By Inna Lagun, allboxing.ru

The team behind WBC mandatory heavyweight challenger, Odlanier Solis, have begun negotiations with the camp of WBC champion Vitali Klitschko. Solis beat Ray Austin last Friday in Miami, Florida to earn the shot at Klitschko. The fight is already having some issues as Solis is requesting 1.5 million euros for the contest. The parties have to reach an agreement by January 7 or the contest will head to a purse bid.

"If the teams do not come to an agreement, the right to host the bout will be auctioned off at the purse bid," said Bernd Boente, manager of Klitschko.

If it goes to a purse bid, the champion will receive a 70-30 split in his favor. The style of the negotiations should not surprise Team Klitschko. Promoter Don King, who is now handling Solis along with Ahmet Oner of Arena Box, was the person most blamed for the failure in reaching a deal between Vitali and "Russian Giant" Nikolai Valuev. King made several "high" demands that forced Vitali to secure fights against other foes like Albert Sosnowski and Shannon Briggs.