By John F. McKenna (McJack): 2004 Athens Olympic Gold Medal winner Odlanier Solis (17-1, 12 KO’s) is eager to get back into the ring after being away from it for over a year due to injuries. Solis will return to the ring on May 19 when he faces 33 year old Konstantin Airich (23-5-2, 17 KO’s) at the Convention Center in Pharr, Texas.

Solis got a title shot at WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (44-2, 40 KO’s) in March of 2011 and for a little over half a round he gave a pretty good account of himself. Based on that many of his supporters feel that if he had not injured his knee in a first round fall he would have gone on to win the abbreviated fight.

To be fair to Solis he did look pretty good for as long as the fight lasted. What was troubling however was the fact that during the pre fight instructions, Solis could not bring himself to look “Dr. Ironfist” in the eyes. It was glaringly obvious that Odlanier was intimidated by Vitali, or appeared to be. Also troubling was the approximately twenty pounds of excess weight Odlanier carried around his middle.

Many boxing observers base their opinions on how successful Solis appeared to be in getting inside on the towering Klitschko. That was not how this writer viewed the fight at all. It was my opinion even before Odlanier fell to the canvas that Klitschko was timing
him. Giving him a couple freebies so to speak as George Foreman did prior to knocking out Michael Moore in 1994 and Sugar Ray Robinson did just before he landed “The Perfect Punch” against Gene Fullmer in 1957.

The short right hand that Klitschko landed to the top of Odlanier’s head as he was coming in did not appear to have a lot on it. But Vitali stated after the fight that he felt a thud when the punch landed. And from the way Solis reacted it appeared that his body had short circuited when he fell to the floor. Apparently the injury occurred during the fall. The bottom line is that if Klitschko had not landed the punch Solis would not have gone down. Anyway you spin it that is a knockodown.

More importantly, if Solis had not been injured, does anyone really think that with him being at least twenty pounds overweight that he would not have tired and been beaten down by Vitali?

If Odlanier Solis is serious about getting another crack at Vitali Klitschko then it is imperative that he take the steps necessary to get into real fighting shape.