on this article

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Michael Woods

Articles

2015 Fight of the Year – Francisco Vargas vs Takashi Miura

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

The WBC World Super Featherweight title bout between Francisco Vargas and Takashi Miura came on one of the biggest boxing stages of 2015, as the bout served as the HBO pay-per-view’s co-main event on November 21st, in support of Miguel Cotto vs Saul Alvarez.

Miura entered the fight with a (29-2-2) record and he was making the fifth defense of his world title, while Vargas entered the fight with an undefeated mark of (22-0-1) in what was his first world title fight. Both men had a reputation for all-out fighting, with Miura especially earning high praise for his title defense in Mexico where he defeated Sergio Thompson in a fiercely contested battle.

The fight started out hotly contested, and the intensity never let up. Vargas seemed to win the first two rounds, but by the fourth round, Miura seemed to pull ahead, scoring a knock-down and fighting with a lot of confidence. After brawling the first four rounds, Miura appeared to settle into a more technical approach. Rounds 5 and 6 saw the pendulum swing back towards Vargas, as he withstood Miura’s rush to open the fifth round and the sixth round saw both men exchanging hard punches.

The big swinging continued, and though Vargas likely edged Miura in rounds 5 and 6, Vargas’ face was cut in at least two spots and Miura started to assert himself again in rounds 7 and 8. Miura was beginning to grow in confidence while it appeared that Vargas was beginning to slow down, and Miura appeared to hurt Vargas at the end of the 8th round.

Vargas turned the tide again at the start of the ninth round, scoring a knock down with an uppercut and a straight right hand that took Miura’s legs and sent him to the canvas. Purely on instinct, Miura got back up and continued to fight, but Vargas was landing frequently and with force. Referee Tony Weeks stepped in to stop the fight at the halfway point of round 9 as Miura was sustaining a barrage of punches.

Miura still had a minute and a half to survive if he was going to get out of the round, and it was clear that he was not going to stop fighting.

A back and forth battle of wills between two world championship level fighters, Takashi Miura versus “El Bandido” Vargas wins the 2015 Fight of the Year.

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Articles

Jan 9 in Germany – Feigenbutz and De Carolis To Settle Score

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

This coming Saturday, January 9th, the stage is set at the Baden Arena in Offenburg, Germany for a re-match between Vincent Feigenbutz and Giovanni De Carolis. The highly anticipated re-match is set to air on SAT.1 in Germany, and Feigenbutz will once again be defending his GBU and interim WBA World titles at Super Middleweight.

The first meeting between the two was less than three months ago, on October 17th and that meeting saw Feigenbutz controversially edge De Carolis on the judge’s cards by scores of (115-113, 114-113 and 115-113). De Carolis scored a flash knock down in the opening round, and he appeared to outbox Feigenbutz in the early going, but the 20 year old German champion came on in the later rounds.

The first bout is described as one of the most crowd-pleasing bouts of the year in Germany, and De Carolis and many observers felt that the Italian had done enough to win.

De Carolis told German language website RAN.DE that he was more prepared for the re-match, and that due to the arrogance Feigenbutz displayed in the aftermath of the first fight, he was confident that he had won over some of the audience. Though De Carolis fell short of predicting victory, he promised a re-vamped strategy tailored to what he has learned about Feigenbutz, whom he termed immature and inexperienced.

The stage is set for Feigenbutz vs De Carolis 2, this Saturday January 9th in Offenburg, Germany. If you can get to the live event do it, if not you have SAT.1 in Germany airing the fights, and The Boxing Channel right back here for full results.

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Articles

2015 Knock Out of the Year – Saul Alvarez KO’s James Kirkland

Published

9 years ago

December 29, 2015

The Sweet Science

On May 9th of 2015, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez delivered a resonant knock-out of James Kirkland on HBO that wins the 2015 KO of the Year.

The knock-out itself came in the third round, after slightly more than two minutes of action. The end came when Alvarez delivered a single, big right hand that caught Kirkland on the jaw and left him flat on his back after spinning to the canvas.Alvarez was clearly the big star heading into the fight. The fight was telecast by HBO for free just one week after the controversial and disappointing Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao fight, and Alvarez was under pressure to deliver the type of finish that people were going to talk about. Kirkland was happy to oblige Alvarez, taking it right to Alvarez from the start. Kirkland’s aggression saw him appear to land blows that troubled the young Mexican in the early going. Alvarez played good defense, and he floored Kirkland in the first round, displaying his power and his technique in knocking down an aggressive opponent.

However, Kirkland kept coming at Alvarez and the fight entered the third round with both men working hard and the feeling that the fight would not go the distance. Kirkland continued to move forward, keeping “Canelo” against the ropes and scoring points with a barrage of punches while looking for an opening.

At around the two minute mark, Alvarez landed an uppercut that sent Kirkland to the canvas again. Kirkland got up, but it was clear that he did not have his legs under him. Kirkland was going to try to survive the round, but Alvarez had an opportunity to close out the fight. The question was would he take it?

Alvarez closed in on Kirkland, putting his opponent’s back to the ropes. Kirkland was hurt, but he was still dangerous, pawing with punches and loading up for one big shot.

But it was the big shot “Canelo” threw that ended the night. Kirkland never saw it coming, as he was loading up with a huge right hand of his own. The right Alvarez threw cracked Kirkland in the jaw, and his eyes went blank. His big right hand whizzed harmlessly over the head of a ducking Alvarez, providing the momentum for the spin that left Kirkland prone on the canvas.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez went on to defeat Miguel Cotto in his second fight of 2015 and he is clearly one of boxing’s biggest stars heading into 2016. On May 9th Alvarez added another reel to his highlight film when he knocked out James Kirkland with the 2015 “Knock Out of the Year”.

Photo by naoki fukuda

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!