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

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.

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