Remembering WBA Bantamweight Champion Julian Solis

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By Jeffrey “Italian Medallion” Cellini

Julian Solis, 41-13-1, 22 KO’s was a world-class fighter from Puerto Rico, who won the Lineal and WBA World Bantamweight champion in the early 80’s. Solis had a very productive and successful career early on, but struggled as he moved up and challenged better competition. He was a very good boxer; however, his lack of punching power betrayed him at times throughout his career.

Julian Solis, who often trained at the Bairoa Gym in Caguas. began his boxing career on November 11, 1975 when he outpointed Ray Negron in his pro debut. After winning his first five bouts in Puerto Rico, Julian would travel to St. Maarten and pick up his first international victory with a second-round knockout over Juan Gomez on December 4, 1976.

Undefeated after twelve fights, Julian Solis travel to the Dominican Republic and defeated Julio Soto Solano on October 16, 1978 for the Latin American Bantamweight title, winning a twelve-round decision. On February 2, 1980, he retained the Latin American title with a twelfth-round knockout of future world title challenger Edgar Roman in Venezuela.

On May 31, 1980, Solis continued his world travelling ways by challenging South African Welile Nkosinkulu in his home country. Julian stayed unbeaten after his first twenty fights by winning a split-decision, and was able to secure a future world title shot.

On August 29, 1980, Julian Solis squared off against the defending WBA World Bantamweight champion Jorge Lujan in Miami Beach, Florida. Luján, who had made five successful title defenses, lost his world championship to the Puerto Rican by a fifteen-round split decision. In a highly-contested fight, Puerto Rican judge Waldemar Schmidt gave Solis the fight by 144-142, and Panamanian judge Medardo Villalobos scored the bout for Luján 148-144. The American judge (and also the fight’s referee) Jimmy Rondeau, scored it for Solis, 144-143.

On November 14, 1980, in a clash of two unbeaten fighters, five-foot-five Julian Solis attempted to defend his WBA Bantamweight title against the five-foot-seven “Joltin” Jeff Chandler, who entered the contest with a record of twenty-three wins and only one draw. “Joltin” Jeff was all over Solis from the opening bell, dropping the defending champion with a left hook in the first round, and opening up a cut over his eye in the third round. Utilizing quick combinations, a solid jab and a left hook, Chandler would dominate the fight and claim the title with a fourteenth-round knockout in Miami, Florida, becoming the first American fighter to hold the bantamweight crown in over 30 years. Solis would claim after the bout that he was bothered by a wisdom tooth, which led to him not being as active throughout the fight as he was accustomed to being in previous encounters.

After making two successful title defenses of his newly-won crown, Chandler gave Solis his rematch for the belt on July 25, 1981 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. “Joltin” Jeff, who had trouble making weight in their first match, came into the fight in tremendous shape. Solis, who was a very busy fighter, capable of slipping punches effectively on the inside, caught the new champion with some big shots early in the second round. However, by the third round, Chandler would again start taking command of the fight, using his straight right hand very effectively. “Joltin” Jeff would take total control of the fight by the fourth round, constantly backing Solis up with his aggressiveness and strength. The end came near the end of the seventh round when a left-right combo by Chandler sent Solis to the canvas.

After his second loss to Chandler, Solis tried to revitalize his career by battling Francisco “Kiko” Bejines at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California in his very next fight. On November 12th, 1981, Mexican-born Bejines overpowered Solis and stopped him in the seventh round. Tragically, Bejines would die of fight related injuries, three days following a twelfth-round knockout loss to Alberto Davila in Los Angeles, California on September 1, 1983.

Julian would slightly recover from his back-to-back defeats by winning twelve of his next thirteen fights (with one draw), including victories over Manuel Batista and Kenny Mitchell in Puerto Rico. However, Solis would travel back to the States and lose a majority decision to hometown favorite Mike Ayala in San Antonio, Texas. Solis and his handlers filed a complaint with the Texas State Athletic Commission after they felt that he had been robbed of a victory by the judges in this fight; however, the result stood up after the commission reviewed the tape of the bout and decided that there was no wrong doing.

Among the boxers Julian Solis faced during the last part of his career were future world Bantamweight champion Maurizio Stecca, former world Bantamweight champion Calvin Grove, Seung-Hoon Lee and Pedro Decima. On December 11, 1987, Solis travelled to Italy to face the up-and-coming Stecca, but came away with a disqualification loss. Then on March 20, 1988, Julian visited South Korea to challenge Lee; but unfortunately walked with another points loss to home country favorite.

Solis would lose eight of his last eleven fights, including a unanimous decision loss to Grove in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 8, 1991. Julian finished his fighting career with a loss to world title contender Stephane Haccoun in France on December 15,1992.
Julian Solis was truly a globe-trotting boxer who was very popular in televised fights, especially when fighting in small Puerto Rican cities. He is best remembered as becoming the only world champion coming from a family of world-class fighters. Julian’s brother Enrique failed his attempt for a world title when he was outpointed by WBA Featherweight champion Eusebio Pedroza in 1978, and his other brother, Rafael, was knocked out by WBC Super featherweight champion Héctor Camacho in five rounds in 1983. Today, Julian is still a popular figure in Puerto Rico, where he participates in many local charities.

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