Would David Haye Be Better Off Fighting Odlanier Solis?

By Dave Lahr: Count me in on one of those who see David Haye (22-1, 21 KOs) making a huge mistake by fighting either of the Klitschko brothers at this point in Haye’s career. The experience or that thereof for Haye, 28, is something I’m troubled by most of all. I could care less about whether he deserves a shot at one of the heavyweight titles, because clearly he doesn’t with what little he’s accomplished in the heavyweight division, but that’s not big deal that he’s skipping over 15 other more deserving fighters in the IBF/WBC/WBO.

Haye just needs way more experience before he fights the two best heavyweights on the planet. As such, I think a good jumping off point for Haye would be a rematch with his 2001 World Amateur Boxing Championship adversary Odlanier Solis.

Haye worked himself into the finals and met with the Solis, the highly touted Cuban star, then a slender 200 lbs, and hurt Solis with a big right hand in the first 20 seconds of the 1st round. Solis had backed Haye into a corner and was throwing nonstop punches at him when Haye dug in and launched a big right hand that hurt Solis and caused him to back up several steps.

Haye then landed another right hand as Solis was backing up. Solis was then given a standing eight count. In the next round, Haye continued to land with with right hands in the first minute of the round and looked like he was well on his way to a Gold medal.

However, Solis began throwing one right hand after another and quickly discovered that Haye had no defense for a right hand. Besides that, Haye was already tired, much in the same way he had tired out quickly after only five rounds against Carl Thompson in 2004.

In the 3rd round, Solis hurt Haye twice with right hands in the round and just continued pouring them in until the referee stepped in and halted the fight after seeing Haye’s head getting snapped back repeatedly by the big right hands from Solis.

The victory gave Solis the Gold medal, while Haye had to settle for the Silver. Now eight years later, both heavyweights are stars in the pro ranks, with Solis now living in Germany, fighting mostly lower level fighters while he tries to work his way up.

Haye is now 15 pounds heavier, fighting at roughly 215 as a heavyweight. Solis, for his part, has gained close to sixty pounds – a good portion of it consisting of fat. However, Solis looks to be just as skilled as he was back then, and has the tools to beat many of the top fighters in the division. Apart from his stamina issues and weight problems, Solis has tools that many other heavyweights would die for.

Based on what I’ve seen of Solis and Haye, I think a fight between them would be an excellent bout to give each of them some much needed experience. Haye, who has an immediate interest in challenging one of the Klitschko brothers, probably Wladmir, needs to test himself against a heavyweight with skills instead of the journeyman that Haye has previously fought.

Solis also needs experience and a name on his resume to give him a surge up in the rankings. Who better than the fighter that he beat seven years ago while fighting in the amateur ranks. Solis’ chin is still excellent, his right hand is still good and he still throws combinations in bunches when he wants to.

Ideally, it would be good to see him drop a few pounds but he still looks remarkably good for a fighter carrying around an extra fifty pounds of fat on his frame. It doesn’t seem to be hurting him all that much. For either of these fighters, a win like this would answer a lot of questions about them and give them a lot of respect in the boxing world, and at the same time, it’s a fight that would greatly interest the boxing public.

Frankly, I think Solis would beat Haye. Solis’ chin is too good and he’d be able to take Haye’s big right hands for a round or two and then get to him with a right of his own and take him out. Haye, with his power, would have a chance for a round or two but beyond that point, he’d probably tire out and get stopped.

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