Liborio Solis stokes the fire ahead of Jamie McDonnell rematch

Liborio Solis has stoked the fire ahead of his WBA World Bantamweight title rematch with Jamie McDonnell by claiming the Doncaster champion has been avoiding him for a year.
Photo: Lawrence LustigPhoto: Lawrence Lustig
Photo: Lawrence Lustig

McDonnell defeated Solis last November by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113, cards that prompted Solis’ team to appeal the result and the WBA to order a rematch.

For the Venezuelan, Saturday night is the chance to gain revenge.

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Solis believes he did enough on the night to justify a victory in his favour and doesn’t think that ring rust will be an issue as both men find themselves in the same situation.

“It was annoying that the rematch didn’t happen quickly,” said Solis.

“But as much as the year out may have affected me it will have affected him as well so there is no advantage there.

“He may have been trying to avoid the rematch because he knows it was a robbery. He himself was surprised when they read out the verdict.

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“I don’t know why he’s been avoiding me because if it were me I would have been looking for a rematch quickly just for personal honour. But he doesn’t have anywhere to run to now.

“The English fans and the press said that I won, I got messages from them and, he looked totally surprised as did his corner when they read out the verdict.

“I’m fired up to show that he didn’t beat me. I’m not assuming anything though, anyone can have a bad night and maybe that was his bad night. But now he has to show everyone that it was a bad night for him.”

McDonnell and Solis clash on a stacked bill in Monte-Carlo topped by a pair of World title battles with Russian destroyer Dmitry Bivol making the first defence of his WBA Light-Heavyweight strap against Australian Trent Broadhurst.

Scott Quigg and Oleg Yefimovych meet in an eliminator for the WBA World Featherweight title and Dereck Chisora challenges Agit Kabayel for the German’s European Heavyweight title.