“La Sombra” and Ahmet Öner continue their successful work for another three years: “Ahmet Öner and ARENA have led me to position #3 in the WBC ratings. I am very happy with our collaboration and I’m looking forward to another three successful years”, said heavyweight sensation Odlanier Solis after renewing his promotional contract with ARENA for another three years. The three time world amateur champion and 2004 Olympic gold medallist is on the fast track to a world title fight..
“We have big plans for the next years and Solis plays a major role in these plans. He is the future of heavyweight boxing”, states ARENA-CEO Ahmet Öner. “He is the only heavyweight today who can be a real thread to either of the Klitschkos. I hope that he will get the chance to get his hands on the brothers. Except Vitali and Wladimir there is no one in the division who is nearly his calss. Solis will be the dominating force in the next decade and I am glad that we will go this way with him.”
“I want to win the world title for ARENA”, adds Solis. “I turned pro to prove that I am the best boxer in the world. That is what I left my home country for. I know that I can beat any opponent in the world but I also know that a boxer needs a strong promoter to make it to the top. I am happy and proud to have the best possible promoter in my corner.”
Most probably Solis will return to the ring in February 2010. “We need to get him the right opponents to push him into the mandatory position”, says Öner. “None of the world champions will face him voluntarily but very soon there will be no way to avoid fighting him.”
RODRIGUEZ HARD LUCK CONTINUES IN POLAND
On November 27th Delvin Rodriguez took on Rafel Jackiewicz in an official welterweight IBF Title Eliminator. Going in, Rodriguez knew he would have to put on a dominating performance to win a decision, being the fight was taking place in Jackiewicz home country of Poland. Rodriguez stated prior to the fight that he was going to be aggressive and take the fight right to Jackiewicz. Rodriguez also stated he was going to hurt the Pole, and look to knock him out. Rodriguez made it clear that he didn’t want to leave any questioning up to the judges, and would put on a performance that no one could argue who the real winner would be. Everything Rodriguez stated and predicted were true, unfortunately, the only thing he was wrong about, was the decision, as Jackiewicz was awarded a highly controversial, if not out right ridiculous unanimous decision victory.
“We were waiting to get a copy of the fight before we released any statement,” stated Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing, and promoter of Rodriguez. “After watching the fight we believe it is crystal clear that anyone who watches this fight knows who the winner truly is. Hopefully the IBF will closely examine the footage, and grant Delvin a rematch.”
“The decision was completely insane,” stated Rodriguez long-time manager Stan Hoffman. “There isn’t one person that I talked to that night that told me they felt Delvin lost the fight, and that’s included almost every Polish writer there.”
Rodriguez started fast, and didn’t let his foot off the gas for the entire twelve rounds. Rodriguez displayed a lightening quick jab that he pumped into the face of Jackiewicz all night long. He continuously walked the Pole down, landing vicious shots to the body when the two would be in close quarters.
In the 6th a huge over hand right from Rodriguez rocked Jackiewicz, sending him stumbling across the ring. Rodriguez jumped all over his opponent, eventually dropping him with a flurry of punches. To Jackiewicz’s credit he was able to survive the round, but took a brutal beating in the process.
Rodriguez continued to outwork Jackiewicz for the remainder of the fight. At the end of the fight Jackiewicz faced showed the wear and tear of the grueling fight he has just been in, Rodriguez on the other hand didn’t have a mark on him. Reports from Poland stated that Jackiewicz was urinating blood after the fight, most likely as a result of the heavy body shots he received all night, and was taken to the hospital for observation on a possible concussion and broken jaw, heavy injuries for a fighter who won by scores of 116-112, 115- 112, 114-112.
In the end Rodriguez was credited with throwing 1,025 punches, while Jackiewicz only through 351. Rodriguez also outlanded Jackiewicz 141 to 108 and held a 94-60 edge in power shots.
Rodriguez threw more punches in every single round and was credited with landing more punches in seven of the twelve rounds. In fact, Delvin threw more jabs than Jackiewicz did total punches in eleven of the twelve rounds. Factor in the knockdown in the sixth, a round in which Delvin outlanded Jackiewicz 24-4 in total punches and 22-2 in power shots, the fight could have easily went 8-4, or at worst 7-5 in rounds for Delvin, with the extra point for the knockdown. You could almost make a case for a 10-7 round in the sixth considering the battering Jackiewicz received.
The loss for Rodriguez is painfully similar to what he has went through over the past year.
In November of 2008, Rodriguez went into South Africa to fight Isaac Hlatshwayo in an official IBF Title eliminator, dropping Hlatshwayo in the 9th round, and seemingly out working the South African, in a fight that was eventually ruled a draw.
In August of this year, Rodriguez fought Hlatshwayo again, this time for the vacant IBF welterweight championship, losing a close controversial split decision.
“He just can’t seem to get a break,” stated DeGuardia. “He fought a brilliant fight against Jackiewicz and did everything he needed to do to win the fight, but for some reason once again he didn’t get the decision.”
Former NABO Lighweight Champion Edner Cherry To Make Debut Under TKO Banner On December 17th!
Former lightweight champion Edner “Cherry Bomb” Cherry, 24-6 (12), will be making his debut with TKO Boxing against Javon Jones, 9-7 (4), on December 17th at the Commerce Casino, Los Angeles California. Cherry hopes this fight and his new association with TKO will be the springboard back to title contention. In his last fight, Edner took on WBC jr. welterweight champion Timothy Bradley and lost a 12 round unanimous decision. Cherry signed a promotional contract with TKO Productions back in September. Cherry was sought out by the promotional company and is looking forward to stepping up to the next level with TKO. “ I have a feeling that good things will be happening” said Cherry, “I want to go a long way with Cameron (Manager Cameron Durkin) and make something happen.” In his last fight, Edner took on WBC jr. welterweight champion Timothy Bradley and lost a 12 round unaimous decision. Among the 24 victories by Cherry, two came from beating Floyd Mayweather Jr. protégé’, Wes Ferguson, and one from knocking out former WBC lightweight champion Stevie Johnston.
Besides Edner Cherry, TKO has a large stable of fighters it represents. Formed and led by Chet Koerner, TKO also represents fighters such as Peter Manfredo, Mickey Bey, Matt Remillard and Joey Gilbert. Top ranked lightweight Rolando Reyes, fresh off his fifth round TKO of Juan Diaz, and Demetrius Hopkins, in his first fight as a welterweight, will be featured on this card. Tickets for “FIGHT NIGHT AT THE COMMERCE” start at $25 and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com Doors open at 7pm. The Commerce Casino is located at 6131 Telegraph Rd in Los Angeles.