Odlanier Solis Q & A

By Anson Wainwright

"I want to show everybody that I am the best boxer in the world"

We recently spoke to 2004 Olympic Heavyweight champion Odlanier Solis Fonte 9-0(6) from Cuba who defected in December 2006 along with team mates and fellow former Olympic Gold medalists Yuriorkis Gamboa & Yan Bhartelemy. Solis 28, originally from Havana now lives in Hamburg Germany and spoke candidly on various subjects. His belief that he is the best and will prove it becomes evident though he doesn't come across as arrogant just confident in his own ability. Which is easy to believe when your a 7 time Cuban champion, 3 time World Champion & former Olympic Champion and have never lost in a big tournement. Solis is definately one of Boxing's elite prospects who could go all the way.

Hello Odlanier, Welcome to www.15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright - What made you decide to defect from Cuba?

Odlanier Solis - As amateur boxer I had won everything there was to win. I felt that I needed a new challenge. So I wanted to turn pro to show everybody that I’m the best. Obviously you cannot become professional on Cuba so I had to leave the country. Of course, I wanted to live freely and earn some money as well.”

Anson Wainwright - How was life back in Cuba, did you have a hard upbringing?

Odlanier Solis - I wouldn’t say it was hard although in the retrospective life in Cuba is very different from what I know now since I live in Germany. I have a great family and had lots of fun doing sports. I loved sports and tried almost everything when I was young.

Anson Wainwright - Are you allowed to freely enter or contact anyone in Cuba?

Odlanier Solis - I don’t want to talk about politics and all that stuff. I am a professional athlete. Let’s talk about boxing.”

Anson Wainwright - How did you get into Boxing?

Odlanier Solis - I tried lots of different sports. My trainers told me that I was an exceptional talent in boxing and that I would surely be Olympic champion and world champion one day. So I decided to pursue that way. It proved to be the right decision.”

Anson Wainwright - You've enjoyed a good start to your pro career your 8-0 (5) - when will you be in action next? Do you have an opponent lined up?

Odlanier Solis - In fact, I’m 9-0 (6) now after knocking out some Georgian guy in Trabzon, Turkey on April 26th. I heard that my promoter Ahmet Öner is looking for some ‘good name’ to fight me next. I totally trust Ahmet in choosing my opponents. And to be honest I don’t really care who they are. I want to become champion of the world which means that I will have to beat whoever crosses my way.

Editor's note Solis’ last opponent was unbeaten Georgian Mamuka Jikurashvili (now 20-1-0, 14 kos). The next opponent will be “The White Buffalo” Francois Botha on June 27th in Miami, Florida.

Anson Wainwright - You had an outstanding amateur career, for anyone who may not know what did you win and what was your amateur record?

Odlanier Solis - I don’t like to talk about former achievements as that all lies behind me and I prefer concentrating on the present and the future. Some of the highlights of my career were winning the world championships as a junior in 1998 and three times as a senior: 2001, 2003 and 2005. And, of course, an absolute highlight was winning the Olympic gold medal in Athens in 2004. I also won the Pan-American championships twice and the national Cuban championships six times in a row between 1999 and 2004 and again in 2006.”

Anson Wainwright - It has been reported that awhile back you injured your ankle how is it at the moment?

Odlanier Solis - Injuries happen in professional sports. That is one of the hazards of the profession. It was really nothing big. I have no physical problems and feel great at the moment. Thanks for asking anyways.”

Anson Wainwright - It has been mentioned that for someone how stands at 6’0’’ you seem to weigh a lot, however in your last fight you weighed the lightest of your Pro career to date are you looking to lose some weight?

Odlanier Solis - I heard that lots of people are discussing about my weight. Though I think that speed, power and accuracy are far more important for a professional boxer than the exact weight. It is not my goal to weigh 200 pds. like I did in my amateur times. Especially in the heavyweight division you can’t afford to bee too light. You need some weight to put inside your punches. But it is right that my trainer and I are working on my strength and conditioning at the moment.”

Anson Wainwright - You've moved at a pretty fast pace since turning pro, what are your goals?

Odlanier Solis - My goal is to become heavyweight champion of the world as fast as possible. I want to show everybody that I am the best boxer in the world.”

Anson Wainwright - Who has been the toughest opponent of your career to date amateur or pro?

Odlanier Solis - I’ve been in the ring with lots of good opponents in the amateurs: Felix Savon, David Haye, Sultan Ibragimov, Wilmer Vazquez, Alexander Alexeev, Yoan Pablo Hernandez – only to name a few. I’ve beaten all of them by the way. I’ve won all of my 9 pro-fights as well so obviously there was no one as good as me and I don’t want to decide who is the best of the rest.”

Good luck Odlanier

Keep a look out in the for interviews with his team mates Yuriorkis Gamboa & Yan Bhartelemy.