Solis Stops McGee

Heavyweight prospect Odlanier Solis (4-0, 3 KOs) TKO’d the old trial horse journeyman Marcus McGee (19-14, 9 KOs) in the 2nd round on Friday night at the Hansehalle, Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Solis, the 2004 Olympic heavyweight Gold medallist from Cuba, knocked McGee down with a combination followed by a short chopping right to the head in the 2nd round. McGee was able to make it to his feet but was badly hurt, causing the referee Arno Pokrandt to halt the fight at 2:14 of the 2nd round.

Solis, 27, showed excellent speed in the first round of the fight as he attacked McGee with blistering fast left hooks to the head and midsection. Solis fought mostly in short, explosive bursts in which he would suddenly spring a fast attack of two-three punches. McGee, 36, was content mostly to jab and slowly move around the ring. Towards the end of the round, Solis began opening up with powerful rights that had McGee backing up.

In the 3rd round, Solis came out landing brutal combinations, mixing up his punches from midsection to head really well. McGee bravely attempted to fend him off with a jab and a left hand, but it was no use. Solis came in and landed a sharp 1-2 combination and then a chopping right hand that dropped McGee to the canvas. The referee moved in and stopped the bout after McGee got up after noticing that he was in bad shape.

Solis defected from the Cuba national team in December 2006, along with Yuriorkis Gamboa and Yan Barthelemy. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Germany and signed a professional boxing contractor with a promotional outfit.