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Heavyweight contender Odlanier Solis won a WBC title eliminator last night at Miami’s American Airlines Arena after oppoent Ray Austin punches Solis after the bell to end the tenth of a scheduled 12 rounder.
“I wanted to make Austin suffer for the things he said at the press conferences leading up to the fight,” said Solis. “I didn’t like it when he said that when he was done with me, they were going to send me back to Cuba. Now I sent him back to Cleveland where all they have are cows.
“I wasn’t tired at all. It was my strategy to fight the way I did tonight. What’s the worst thing that could have happened? I could have knocked him out or made him look ridiculous, which I did.”
At the post-fight press conference: “I don’t think I’m fat. What I would like to do is slap around some of the newspaper writers that say I’m fat.”
“Solis will beat Vitali Klitschko'” said Austin. “He’s accurate and has a good defense. He rests and recovers well, too. The only downside I see might be his chin. He showed a lot. I see him being the next WBC heavyweight champion. He’s good.”
Also on the bill was a clash between IBF light heavyweight champion Tarvoris Cloud and veteran super middleweight Fulgencio Zuniga, won by Cloud on points.
“I got hit with a headbutt in the second round that caused a cut over my left eye, but Zuniga was a tough guy,” said Cloud. “I knew I had better skills but he came into this fight in good shape.
“I only give my performance a “B” tonight. I will tell you I took this man seriously because I knew he would come to fight. I want the winner of Pascal-Hopkins tomorrow night, or Chad Dawson if he ever decides he wants to fight me.”
“Both times I went down were from headbutts,” said Zuniga. “I thought I did enough to win. Cloud was a strong guy, a champion and a hard puncher. But I was still proud of my performance.”
Former WBC/WBA welterweight titlist Ricardo Mayorga stopped veteran Michael Walker in the ninth at middleweight.
“I showed tonight that I can still fight,” said Mayorga. “Walker thought he had something for me, but the outcome was never in doubt. El Matador is back.”
