By Dave Lahr: Unbeaten former 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Odlanier Solis (17-0, 12 KO’s) is in the biggest fight of his four-year pro career on March 19th against WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (41-2, 38 KO’s) at the Lanxess-Arena, in Cologne, Germany. Solis, 30, has a tough task of facing the better half of the Klitschko brother twin towers and he’s going to have to be at his very best if he wants to get a win against the 39-year-old 6’7″ Vitali.

It’s not impossible, though, because Vitali has been showing cracks in his once solid exterior in the past couple of years. Vitali doesn’t have the same kind of hand speed and ability to put punches together like Solis can do. He also doesn’t have his youth, and that could be the clincher in this fight. Solis is a lot younger than Vitali, and his youth is going to be like money in the bank. You can’t be old and facing a guy like Solis and expect to win.

It doesn’t work like that. Solis proved how good he against an older fighter when he worked over 40-year-old Ray Austin in his last fight, taking him out in the 10th round when Austin, badly hurt, was disqualified when he hit Solis while the referee was trying to separate the two after he pulled them both back from the ropes. Solis’ speed and ability to throw sustained combinations was too much for Austin in that fight.

Vitali is going to find himself facing the same kinds of problems against Solis because he doesn’t have the same ability to throw three and four punches at a time like Solis. Vitali also can’t keep fighting hard like Solis can. Vitali is going to wear down like an old clock, while Solis is just getting started with his game. This is why I expect to see Klitschko losing the fight by knockout on March 19th. Solis’ youth will be the deciding factor.