By Rey Colon
Heavyweight veteran Fres Oquendo (35-7, 23 KO's), ranked fifth in the WBA, is hoping to claim a title shot with the unified champion Wladimir Klitschko. The champion is looking to make a voluntary defense of his title on April 6th in Germany, and one potentially opponent previously mentioned in the rumor mill is Cuban Odlanier Solis, who is not among the top 10 contenders in that body. Oquendo is offended that Solis would even be considered.
"I have fought better fighters than [Solis], such as Duncan Dokiwari, Black Rhino, Bert Cooper, David Tua, John Ruiz, Chris Byrd, James Toney, Jean Marc Mormeck, Evander Holyfield and Oliver McCall. I've beaten almost all of them and have never been seriously hurt. Each fight that I lost in my career has been against a future Hall of Famer. Wladimir should give he opportunity to me. Or is he afraid," Oquendo said.
"I beat [Chris] Byrd and the championship was stolen from me in that fight. And this guy (Klitschko) wants to fight a fatty. I have worked hard to be in the top five. I had to beat real horses to get here, durable men. Wladimir needs to step forward and fight a man."
