Rafael Solis (boxer)
Encyclopedia
Rafael Solis is a former light middleweight
boxer
from Puerto Rico
. He was raised in the barrio of Camito
. Rafael trained at the Caimito Gym, and also frequented the Bairoa Gym
.
Solis is the brother Enrique Solis, Santos Solis and former world bantamweight champion Julian Solís
.
Solis had a successful boxing
career, fighting through Latin America
.
On October 2, 1982 Solis won the Fecarbox(Central American Professional Boxing Federation) Super featherweight
title, knocking out
Aquilino Asprilla in the 6th round. On November 18, 1983, he challenged Héctor Camacho
for the WBC
's world Jr. Lightweight title. In what was the second time two Puerto Rican
fighters fought each other for a world title (the first time was Benitez
vs. Santos in 1981), Solis lost to Camacho by knockout in round five at Roberto Clemente Coliseum
.
Solis last boxed in 1995 and retired with a record of 30 wins (20 by knockout), 13 losses (11 by knockout), and 2 draws.
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
from Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. He was raised in the barrio of Camito
Caimito, San Juan, Puerto Rico
With a land area of 5.43 square miles , Caimito is the second largest barrio in the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. In the year 2000 it had 20,832 inhabitants and a population density of 3,835.3/sq mi...
. Rafael trained at the Caimito Gym, and also frequented the Bairoa Gym
Bairoa Gym
Bairoa Gym is a boxing gym located in the Bairoa barrio area of Caguas, Puerto Rico.El gimnasio Bairoa, as it is known in Spanish, is a famous boxing gym in Puerto Rico because of the list of world champions and top contenders who have trained there. World champions who have used this facility...
.
Solis is the brother Enrique Solis, Santos Solis and former world bantamweight champion Julian Solís
Julian Solis
Julian Solís is a former boxer from Puerto Rico. He was born in the San Juan area of Río Piedras, but because of the closeness of his birthplace to Caguas, he often trained at the Bairoa Gym in Caguas...
.
Solis had a successful boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
career, fighting through Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
On October 2, 1982 Solis won the Fecarbox(Central American Professional Boxing Federation) Super featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
title, knocking out
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
Aquilino Asprilla in the 6th round. On November 18, 1983, he challenged Héctor Camacho
Héctor Camacho
Héctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
for the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
's world Jr. Lightweight title. In what was the second time two Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
fighters fought each other for a world title (the first time was Benitez
Wilfred Benitez
Wilfred Benítez , is a Puerto Rican boxer. He is remembered best as a skilled and aggressive fighter with exceptional defensive abilities who won world championships in three separate weight divisions, and was the youngest world champion in boxing history at the age of 17...
vs. Santos in 1981), Solis lost to Camacho by knockout in round five at Roberto Clemente Coliseum
Roberto Clemente Coliseum
The Roberto Clemente Coliseum is a sporting events and concert arena in San Juan, Puerto Rico.It was, for many years, Puerto Rico's largest indoor event facility, and it continues being one of the largest....
.
Solis last boxed in 1995 and retired with a record of 30 wins (20 by knockout), 13 losses (11 by knockout), and 2 draws.