By Jake Donovan
Undefeated Cuban heavyweight Odlanier Solis continues his ascension towards heavyweight title contention after scoring a third round stoppage over unwilling participant Carl Davis Drumond on Saturday evening at Mallory Square in Key West, Florida.
Solis weighed in at 268 ½ lb, while Drumond was 40 pounds lighter at 228 ½ lb for their heavyweight bout that served as the televised main event on Fox Sports’ Top Rank Live series.
There was a lengthy delay in the airing of the main event, after Drumond’s hands were unwrapped in the locker room. No explanation was ever offered for the delay, which is in line with the mystery surrounding Drumond’s reason for quitting in his corner after three rounds.
It certainly wasn’t a fight that will help drum up interest in a declining heavyweight division, which earlier in the day saw its lineal championship defended off of American airwaves for the first time in decades.
Solis was in his usually grotesque shape, a sad norm for his professional career after once upon a time serving as easily the fastest amateur heavyweight in the world. The 2004 Olympic Gold medalist is still able to move around his frame in the pro game, as he almost always enjoys a speed and skills advantage over his opponents.
Saturday’s bout was no exception, not that Drumond even attempted to challenge the scouting report. The one-time title challenger did little more than circle around the ring for most of the aborted affair, allowing Solis to dictate the pace and do virtually all of the fighting.
The tactic allowed Solis to roam as he pleased, working behind his jab in the opening round and offering more of a variety in the ensuing frames. A combination rocked Drumond early in the second, and was also effective with his looping right hand, often coming around Drumond’s high guard and catching him on the chin.
A left hook began the third for Solis, who continued to walk down a foe that had virtually no interest in fighting back. Solis continued on the hunt, while Drumond remained on the run, bouncing on his toes and playing the game in prevent defense mode. Solis closed the gap late in the round, landing four consecutive chin shots and causing Drumond’s knees to buckle just before the bell.
Just as things appeared to be moving in the right direction from an action standpoint, the bout came to a sudden and anti-climactic halt. Drumond decided between rounds that he had enough, informing the referee that he had no interest in continuing.
His body language both before and during the bout prompted the Florida Boxing Commission to announce that his purse would be held pending further review.
All in all, the night proved to be a disappointment for Solis. While he remains unbeaten at 16-0 (12KO), the bout revealed little about his career progress.
Even more of a letdown was that the bout took place 90 miles from his native Cuba, the closest to home that he or any of his former amateur teammates and fellow defectors have fought since bolting from the Cuban amateur squad more than three years ago.
All Solis can do, however, is play the hand which he is dealt. The precocious Cuban was in serious discussion for a fight with current heavyweight titlist Vitali Klitschko, and was fully prepared to withdraw from this bout had that match materialized. Klitschko instead went in another direction, leaving things status quo for this fight, although it provided Solis with little more than a win and a payday.
The latter could ultimately prove to not even happen for Drumond, who falls to 26-3 (20KO) with the loss, his third straight.
At age 35 and having not won in nearly two years, the disgraceful performance could be his last ever at this level.
Bigger and better things are expected for Solis, even as he approaches just two full years as a pro. While the skill set suggests championship status in his future, conditioning could ultimately dictate whether or not he gets there. Once a blazing fast 201 lb. heavyweight in the amateurs, Solis’ weight has since ballooned out of control.
The 6’1 ½” Cuban was a whopping 258 ½ lb in his pro debut less than two years ago. He appeared to be heading in the right direction, having weighed less in each of his eleven subsequent bouts, but has seen his weight at 259 or higher for each of his last four fights.
His management promised he would never again look like he did against Monte Barrett last October, weighing in at a career fattest 271 lb. They assured the media that his weight would be less than that for this fight.
While they didn’t lie, coming in just 2 ½ lb. lighter wasn’t a positive sign on paper, and even less so in the ring.
Still, it was enough to get the job done tonight since – unlike his opponent – he was actually willing to fight.
OTHER TELEVISED ACTION
In a battle of unbeaten featherweight prospects, Jorge Diaz rode two early knockdowns and a late surge to eke out a majority decision over Alejandro Lopez in their televised co-feature.
It appeared early as if Diaz was ready to run away with the fight, cutting off the ring well and sending Lopez to the canvas in each of the first two rounds. By the end of the third round, it seemed that Lopez’ only chance of surviving was if he ran like hell for the rest of the fight.
For whatever reason, however, Diaz suddenly stopped applying pressure, allowing Lopez all the way back into the fight. The middle rounds were a boxing clinic by Lopez, who used every inch of the ring as he peppered Diaz with his long left jab.
Momentum swung back in Diaz’ favor in the seventh, going for broke and applying more pressure as Lopez spent more time running than jabbing and fighting back.
With the fight seemingly on the table in the eighth and final round, both fighters tried to play to their strengths, but it was Lopez’ superior boxing ability that appeared to be enough to win the round and the fight.
It was to the Mexican’s surprise that the judges didn’t quite see things his way. All three ringside scorers saw the bout 76-74 in favor of Diaz, with the two early knockdowns proving to be the difference between a win and a unanimously scored draw.
Diaz, managed by Pat Lynch and with his ring trunks sporting a dedication to former Lynch client and best friend Arturo Gatti, improves to 13-0 (8KO) with the win in his first pro fight beyond the NY/NJ metro area for the New Brunswick resident. The distance fight breaks up a three-fight knockout streak, though he still remains unbeaten in the process.
The same can no longer be said for Lopez, who falls to 13-1 (2KO) with the hard-fought loss.
Junior middleweight newcomer Glen Tapia was impressive in his dismantling of Carlos Rodriguez in a strange swing bout that was interrupted by a wardrobe malfunction.
Rodriguez was actually holding his own early in the bout, before his protective cup became undone. The incident caused a considerable delay in the bout, while the Puerto Rican was forced to strip down to his drawers in allowing his corner to fix him up.
It proved to be the turning point in the fight. Tapia immediately went on the attack and never let up. The Passaic (NJ) native was overwhelming enough to force Rodriguez to quit on his stool after just two rounds of action.
Tapia, also managed by Pat Lynch, moves to 5-0 (4KO) with the win, his second in less than a month. He has another bout in queue, fighting in the non-televised portion of the April 17 card headlined by Kelly Pavlik’s middleweight title defense against Sergio Martinez in Atlantic City.
Rodriguez’ record evens up at 3-3 (3KO) as he suffers his second straight stoppage loss.
With an unforeseen delay in getting the main event fighters to the ring, undefeated featherweight Luis Franco gained unexpected TV time. He struggled in spots, but still managed to walk away with a four-round shutout win over veteran journeyman Walter Estrada.
Scores were 40-36 across the board for Franco, now 5-0 (4kO) in going the distance for the first time in his young career. Estrada falls to 35-13 (24KO), losing his fifth straight and nine of his last eleven bouts.
The show was presented by Top Rank Inc.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com and an award-winning member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com .
