Kevin Johnson vs. Odlanier Solis on Aug 15

[The Hammer]

This is a very interesting matchup on the Top Rank PPV August 15, with both stepping up and facing their first world-class opponent.

(source: ESPN, it's also on the BoxRec schedule)

[Jim Jeffries]

I'll have to see what Solis weighs for this one before making any predictions.

[J.R]

This is a very interesting fight, with both stepping to to face their first world-class opponent.

(source: ESPN, it's also on the BoxRec schedule)

Very interesting fight, i see Solis taking it though by late KO.

[Ray*]

Wow, Great move by solis....fighting tough/decent opposition at this stage is alway great.

[Tmann400]

this is more of a test for solis than johnson imo. and i dont think he will pass the test against johnson. i see johnson beating him by UD or possible late stoppage

[Southpaw16BF]

This is a extremely interesting fight. Between two highly touted rising Heavyweights. Johnson is now unbeaten in 23 fights. And is coming off his best performance yet stopping National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion (2000, 2001) 2004 Olympic US Captin Devin Vargas who was 17-0.

Johnson has a great accurate shapr left Jab. And is also pretty skilled and has a good boxing brain.

In Solis you have a truely world class amature fighter who is now 14-0. But up to now has at times seemed to be very sloppy and lacked the dedication and it has showed in his performances. But when he is prepared and in shape he is one of the most skilled Heavyweights around.

Solis's Amature Accomplishments

231 Amateur fights
1998 Gold medalist at the Junior World Amateur Boxing Championships
1999 Panamerican Games Champion
2001 Gold medalist at heavyweight at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland. His results were:
Defeated Kerston Manswell(14-2)
Defeated Rustam Saidov(20-13)
Defeated Kevin Evans(RSC 3)
Defeated Sultan Ibragimov (23-13)
Defeated David Haye (RSC 3)
2003 Gold medalist at heavyweight at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. His results were:
Defeated Kubrat Pulev(12-7)
Defeated Spiridon Kladouhas(BYE)
Defeated Milorad Gajovic(20-17)
Defeated Viktar Zuyev
Defeated Alexander Alekseev (18-15)
Panamerican Games Champion
2004 Gold medalist at heavyweight at the Olympics in Athens. His results were:
Defeated Aleksander Alekseev (Russia) 24-21
Defeated Wilmer Vasquez (Venezuela) 24-4
Defeated Naser Al Shami (Syria) RSC 3 (1:29)
Defeated Viktar Zuyev (Belarus) 22-13
2005 Gold medalist at Super heavyweight at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Mianyang, People's Republic of China. His results were:
Defeated Vyacheslav Glazkov(26-11)
Defeated Zhang Zhilei (17-7)
Defeated Kubrat Pulev (20-17)
Defeated Viktar Zuyev (25-11)
Defeated Roman Romanchuk (29-22)
Six time Cuban National Champion (1999-2004)
Won 2 of 3 fights against Felix Savon

[Southpaw16BF]

[dmaclv]

The first time I have screamed since checking Kingpin Johnson's boxrec site. Wow great fight, Johnson takes it with decision. This fight will be a longer Arreola-Walker

[Hitman932]

This fight will be a longer Arreola-Walker

This fight will be nothing like Arreola-Walker.

Johnson is a lazy ass boxer with good jab and a weak ass right hand. Solis doesn't have much power either.

Walker and Arreola were droppin bombs from the get go.

[ИATAS]

in a matter of days it seems the heavyweight division got a tiny bit interested.

Thanks for letting us know, should be a good fight.

Here is the ESPN article:

By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
Archive

In such a shallow heavyweight division it might take only one victory against a contender for another contender to make his name. That's what Kevin Johnson, Odlanier Solis and their handlers are counting on.

That's why the heavyweights will face each other in an unusual meeting of undefeated rising contenders without a major title on the line, or even a mandatory title shot at stake.

Johnson and Solis will meet in a scheduled 12-round bout at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas on Top Rank's Aug. 15 pay-per-view card.

Carl Moretti of Top Rank, which co-promotes Solis, and Star Boxing's Joe DeGuardia, Johnson's promoter, came to an agreement Monday night, they both told ESPN.com.

"The paperwork is being drawn up but everything has been agreed to," Moretti said. "It's an important fight for both guys."

Nonito Donaire, who gave up his flyweight title last week, is moving up to junior bantamweight to fight Rafael Concepcion for a vacant interim junior bantamweight belt in the main event. Also on the card, featherweight titlist Steven Luevano defends against Bernabe Concepcion.

However, the Johnson-Solis fight, which has been in discussion since mid-June, is perhaps the most intriguing bout on the card.

"I think it's a difficult fight in terms of style, but Kevin wants to show he can beat anyone out there," DeGuardia said. "David Haye won't step the plate, Cris Arreola won't step to the plate and the Klitschko brothers are occupied. So we are looking to make statements and this will be a statement fight. We want to make a mark so that HBO and Showtime wake up and see there is a real heavyweight in America."

Said Moretti, "The winner is going to have a shot on HBO I think. I think if HBO was doing another 'Night of the Young Heavyweights' card, clearly these are two guys who would be participating."

Johnson (22-0-1, 9 KOs), 29, has one of the best jabs in the division and has the gift of gab. He is also coming off an impressive sixth-round knockout of 2004 U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas on May 15 in an ESPN2 main event.

Solis (14-0, 10 KOs), also 29, won an Olympic gold medal for Cuba in 2004 before defecting and turning pro in 2007. In his last fight, Solis knocked out journeyman Dominique Alexander in the first round on June 12.

"Kevin will be facing his second undefeated Olympian in a row," DeGuardia said. "The heavyweight division could be alive with a guy like Kevin with his jab and his mouth. This is the kind of fight that will give the winner a lot of recognition."

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.