Don King Card Features Tavoris Cloud Defending his Title, and Odlanier Solis Fighting in a Heavyweight Eliminator Match:
On December 17th, 2010, from Miami, Florida, Don King has put together a card featuring several big names and intriguing fights. The top two contests of the evening are between light heavyweight titlist Tavoris Cloud and his challenger, Fulgencio Zuniga, and two heavyweights vying for a title shot against Vitali Klitschko, Odlanier Solis and Ray Austin. Check out the fight previews and predictions for each match here.
Tavoris Cloud (21-0, 18 KO’s) vs. Fulgencio Zuniga (24-4-1, 21 KO’s)
Many observers viewed Tavoris Cloud’s August bout with Glen Johnson as his test to see if he was ready to take on the “big boys” of the division. Getting a win over Johnson is impressive in itself. Doing so in the kind of rough, pressure filled fight that Johnson has made a career out of was enough to say that if he’s not at the elite level, Cloud is definitely in the argument. If able to get past veteran Colombian Fulgencio Zuniga on Friday in impressive fashion, expect to see Cloud in a bigger money fight against one of the bigger names at 175 next.
Fulgencio Zuniga has rebounded nicely since his 4th round TKO loss to Super Middleweight stud Lucian Bute in March of 2009. Well if by nicely, you mean 2 TKO wins against 2 fighters who’s combined record is 10-38-1… The latter of which – Anibal Miranda – just turned 47 a few days ago. Sprinkle in that Zuniga is fighting at Light Heavy, against a younger fighter who will be fighting pretty close to home and defending his IBF title, and I am ready to give my prediction: Zuniga by 1st round TK… I kid, I kid!
Prediction: Cloud, TKO Round 3
Odlanier Solis (16-0, 12 KO’s) vs. Ray Austin (28-4-4, 18 KO’s)
2004 Olympic Gold medalist and Cuban defect Odlanier Solis finds himself an 18 to 1 favorite when he steps in the ring Friday night for his WBC Heavyweight eliminator. The 30 year old from Havana, now residing in Miami, has all the amateur pedigree to be a threat in the Heavyweight division. His most notable wins have come against David Haye in the amateur ranks, Monte Barrett and Cisse Salif as a pro. Solis’s biggest hurdle in this fight will be his opponent’s height.
Although Ray Austin stands 6’6, he only has a 1-inch reach advantage over the 6’11/2 Solis. Austin has fought the better competition in the professional ranks of the two. Since his draw against Sultan Ibragimov in 2006 and his 2nd round TKO loss to Wladimir Klitschko 7 months later, Austin has won four straight. At 40 years old, Austin no doubt views this as his last shot at glory, with the winner getting a mandatory crack at Wladimir’s older brother and WBC Heavyweight champ, Vitali Klitschko. But in fighting a guy ten years his junior and on his turf, albeit adopted, all signs point to a happy Cuban crowd at the end of this one.
Prediction: Solis, TKO Round 7
