World heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko insisted his next opponent Odlanier Solis is one of the best in the world, as he hit back at criticism he takes only easy fights.
“I have always said I want to face the best in the world, because it makes the fights more interesting,” said Klitschko, who defends his WBC title against the unbeaten Cuban Solis in Cologne on March 19.
“I want to show that I am Number One in the world. This will not be a walk in the park, he is a good young boxer, but he misses the experience which is important in the world of boxing.”
Klitschko, 39, has come in for criticism recently for the opponents he fights, especially after his unanimous points victory over Shannon Briggs of the United States in October, who was dominated by the Ukrainian.
It was the sixth defence of the heavyweight title he won by defeating Nigeria’s Samuel Peter in Berlin in October 2008.
A former Olympic heavyweight champion, Solis, 30, has a perfect record of 17 wins, 12 knockouts and no defeats.
Klitschko also said yesterday that his retirement was not far off, but that he still had a couple of fights left in him yet.
“I feel like a 25-year-old but on paper I’m a ‘boxing grandpa’ – I am well aware of that,” the 39-year-old told the German daily Bild.
He said that his wife Natalie, who is keen on seeing her husband hanging up his gloves, “won’t have to wait that much longer.”
“Lots of sportsmen have missed the right moment to end their career,” Klitschko said.
“That’s not going to happen with me... Every fight carries with it a big risk.
“You have to be realistic.”
“But there will be a couple of fights yet.”
Poland fight
Meanwhile, the Klitschkos, management company KMG has announced Polish fighter Tomasz Adamek will fight one of the Klitschko brothers this September in Poland.
The fight will take place either in Warsaw or Breslau at one of the stadiums set to be used for Euro 2012.
Along with his brother Vladimir, the IBF and WBO heavyweight champion, the Klitschkos are official ambassadors of the tournament and Vitali is part of the organising committee.
Vladimir is due to fight Commonwealth champion Dereck Chisora in Mannheim on April 30 after their fight scheduled for last December was cancelled after Klitschko tore his stomach muscles.