BERLIN – World champion Vitali Klitschko defended his WBC heavyweight title on Saturday amid farcical scenes with a first-round knock-out of Cuban challenger Odlanier Solis.
The fight was just three minutes old when Klitschko caught the Cuban on the top of the head and the 30-year-old rocked briefly before tumbling awkwardly to the canvas for the first defeat of his career. The referee ruled the Cuban had injured his knee in the fall and was unable to continue, awarding Klitschko a technical knock-out.
It was a bizarre end to a short fight and the champion was left shrugging his shoulders in frustration as the crowd at Cologne’s Lanxess Arena booed their disapproval at what was effectively a non-contest.
