Odlanier Solis: Legal Issues Keeping Him From Saturday Fight

Odlanier Solis, the would-be heavyweight contender and former Cuban amateur star, won't be making his return to action on Saturday after all. Arena Box sent out a press release saying that Solis (17-1, 12 KO) is not allowed to leave the United States due to a legal matter.

It was to be the first fight for Solis coming off of knee surgery, after his knee gave out in a one-round loss to Vitali Klitschko in March.

"I’m very disappointed", said promoter Ahmet Oner. "From what I’m told it’s not too serious and the whole thing should be settled soon but, of course, it annoys me that my fighter cannot fulfil his obligations and take a fight he has signed for. We all make mistakes – and I know what I’m talking about – but it’s important that you learn from your mistakes. I hope this is what Solis does as well."

Oner says that Solis will be back in early 2012. The order has him stuck in the States until mid-December.

"He was ready to go", adds Oner. "Now we’ll see what we will do. We will probably bring him back early next year when all legal issues have been solved. I am still convinced that Solis is the only heavyweight in the world today who can actually beat both Klitschko brothers. It’s too bad he cannot prove that this Saturday in Turkey."

The show's main event, pitting welterweights Selcuk Aydin and Jo Jo Dan in a rematch of their controversial 2010 fight, is still going ahead.