Generally times in boxing, a outstanding, stellar, excellent, almost otherworldly (you get the notion) newbie profession does not in any way imply a fighter has a assured good vocation as a pro. Vintage scenario in level, the wonderfully gifted Odlanier Solis. Cuba’s Solis, an orthodox fighter, this quite scarce for the almost-always ‘wrong way round’ Cuban boxers, won just about almost everything there is to get at novice amount:
Olympic gold, gold at three Environment Championships, gold at two Pan American Games, with Solis beating, among the some others at beginner amount, Felix Savon, Sultan Ibragimov, David Haye, Aleksandr Alekseyev and Kubrat Pulev.
But practically as shortly as he defected from Cuba and began fighting out of Miami, Solis, getting the American dream, commenced to reduce his discipline and attain a fondness for the speedy-meals, effortless-residing lifestyle (just one story informed of how Solis was stunned to obtain out how quickly he could decide up a mobile phone and, just like that, a McDonald’s would be suitable there for the ingesting).
As a hungry (the appropriate kind, naturally) and identified newbie, Solis was a sleek, fast-relocating, 200 pound boxing master. As a professional, Solis, however standing just 6’1,” routinely weighed properly more than the 250 pound mark. It was a terrible squander of talent. Solis, had he preserved his willpower, may perhaps have been a true excellent. We will in no way know. Consumed by the junk food items he fell in appreciate with, Solis fundamentally ate himself out of a vocation, his after formidable capabilities deteriorating by the day.
It was on this day in 2011, when 30 12 months old Solis – unbeaten at 17- nonetheless acquiring appeared less that special in pounding out wins above Chauncy Welliver and Ray Austin, though seeking very great in having treatment of Monte Barrett – bought his a single and only shot at a planet title. Facing Vitali Klitschko for the WBC and Ring Journal belts, Solis went down in one odd and uncomfortable round in Germany.
Owning obtained his excess weight down a very little, but however not sufficient at 246 pounds, Solis was caught by a appropriate hand to the head at the stop of the opening round, and he went down closely, clutching his proper leg. Solis was clearly in distress and the fight was identified as. The critics tore into Solis, yet it was later on verified that he had torn his knee. There was discuss that Solis carried the injuries into the ring with him, his workforce understanding comprehensive properly about the difficulty.
Solis was ridiculed by all and his career was all but more than. Immediately after surgical procedure on his knee, Solis managed three so-so wins, before he misplaced back again-to-again fights to Tony Thompson and an ever-ballooning waistline. His promoters tearing their hair out at his sheer lack of desire, Solis retired with a 22-3(14) report, this in 2016.
Probably Solis could have been a planet winner, maybe he could have been a great. As it is, it was Solis’ destiny to turn out to be the best heavyweight poster boy or girl for wasted expertise. For squandered talent. So several fighters would destroy for the form of purely natural talent and ability “La Sombra” was blessed with.
What a disgrace.
