Maybe: The Many Ways Solis Can Beat Klitschko

SETTING THE ODDS – The weigh-in, before an overflow crowd at a large sporting goods franchise, is over. Based on how the fighters looked friday afternoon, the final odds can be set For the Vitali Klitschko – Odlanier Solis bout.

A general global average set Klitschko at well over an approximate 6 – 1 favorite, but the fight might be much harder to call than that.

Somewhat surprisingly, especially considering the data from each man's professional resume, Solis, 17-0 (12), a debutant to the big boy bonanza spotlight, has a considerable number of prognostic possibilities pointing to a huge upset victory over proven commodity Klitschko, 41-2 (38).

While not appearing much less beefy than usual, Solis did look a wee bit leaner and more toned. His upper body area looked like he had done plenty of training.

Maybe Solis' Olympic gold medal still counts for quite a bit.

Maybe instead of a “puncher's chance”, Solis' “boxer's chance” will indeed pay off.

Maybe Solis will be able to keep on his toes and keep making Klitschko miss as opposed to previous fights when Klitschko eventually found the range after making adjustments behind standard overhand rights or wide uppercuts.      

Maybe Solis' perceived speed will nullify Klitschko's small 80-79 inch reach advantage, and Solis will be able to get in and get back beyond range without paying a price.

Maybe the 6'1 Solis will stay inside 6'7 1/2″ Klitschko and tie the taller man into a nullified knot.

Or, maybe the usually precise German scale was wrong and Klitschko actually weighed three hundred forty nine, not the official 249 1/2. Solis was really 227 not 247.

Maybe the law of punching probability catches up to “Dr. Ironfist”. Since he's probably won virtually every round he's fought since returning in October 2008 that gives him around 60 frames in a row. The law of averages has Solis in just the right place at the right time.

There's always a chance Klitschko actually punched himself out against Briggs and gets old immediately versus reportedly 30 year old Solis, who mysteriously sheds 10 pounds after the weigh-in and suddenly looks ten years younger. The 39 year old Klitschko finally looks more his own age, sluggish even, after recent impressively active appearances.

Maybe Klitschko is overconfident and quaffed a few too many of the locally brewed Kolsch beers Cologne is known for. 

Maybe the sweaty, smooth-skinned scenery was a little too tempting at one of the area's popular wellness complexes, where there are many nude, co-ed spa zones. Klitschko comes into the contest at a near dehydrated state and fades quickly.

Maybe the WBC will designate the match for the “tin man tag team title” and allow all the opponents since Klitschko's comeback, Briggs, Sosnowski, Johnson, Arreola, Gomez and Peter to alternate rounds with Solis.

Maybe, despite the odds, the biblical Three Wise Men reportedly entombed in the awesome Koln Cathedral one impressive bridge away from the fight's Lanxess Arena location rise up, backstroke across the Rhine, and whisper a perfect strategy into Solis' ear.

Maybe a snowball in Hades recombusts into a sun like centered alternative universe. A realm is created where even a relatively untested contender with questionable conditioning upsets an established champion who has dominated the best “available opponents” in the division.

Maybe the old folk fable “every blind pig gets an ear of corn sometime” proves true again.

Maybe Solis' 2010 wins against Ray Austin and Carl Drumond counted for more than we thought. Same goes for his earliest pro tutorials against foils like Oleksiy Mazykin and Cisse Salif.

Maybe Solis' 2009 second round blastout of Monte Barrett was actually the most accurate indicator of Solis's true form and power.

Maybe Solis' sloppy waltz against Chauncey Welliver on the Vitali – Sam Peter undercard was really a very well planned ruse.

Perhaps, but probably not.

Klitschko is a solid 3-1 favorite in the TSS sportsbook. Solis is a respectable, if still unknown proposition.

You can find many other possible reasons Solis might win, but none are very likely.

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